Jai Alai IPA - Cigar City Brewing

B967ierhunter177

Pennsylvania

1.68/5  rDev -60.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Pours a clear copper color with no head or lace. Tha aroma is of bread crust and grapefruit. The flavor begins with grapefruit and caramel notes with an overpowering hop bitterness in the finish that's almost medicinal. There's a strong bitter aftertaste long after it's gone. The mouthfeel is medium-light. Cigar City Jai Alai IPA is a so-so beer that fits the style ccriteria. Not recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 23:03:19 | More by B967ierhunter177

garuda

Pennsylvania

2.15/5  rDev -48.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A rigorous pour into the oversized snifter gets a thin white head that does not stay around long, but some suds do cling to the sides of the glass. Color is a murky deep orange.

S/T - Fairly similar and unimpressive in the same respects. Fully expecting hops off the bat, I'm greeted with malty, dark fruits of the prune variety. The malt body is way too much on this one, with hops taking a back seat. Some pine notes try to make an appearance in the lingering aftertaste.

M - Solid medium body, low carbonation, malty feeling for an IPA.

D - I'll try it on tap to confirm this tasting, but I won't be buying any more bottles until they put some kind of freshness dating on it. There's no way of telling if this bottle was fresh or not.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2010 23:27:17 | More by garuda

Smr7626

2.15/5  rDev -48.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.25

Pale in color, poured fine with a good, very light colored head.

Smell was OK...seems thin, like orange or grapefruit peel ....you know how its a "thin" smell with no "body" behind it. Hops but not a robust hop smell....not very enticing. Average at best.

I was soooo disappointed in the taste and mouthfeel. Most overrated beer I have had. Tinny, no body, extremely hoppy but lacked the fullness. I don't understand the raves. Bitter hops w/ grapefruit and orange peel. Seems unbalanced and almost metallic to me. I was disappointed. I would not order this again.

Serving type: can

01-16-2013 02:03:49 | More by Smr7626

david18

New York

2.35/5  rDev -44.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Wow. Am i surprised by all the positive feedback on this beer. I found it to be worse than unmemorable. The flavor was too strong for a standard ipa, very alcohol tasting and not enough sweetness or bitterness to balance it. Aroma was nothing special and the mouthfeel was average. Color is a typical amber. There's not much I can say about this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-26-2009 20:43:17 | More by david18

IjumpOverU

Pennsylvania

2.35/5  rDev -44.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Received this as part of a mixed case. Never been a big fan of IPA but after trying a few other very enjoyable examples I was looking forward to this one. Very unimpressed. Color was of your average IPA, smell was nothing special. First taste was mostly alcohol and overt bitterness (not a good hoppy bitterness either, just sour). Finished with more of the same but some light fruit and pine coming through. After beginning to enjoy IPAs more this one reminded me of what I don't like in an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2010 15:20:48 | More by IjumpOverU

Blais

2.45/5  rDev -41.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

this is nothing special its just average hardly any hop flavor no fruits characters
could barely taste the hops should be labeled a pale ale not a IPA
it was like drinking bitter water, with no fruit flavors as you get in a good IPA like Pliny or hopslam
nothing special i won't have a 2nd i will stick to good beer its not brewed in florida

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2013 17:31:45 | More by Blais

jethrodium

California

2.55/5  rDev -39.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12 oz bottle courtesy of MikeLuke23. Thanks Mike. Pours a cloudy light amber with a small light tan head that has good retention and leaves some light lacing on the glass. The aroma is light grapefruit, sugar cookie, and a bit of tangerine. Quite sweet. The taste is sweet sugar cookie, caramel, and some light grapefruit. The finish has a strong bitterness. Medium body. Medium-low carbonation. Overall, not that enjoyable. Too sweet. The flavors are in general quite bland with not enough hop presence.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2011 23:16:50 | More by jethrodium

driftlessbrewin

Minnesota

2.58/5  rDev -38.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Thanks Chardlogic for the extra.
THE BOTTLE DATE IS 28 JUNE 2012. IT IS INFECTED WITH BRETT.

A- BOOM!!! the cap exploded off like a cannon blast, No gushing though. Pours a dirty hazy copper color with massive carbonation and lace. Huge head retention, that lasts and lasts and lasts.

S- Brett! out of that gates it is musty band-aid with a finish of old muddled citrus rinds that got moldy. it is actually quite interesting, I feel it may have been better a few weeks ago before the brett had a chance to rip through the dextrine. I feel in a few months this will have that rotten garbage smell.

T- Brett has also invaded the flavors and not in a good way, a bitter citrus used band aid is how I would describe the flavor.

M- This is where the beer is OK, nice smooth carbonation for all that lacing. allows the terrible flavors to be well received.

O- I dont think this is a brett IPA, intentionally. The infection really takes away from what this could have been. Interesting to try something like this though.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 20:07:03 | More by driftlessbrewin

jucifer1818

Florida

2.6/5  rDev -38.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Had this beer at Tallahassee brew-fest

If feel like my memory of this brew betrayed me when I had it
I recalled it being quite good, but I found myself feeling it as a very forgettable experience, and even less than that, I found it hard to drink

Its quite a dissipointment to me, especialy coming from what I see to be the best brewery in Florida

Id call it slightly below average, and you can easily pick somethign better

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 20:06:09 | More by jucifer1818

hwwty4

Missouri

2.83/5  rDev -32.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to funkybuddha for this treat.

