Cigar City an early taste..
I dropped by Cigar City yesterday and was treated to a little sneak preview of a few beers they hope to one day make available and needless to say I was blown away! I had the chance to sample two; the Patio Pils and the Capricho Oscuro a few months back during a tasting of many others at the OTH, but to be able to sample this time in a correct flight (or at least in the right order so I could taste the nuances of each) without having any other beer first was great..
The first was a Saison, a little clear but with all of the earthy, apple like aromas, phenolics and spiciness you would expect with the the added complexity of a little funk from the edition of Scuppernog grapes. This beer balanced out nicely and was very drinkable, I am told processing the Scuppernogs was a pain so on a large scale they are unsure of what they will do but I hope they come up with something. This would be perfect for one of those great spring days enjoyed outdoors at your favorite beer garden. They don't plan on putting it in the production schedule for some time, but keep an eye out for it.
The second was the Sugar Plum Brown Ale which had the edition of Celestial Seasonings Sugar Plum Fairy Holiday Tea. The beer, a malty brown ale was great as a base and the tea spiced the beer nicely and gave it a wonderful aroma.
Next was the Imperial Pumpkin Ale, which while I do not necessarily have a favorite because they were all wonderful.. This would be at the top of the list, without a doubt the most sublime Pumpkin Ale I have ever had. Most people liken a great Pumpkin beer to good Pumpkin Pie, this was a few steps above that maybe like the ultimate Pumpkin Cheesecake. I say that because the beer had an almost creamy texture and an aroma that was about twice as nice as any pie I have ever smelled or tasted. The spices seemed to shine one at a time, with the rich taste of the pumpkin and the subtle taste of the malts used added just a little more depth. According to Wayne and Joey, it was at first a little "boozy" but when I tried it yesterday this had mellowed out and found it's place in the mix.
When you think it just doesn't get any better, it does! The next offering was the Mayan Chocolate made with 8 different malts and the edition of chilies, raw cacao nibs, vanilla, and cinnamon. According to the info from Wayne and the Cigar City blog this beer weighs in at 80 I.B.U.'s and about 11% ABV. It pours dark as night the a deep, dark, creamy head that gives way to a very complex experience that is perhaps one of the most interesting Imperial Stouts I have ever had.
Capricho Oscuro was next, this is a blend of about 6 different pilot batches and is aged in an oak barrel. It's result is an insanely complex experience of flavor, the vanilla from the oak the varied maltiness as result of the blend of different beers the base of which is I believe a brown ale. As mentioned, I had this beer a few months ago but based on my notes and memory which for this beer was vivid already it has changed even from that time. Funny thing, anyone can mix beers together based on their own preferences but to truly blend more than one beer with others to profection is an art form and this beer was just that. I look forward to the different incarnations of it in the future, as I have been told it will be released from time to time but will never be the same rather based on what is being brewed at the time. Most likely it will be blended, as it should be with the same experimental sense of adventure as the first but with what the brewery is producing at the time. Look for it from them in the future, and when you find it drink up!! No telling when you will see it again..
The last was the Cafe' con Leche Stout made with coffee beans roasted in the traditional Cuban fashion from Naviera Coffee Mills in Ybor City. It is a true testament to the coffee drink made famous in Tampa by the Cuban population centered around the cigar infrastructure in Ybor City in the last 150 or so years. The beer is another that pours very dark, and has a deep roasted malt complexity with the addition of course of the very strong coffee beans added. To balance there is a slight malty sweetness what adds balance and makes this stout very drinkable although I have a feeling perhaps after a few you might be up for a little while..
All in all, sampling these goodies from Cigar City makes me very excited to know that we will soon be able to enjoy them at our favorite local watering holes. Seeing 2 people pour their hearts into these exceptional liquids tells me there are great things to come for beer lovers in Tampa Bay and beyond in the near future.
I can't wait!
Cheers!
The first was a Saison, a little clear but with all of the earthy, apple like aromas, phenolics and spiciness you would expect with the the added complexity of a little funk from the edition of Scuppernog grapes. This beer balanced out nicely and was very drinkable, I am told processing the Scuppernogs was a pain so on a large scale they are unsure of what they will do but I hope they come up with something. This would be perfect for one of those great spring days enjoyed outdoors at your favorite beer garden. They don't plan on putting it in the production schedule for some time, but keep an eye out for it.
The second was the Sugar Plum Brown Ale which had the edition of Celestial Seasonings Sugar Plum Fairy Holiday Tea. The beer, a malty brown ale was great as a base and the tea spiced the beer nicely and gave it a wonderful aroma.
Next was the Imperial Pumpkin Ale, which while I do not necessarily have a favorite because they were all wonderful.. This would be at the top of the list, without a doubt the most sublime Pumpkin Ale I have ever had. Most people liken a great Pumpkin beer to good Pumpkin Pie, this was a few steps above that maybe like the ultimate Pumpkin Cheesecake. I say that because the beer had an almost creamy texture and an aroma that was about twice as nice as any pie I have ever smelled or tasted. The spices seemed to shine one at a time, with the rich taste of the pumpkin and the subtle taste of the malts used added just a little more depth. According to Wayne and Joey, it was at first a little "boozy" but when I tried it yesterday this had mellowed out and found it's place in the mix.
When you think it just doesn't get any better, it does! The next offering was the Mayan Chocolate made with 8 different malts and the edition of chilies, raw cacao nibs, vanilla, and cinnamon. According to the info from Wayne and the Cigar City blog this beer weighs in at 80 I.B.U.'s and about 11% ABV. It pours dark as night the a deep, dark, creamy head that gives way to a very complex experience that is perhaps one of the most interesting Imperial Stouts I have ever had.
Capricho Oscuro was next, this is a blend of about 6 different pilot batches and is aged in an oak barrel. It's result is an insanely complex experience of flavor, the vanilla from the oak the varied maltiness as result of the blend of different beers the base of which is I believe a brown ale. As mentioned, I had this beer a few months ago but based on my notes and memory which for this beer was vivid already it has changed even from that time. Funny thing, anyone can mix beers together based on their own preferences but to truly blend more than one beer with others to profection is an art form and this beer was just that. I look forward to the different incarnations of it in the future, as I have been told it will be released from time to time but will never be the same rather based on what is being brewed at the time. Most likely it will be blended, as it should be with the same experimental sense of adventure as the first but with what the brewery is producing at the time. Look for it from them in the future, and when you find it drink up!! No telling when you will see it again..
The last was the Cafe' con Leche Stout made with coffee beans roasted in the traditional Cuban fashion from Naviera Coffee Mills in Ybor City. It is a true testament to the coffee drink made famous in Tampa by the Cuban population centered around the cigar infrastructure in Ybor City in the last 150 or so years. The beer is another that pours very dark, and has a deep roasted malt complexity with the addition of course of the very strong coffee beans added. To balance there is a slight malty sweetness what adds balance and makes this stout very drinkable although I have a feeling perhaps after a few you might be up for a little while..
All in all, sampling these goodies from Cigar City makes me very excited to know that we will soon be able to enjoy them at our favorite local watering holes. Seeing 2 people pour their hearts into these exceptional liquids tells me there are great things to come for beer lovers in Tampa Bay and beyond in the near future.
I can't wait!
Cheers!
posted by theworldofbeer.com at
03:47
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