Blue Moon is possibly the most controversial beer at the 2011 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. Why the controversy? The Craft Beer Collection is featuring Blue Moon as one of its eight craft beers; however, the Blue Moon Brewing Company is a part of the Molson Coors conglomerate.

Blue Moon was first brewed at the Sandlot, sort of a brewpub for the Blue Moon Brewing Company at Coors Field in Denver. Originally called Bellyslide Belgian Wheat, Blue Moon became a hit and Molson Coors put it into nationwide production. The Sandlot still brews Blue Moon mostly for its customers; most of the Blue Moon brewed for nationwide distributon comes from a nearby Molson Coors plant.

While Blue Moon does have some craft roots, the controversy remains among beer aficionados whether Blue Moon is a craft beer. I tend to think that it's not, as the beer you and I are drinking is mass-produced in the same plant as Coors.

As for the beer itself? This witbier is a cloudy orange with a small, quickly dissipating head. Take a sniff and there's a weak scent of wheat. Taking a sip light spices cross the tongue along with a hint of citrus, but mostly a wheat taste. It has light carbonation, and I find it to be a bit thin. Overall, this is supposed to be similar to a Hoegaarden as it's also a Belgian white (and made in Belgium), and I'd much prefer it to Blue Moon. Overall, meh.

If you're looking to have a witbier at the Food and Wine Festival, head on over to the Belgium booth and buy a Hoegaarden instead. Blue Moon is also served in a number of locations around the Walt Disney World resort year-round, so there's no reason to feel bad if you don't have one at Food and Wine.