Cigar City Humidor Series Jai Alai Cedar Aged India Pale Ale

Brewed by Cigar City Brewing
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Tampa, Florida USA

Bonus bottle from bucwild. Thanks! When I first opened the bottle and took a whiff, I was a little surprized. It smelled like strong chlorophenols, like pinesol floor cleaner and chlorine. I thought, maybe they mashed with heavily chlorinated water. It wasn’t until halfway through my glass I realized it was a piney aroma from the cedar wood. I poured it into my glass, where it had a nice offwhite head, and amber color. The taste was like a red grapefruit. Lots and lots of citrusy hops, which could have been accentuated by the pineyness. Light melanoidin sweetness, and very easy to drink. I admit I didn’t like it until halfway through my glass, probably because of the novelty, but I now I like it a lot, again partially because of the novelty, and because I understand where the aroma is coming from. I guess it could be like sour beer. At first it’s disgusting, then you don’t die from drinking it, then your body says " Hey this is good stuff," then you love it.

Thanks to Kelsey for bringing this to awaisanen’s baby shower I really enjoyed how the cedar complemented the hoppiness of this beer. It gave it a nice complexity and balance.

Oh yeah, thanks to Daknole for the hookup! Bottle. Pours a hazy light orange color with a large foamy whipped head. Flavor is soft caramel malts followed by a nice dose of earthy cedar wood. Finish is dry and somewhat resiny with a nice citrus hop wallop. Medium bodied. This is a damn fine beer, and the cedar seems to have mellowed it out just the right amount.

Pours a very hazy orange amber with thick creamy white head. Aroma is yeast and earthy floral notes. Flavor is a mix of citrus and floral (hops) and a bit bready as well. Palate is creamy with high carbonation. A really enjoyable beer.

Bottle thanks to TheCheeseMan. Pours a clear coppertinged amber with a big frothy offwhite head. Aroma is glorious, juicy fruity and pinelike hops, sweet citrus like tangerine, some citrus zest, some very slight sweetness from the malts, and a lovely spicy note that I can’t quite pin down. Not quite peppery, but almost. Also some vanilla and alcohol. Great! Flavour does not let it down. A resinous and citric hop bitterness is well balanced with the malt sweetness, and the spiciness shines in the dry finish. Body is medium, carbonation is lively but not too sparkly. You know, I was a bit cautious when drinking this, seeing as CCB has gotten so much hype. Was expecting to be disappointed, but it surpassed my expectations and more. The most interesting and tasty IPA I’ve had. Wonderful brew!

750ml courtesy of TheCheeseMan. Pours a cloudy medium amber with a thick 2 finger beige head that lasts and leaves great lacing. The nose is ripe citrus, light wood and malt. The taste is caramel, citrus, light wood and a big piney finish. Medium bodied. Tasty stuff – thanks Daniel!

Bottle 75cl.
Clear medium orange color with a large, frothy to creamy, good lacing, fully lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, caramel, light heavy hoppy, grapefruit, orange, fruity, spicy, peppery and a dry finish. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and bitter with a long duration, peppery and fruity. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. [20090913]

Bottle courtesy of fogdog in the perfect 10v4 trade. Pours a hazy rich tawny orange with a large browned cream head. Huge damp pine, earth, and crisp cedar. The cedar’s quite clear and very interesting, picking up a dry citrus note. Remarkably creamy mouthfeel highlighted with some great bitterness and a nice crisp candied citrus and faint malt note. Spicy wood notes, and a long dry finish with cedar, grapefruit pith, quinine. Really tasty.