A ‘Once In A Blue Moon’ Celebration - New Years Eve 2010!

A blue moon on New Year’s Eve only comes around once every 20 years or so, but 2009 will close with a bang – a blue moon on Dec. 31 – and Blue Moon Brewing Company is encouraging holiday celebrators to make the most of the rare occurrence

A blue moon is defined as the second full moon in a calendar month. The last New Year’s Eve blue moon was 1990 and the next one after this year won’t come around again until 2028! And as the “official beer of the New Year’s Eve blue moon,” Blue Moon Brewing Company – brewer of the popular Blue Moon Belgian-Style Wheat Ale and other seasonal craft beers – is making sure this will be a New Year’s Eve to remember.

The craft brewer is celebrating this rare lunar occurrence with an equally rare brew: the limited-edition Blue Moon Grand Cru. In Belgium, a Grand Cru is typically a rich, bold beer brewed to celebrate the holiday season or another special event. Following the traditional Belgian style, Blue Moon Grand Cru – inspired by Blue Moon Belgian White – is brewed with small-batch care, while providing a unique twist on the classic Grand Cru.

An artfully crafted, full-bodied 8.2 percent ABV beer, Blue Moon Grand Cru has rich, creamy notes, with subtle hints of orange peel and coriander, and delivers a warm, spicy finish. Available in a 750-ml bottle, Blue Moon Grand Cru hits store shelves and coolers Dec. 1, and is priced around $10 per bottle.

“I spent several years learning the art of brewing in Belgium, and I’ve grown to appreciate the bold taste of Grand Cru brews,” said Blue Moon Brewmaster Keith Villa. “The blue moon on New Year’s Eve is the perfect occasion to celebrate and commemorate with our own Grand Cru. Beer fans will discover a foamy head, big body and a crisp, tangy flavor while enjoying our artfully crafted Blue Moon Grand Cru this holiday season. Just like Blue Moon, it should be served with an orange slice garnish.”

Adding to the holiday festivities, Blue Moon is unveiling a New Year’s Eve-themed layer to its Web site (www.BlueMoonBrewingCompany.com ) and launching an official brand page on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/BlueMoon ), providing beer fans with a variety of exclusive Blue Moon New Year’s Eve features, such as:

• Links to holiday music stations on Pandora.com and a food hub on Chow.com
• Education and fun facts on the 2009 lunar blue moon
• A New Year’s Eve countdown clock

“We can’t take credit for scheduling a blue moon on New Year’s Eve, but we’re certainly making the most of it, and rewarding beer lovers at the same time,” said Michael Browne, vice president of marketing for Blue Moon. “No doubt this is a cause to celebrate, and Blue Moon is thrilled to provide a rare brew for a rare event. There’s no better way to celebrate the New Year’s Eve blue moon than with Blue Moon Grand Cru or Blue Moon Belgian White. Garnish it with an orange and ring in the New Year – and the blue moon – in style.”

Building on the New Year’s Eve excitement, for the first time in its 14-year history, Blue Moon Brewing Company is releasing a television commercial, entitled “Creation.” Using stop-motion animation, the innovative, artfully crafted ad spotlights the unique ingredients in Blue Moon Belgian White. To view the ad, which will air nationally, visit www.YouTube.com/BlueMoonBrewing.


Blue Moon Brewing Company was born in Denver in 1995. Everything we do stems from our artistic approach to brewing beer. We paint flavors with hops, barley and wheat, and then add twists like orange peel and coriander. And that’s why we say our beer – and everything we do – is Artfully Crafted. More information is available at www.BlueMoonBrewingCompanycom.