Jai Alai IPA - Cigar City Brewing

JWU

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into my trusty mug.

A - dark gold, a little orange, with a thin bright white head. Leaves ok lacing down the glass. Almost transparent, but a hint of haze.

S- The best smelling IPA ever. I'm not kidding. Very bready and caramel like, the hops really hide in the smell, but you can tell they are there on the back end. I could smell this all night.

T- Taste really follows the smell. Bready/biscuity malts up front, a very defined caramel note for an IPA. Hops start to bite middle to end, and finish dry. The taste and smell on this is downright crave-able. That defined caramel note does however get a bit dominating for an IPA, but I'm really nit-picking.

M- A little rough in the mouth, light to medium feeling, tight carbonation, but almost feels astringent on the finish.

O- Certainly an upper tier IPA and likely top 5 I've ever had. I'd certainly seek this out. Ranks up with Victory HopDevil, Bells Two-Hearted, Southern Tier IPA, Great Divide Titan and Bear Republic Racer 5 on my list!

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2011 21:51:16 | More by JWU

BeerMeInStl

Missouri

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

06-18-2013 02:47:28 | More by BeerMeInStl

BColton1

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev -5%

06-18-2013 01:28:25 | More by BColton1

jmccullough108

Missouri

4/5  rDev -5%

06-18-2013 01:20:41 | More by jmccullough108

spw109

New York

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

06-17-2013 21:46:57 | More by spw109

Shnanign

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

06-17-2013 16:13:30 | More by Shnanign

rgilbert

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

06-17-2013 15:20:39 | More by rgilbert

illy0sis

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

06-17-2013 01:26:03 | More by illy0sis

diehl07

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +1%

06-16-2013 23:03:44 | More by diehl07

BobaFret

Pennsylvania

4.51/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Canned on 5/28/13; enjoyed on 6/16/13.

A - Deep orange/amber with a thick cream head that quickly dissipates. A beautiful example of the style.

S - Strong notes of tropical fruit: pineapple, mango, orange, grapefruit. Sweet maltiness in the background. Smells ridiculously juicy!

T - Very juicy, as expected. First taste is of grapefruit/citrus followed by a malty finish.

M - Medium body; very easy to drink.

O - An exceptionally juicy and drinkable IPA. A nice contrast to the hop-bombs from the West Coast.

Serving type: can

06-16-2013 22:09:41 | More by BobaFret

roostor07

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -5%

06-15-2013 18:03:37 | More by roostor07

Cdunk11

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

06-15-2013 01:45:41 | More by Cdunk11

mattvandyk

Michigan

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

06-14-2013 19:31:14 | More by mattvandyk

anteater

Oregon

4.25/5  rDev +1%

06-14-2013 15:40:23 | More by anteater

ali1987

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -10.9%

06-14-2013 02:40:40 | More by ali1987

Resuin

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -5%

06-13-2013 21:35:19 | More by Resuin

Hubarooski

Florida

4/5  rDev -5%

06-13-2013 20:20:25 | More by Hubarooski

djre4orm

Virginia

4/5  rDev -5%

06-13-2013 20:02:38 | More by djre4orm

Zonian1

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +1%

06-13-2013 01:03:11 | More by Zonian1

steevbr

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1%

06-13-2013 00:35:46 | More by steevbr

HoppySailor

Maryland

4.84/5  rDev +15%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

In my snifter- Jai Alai India Pale Ale from Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, Fl. Twelve ounce can poured into a New Belgium snifter. Date on the can is May 31, 2013. This was a gift from my beer guy at Hops & Vines in Odenton, MD.

A- Pours a hazy amber color with a finger and a half of thick bubbles that withdraw quickly. A heavy web of even lacing is left all around the snifter. Volcano of tiny bubbles erupting heartily from the bottom of the glass. Gorgeous brew.

S- Very hearty smell of pineapple, mango and grapefruit. It almost smells too citrusy to be a beer. There is a faint smell of caramel malt, but the overpowering nose of citrus is remarkable.

T- Very nice citrus and hop bitterness. Grapefruit notes along with orange peel and a touch of mint. The finish is good and balanced after the hop punch to the palate. The malts are in there, but only enough for a little balance. There is no sweetness in this brew at all. (As has been mentioned, sweetness does show a little as this beer warms)

M- The mouthfeel is well above par. Nice bite on the introduction, but the final act is like oiled silk. Smooth and viscous all the way down with not even a hint of bite on the back of the throat. Maybe the best ever in this department.

O- Overall I would put this on pace with Sculpin IPA. This is a top-five IPA if not my number one. Shame I can't get it again without going to Florida. Awesome beer. And it's in a CAN!

Serving type: can

06-13-2013 00:12:13 | More by HoppySailor

BradMacMullin

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

06-13-2013 00:04:55 | More by BradMacMullin

Hopbrizio

California

4/5  rDev -5%

06-12-2013 17:59:30 | More by Hopbrizio

Ant4711

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

06-12-2013 16:03:52 | More by Ant4711

Huntor0

Florida

4/5  rDev -5%

06-12-2013 02:07:05 | More by Huntor0