Cigar City 110K+OT Batch #1 Der Rauch Gott

Formerly brewed at Cigar City Brewing
Style: Smoked
Tampa, Florida USA

Whew! Big thanks to Dakine for this sample at DLD ’09. This was really interesting. Definitely my favorite smoked beer that I’ve ever had. Real big tobacco and smoky flavors make this an interesting, but really good beer.

Big sample courtesy of Daknole at DLD 09. Dark brown pour, and a little smoky aroma. Flavor was just incredible, tobacco, vanilla, and some of the mellowest/richest smoke flavor I’ve ever tasted in a beer. My first CC beer and hopefully not my last.

A: Pours a very black hue. Small thin head with no retention. Looks thick, oily, and evil. S: Holy Smokes! This one smells like a Cub Scout camp fire. Tons of smoke, earthy wood, and ash. Hints of smoked meat, brown sugar round things out. This one is smoked to the max. T: The smoke transfers through is such a good way. Smoked bacon, and fresh beef jerky up front. Hints of chocolate and caramel attempt to provide a bit of balance, but if you love smoke this one is for you. M: Full bodied, thick, and creamy with a smokiness that overcomes your being. D: Rather good actually. Give me a rack of ribs off a green egg smoker and a bottle of this and I am set.

750 ml bottle - shared by IBrew2or3; choco brown with no head; slightly cloudy; smoke is subtle on the aromas, but hits harder in the flavors; roasty, rich and very smooth; lands on the sweet side with chocolate and plenty of smoke, but never overwhelming either; wow, this is my kind of smoked; thanks Dave and look forward to your next Seattle visit

Bottle courtesy gunhayver. Poured into a tasting glass. Extremely dark brown with a beige head. Aroma is obviously smokey but it‘s not really meaty like the Schlenkerla rauchbiers. More like charred redwood bark. Also a decent amount of roastiness and burnt sugar. Flavor is similar but the smoke seems multifaceted, unlike any other smoked beer I‘ve had. It‘s like every single ingredient was dried over smoldering alder and cedar before being used in this beer. Burnt wood, burnt caramel, burnt fruit, burnt chocolate. Body is well thicker than medium, but everything is crafted so well and there‘s no booziness so it remains drinkable. Awesome imperialization of the rauch style.

Bottle, courtesy some hairy guy with a shaved head. Pours midnight brown, with thin white head and decent lacing. Aroma of big smoke, roasted charred coffee and malts. Flavor is awesome; lots of burnt wood and roasted toasted malt. Tastes like an ashtray doused with caramel and chocolate. Surprisingly drinkable despite all the craziness and big body. Love it.

Bottle courtesy of Retorp. Pours a dark brown to black color with a thin tan head. Aroma is roasted malt, smoke, campfire, some notes of honey and caramel. Flavor is much of the same (roasted malt, smoke) with some hints of honey and molasses. Generally medium to full body with a slightly sweet, slightly malty smoke finish. Finally -- a drinkable smoke beer.

Courtesy Joey & Wayne, via TheCheeseMan. One of only 29 bottles. This one is dark and dense, mahogany in hue with a tinge of crimson showing at the edges when backlit. The head is compact, with a creamy consistency and a tan hue, leaving a thick, soapy wash behind on the glass. Smoky, malty aromas explode from the glass. Notes of burnt caramel, stewed dark fruits, and roasted grains show through a formidable, smoked malt overtone. Flavors follow suit, boldly smoked but amply fruity overall. Scorched caramel and prunes play a major role. If I had a complaint, it would be over-the-top malty sweetness, but this is tasty as hell nonetheless. Full and viscous on the palate, the substantial swallow is warm, finishing sticky. This was my first taste of a Cigar City brew, and if it serves as a sign of things to come, the Florida beer scene just got a whole lot better.