Posted on May 5, 2011 by Mary Ellen Brewington
The largest full moon in 18 years, nicknamed Supermoon, appeared in the night sky on March 19, 2011. This orbital beauty occurred due to the moon’s close proximity to Earth, and if you observed the Supermoon that evening, you saw that it was stunning.
The full moon is full of myths and mystery. Many believe that it can cause a sane person to behave strangely. Lunatic – synonymous with crazy, foolish and harebrained – comes from the word lunar, which means pertaining to the moon.
In storybooks and movies, werewolves howl and witches dance in the moonlight. The moon has played leading roles in some of the best films in history like Moonstruck and the Twilight Saga movies.
The Farmers’ Almanac highlights the moon’s cycles, and the Native Americans named the full moons. Soon-to-arrive full moons are the Flower Moon on May 17, aptly named because many flowers are in bloom for its appearance, and the Strawberry Moon, which rises on June 15 during the strawberry harvest season.
A Blue Moon is sometimes defined as a full moon occurring twice in one month. There is a second, older definition from the Maine Farmers’ Almanac, which describes a Blue Moon as the third full moon in a season that has four full moons.
Cherokee Distributing Company likes to celebrate any full moon with our artfully crafted Blue Moon beers. We enjoy the Blue Moon Belgian Ale all year long. The Belgian Ale is unfiltered with white wheat, oats, coriander and orange peel. This full-flavored brew finishes smooth and is delicious served with seafood, pork or chicken.
This spring we’re offering Spring Blonde Wheat Ale, a light, white wheat ale that is touched with a bit of lemon and orange peel. Spring Blonde tastes like a “splash of sunshine in a glass.”
And, for summer, we’re looking forward to sipping the gold medal-winning Summer Honey Wheat, featuring subtle citrus flavors with a hint of clover honey. Blue Moon’s Summer Honey Wheat will be a welcomed addition to any summer barbeque or picnic.
As the seasons become more outdoor-friendly, we celebrate the moon and the stars. George W. Sampson, founder of Cherokee Distributing Company, had a special celestial expression:
“When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either.”
We raise a cold bottle of Blue Moon to the stars in memory and celebration of the life of George. Cheers, Boss!