Jai Alai IPA
Cigar City Brewing

Jai Alai IPAJai Alai IPA
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From:
Cigar City Brewing
 
Florida, United States
Style:
American IPA
Ranked #49
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
95
Ranked #1,619
Avg:
4.27 | pDev: 9.37%
Reviews:
1,854
Ratings:
9,189
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 14, 2024
Added:
Dec 05, 2008
Wants:
  1,072
Gots:
  2,813
Jai Alai, a game native to the Basque region of Spain, is played on a court called a fronton. Jai Alai players attempt to catch a ball using a curved mitt whilst the ball travels at speeds up to 188 mph! Proving they have a sense of humor the Spanish dubbed this game, with its ball traveling at race car speeds, "the merry game." Tampa was once home to a bustling Jai Alai fronton but sadly all that remains of Jai Alai in the Tampa Bay area is this India Pale Ale that we brew in tribute to the merry game. The India Pale Ale style of beer has its roots in the ales sent from England to thirsty British troops in India during the 18th century. Pair Jai Alai India Pale Ale with beef empanadas, deviled crabs and other spicy dishes.

65 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Reaper16:
Photo of Reaper16
Reviewed by Reaper16 from Alabama

4.13/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
12oz. bottle served into a tulip

Pours a translucent SAC Amber color. Brilliant clarity, no trace of hop haze; soft wisps of carbonation meander up to the foam. I only get about one finger's worth of soft, buttermilk colored head. Tremendous, jagged lacing. Good stuff.

I really enjoy how Jai Alai manages to have aggressive aromas presented with a soft touch. This is not a huge, bold nose. But the individual aroma notes -- grapefruit peel, pine needles, lawn clippings, flower petals, Dole Orange-Mango juice, cat pee, tobacco -- are potentially-dominant smells. This beer delivers a balanced mixture of those notes; a soft, small amount of each. Underneath the bountious hops is a sweet malt backbone: mostly crystal malt, caramel malt for sure (but not overdone). This is complex and intriguing, but not aggressive; like the quiet, confident kid in the back row of class. Some of the fruitier aromas begin to take over as the beer approaches room temperature, so the beer is best appreciated when chilled.

The taste of Jai Alai follows the nose to a T. The hop attack is grapefruit peel & grassy, floral flavors. Like a distilled garden; very much some garden action going on. It reminds me of the month-and-a-half old Pliny the Elder I had once, actually (much too old for a Pliny, but not half-bad regardless). Sweet, biscuity malts make their play on the mid-palate before yielding to a splash of mango and orange zest on the finish. Some ashy, sort of tobacco leaf flavor comes on at the finish too, and it lingers for about a minute. Nothing here blows me away, but I find the balance to be pretty remarkable. This is a greener example of the IPA: not particularly piny or dank or citrusy. It's got grassy, floral flavors for days, though.

If you read my reviews then you know that I like my IPAs about as thin as you can get them. "Hop juice" is the mouthfeel aesthetic that I'm going for. Jai Alai comes somewhat close. It's a touch thicker than perfect, on the light side of medium-bodied. The carbonation is soft, and the size suits the malt backbone pretty well. Jai Alai is 7.5% ABV and damn drinkable for its alcohol content. The balance that this beer achieves makes it an ideal six-pack candidate. You have to like the green, garden flavors (which I do) to be able to appreciate multiple bottles in one session, though.

I was expecting something more aggressive or assertive. I'm glad, though, that what I got out of Jai Alai IPA was a balanced, well-conceived IPA that highlights the underused, underappreciated grassy & floral hop flavors. I'll buy this again.
Jan 22, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
 
Rated: 3.98 by Daniel_Mott from Sweden

Mar 14, 2024
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Rated by SheepWBY

3/5  rDev -29.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
industrial
Mar 08, 2024
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Rated by moysauce from Illinois

4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Classic
Mar 06, 2024
 
Rated: 3.68 by averageninjaface from Alaska

Mar 03, 2024
 
Rated: 4.11 by skubas86 from Illinois

Mar 02, 2024
 
Rated: 4.44 by blueatari from Florida

Feb 11, 2024
Photo of GrumpyGas
Rated by GrumpyGas from Illinois

4.24/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Only 2 months old and still fruity, bitter, and refreshing. Too easy drinking for 7.5%.
Feb 10, 2024
 
Rated: 4.06 by Mickeyharris from Alabama

Feb 02, 2024
 
Rated: 4.29 by Plonk from Alabama

Jan 29, 2024
 
Rated: 4.5 by Nyoder

Jan 29, 2024
Photo of Jacob313
Rated by Jacob313 from Michigan

4.58/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Leaves large head with good lacing
Smells like oranges & tangerine
Tastes like a tangerine smoothie
Medium to heavy carbonation, feels nice & full
Jan 27, 2024
 
Rated: 5 by Zachboyd3334 from Indiana

Jan 19, 2024
 
Rated: 1.75 by SeanP99 from North Carolina

Jan 11, 2024
 
Rated: 3.51 by Maxxis from Illinois

Jan 09, 2024
 
Rated: 4.99 by cumbaby from Florida

Dec 21, 2023
Photo of Crazy4hazy
Reviewed by Crazy4hazy from Oregon

2.67/5  rDev -37.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
This golden colored IPA was about all that was available at a pool side bar in Disney Animal Kingdom . I missed the many great IPA,s available in Oregon but this was better than bud and simular beers which are worse than drinking water. As the only ok beer available I would rank it as ok to not bad.
Dec 15, 2023
 
Rated: 4.85 by mtnav from Michigan

Dec 05, 2023
Jai Alai IPA from Cigar City Brewing
Beer rating: 95 out of 100 with 9189 ratings