Poured a 12oz bottle into my Hennepin globe glass. This beer pours a dark amber peach with a massive 3 inch head that leaves some seriously sticky lacing down the sides of the glass. It's like the lacing creates curtains all the way down the sides of the glass. That's some serious lacing. The aroma is, well, hoppy. There is a slight bit of tropical fruit a bit of pine and just a hint of flowers but nothing to distinctive. More then anything, it just smells medicinally bitter. Almost like hops dusted with aspirin. The flavor is big hops, but once again rather nondescript and still there is that medicinal aspect to it. Citrus hops show bits of tangerine and a little lemon peal. Slight bit of pine, a little caramel and pale malts. Big medicinal bitterness. It really is a bit off putting. I think it kind of drowns out pretty much everything else. The mouthfeel is light with a crisp carbonation. It finished nice and dry, just like I want it to, but unfortunately that medicinal bitterness is just overpowering. Man, I understand there are people who really like that flavor but for me, its just to overpowering.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2010 01:54:13 | More by hwwty4

DavoleBomb

Ohio

2.93/5  rDev -30.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Poured into a mug.

4.0 A: Hazy darker orange color. Two fingers of thick creamy head with good retention and plenty of lacing.

3.5 S: Loads of floral hops. Also orange citrus, hints of mango, and doughy malts. Pleasant, but a little weak.

2.5 T: Soft bitterness with a lot of fruitiness including peach, pineapple, orange, and some grapefruit. The malts are again doughy. There's something about this beer that doesn't agree with me. It may be a combo of sweet doughy malts and peachy hops that I don't like, alongside a slight tinge of alcohol.

4.0 M: Medium body. Good carbonation, creamy. No problems here.

2.5 D: I really liked the first sip, but after that I grew to dislike each additional one more and more. Some combination in here that I really don't care for.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2010 03:47:04 | More by DavoleBomb

claspada

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -28.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap @ Rattle n Hum. First off, I am extremely surpised and not in a good way on this beer. It is a nice beer but I believe it was hyped way too high and got my expectations up. Tasted like a standard west coast IPA; undistinguishable if you ask me. Average mouthfeel, amber color, carbonation, bitterness, underwhelming aroma, and not enough sweetness to balance it. Aroma was nothing special and the mouthfeel was average. There's not much I can say about this beer. Good but not worth seeking out and would order many others before this in the future.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2010 14:49:33 | More by claspada

PDXHops

South Carolina

3.03/5  rDev -28%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into a Duvel tulip. No date info on the bottle. Hazy dark copper body capped with a creamy finger's worth of foam. Retention's pretty good. Patchy lacing

Very east coastish nose, with a hefty dose of caramel and light citrus zest notes underneath. A touch boozy. A thickish brew, with moderate carbonation doing little to lighten up the sweetness. A decent level of bitterness briefly cuts through midswallow. Juicy citrus turns into a mildy pungent leafy hop flavor toward the finish. Malt dialed up to about 8.5.

Overall impression: Not particularly memorable, although I have no idea how old the bottle is. Given this mystery, I'm inclined to give it another shot (will update my review with any new developments).

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2010 23:54:29 | More by PDXHops

BigIrishman

New Jersey

3.05/5  rDev -27.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours a ruby color with a soapy white head the left little lacing.

Smell: Fruity hops come through strong right off the bat, mostly ruby red grapefruit and post ripened oranges. A slowly creeping solvent background and some heavier fruit flavors like red grapes and sweet plums are starting to develop. As I drink, I can start to smell some fusel alcohols coming in.

Taste: More or less the same experience as the nose. The citrus hops hit hard, than the maltier dark fruits come in and it finishes fairly sweet. The alcohol is becoming more and more pronounced as I continue to drink it, which is strange for something at 7.5%.

Mouthfeel: Fairly heavy for an AIPA and pretty slick, no drying affect.

Drinkability: I had one, then moved on. At first it was a pretty decent IPA (although tasted more like a bigger DIPA), but as I kept drinking it was really starting to turn me off. The alcohol and dark fruit flavors began to be the only thing I was tasting. With about 8 or 9 other IPAs on the list (including pte, sculpin, two hearted and speakeasy) I moved on pretty quickly. Overall not a bad beer, but I'll pass.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2010 14:09:21 | More by BigIrishman

psuKinger

Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2.5

Bottle acquired via trade with jchow79. Poured into standard curved shaker pint glass.

A: Pours a deep hazy orange with a nice 1-finger head.

S: The nose has some bitter hops and citrus.

T: The malts are dominating here, to the point where I have to question if this guy is *struggling* on the freshness front. I've had this beer once on tap before, and I don't remember this kind of malt presence. It starts with a very mild presence of grapefruit. I'd like to see more *punch* up front. The flavor profile turns almost entirely malt in the middle, with a thick syrupy malt taste. It finishes with some dry bittering hops, but once again, I would like more of a *punch* here to.

M: Great carbonation here, it's light and tingly at first, and falls apart nicely on my tongue as I move it around.

D: Drinkability isn't very high here. The malty-syrupy flavors are dominant... there's just no where near enough hops in this.

I think this guy probably wasn't fresh. Normally I wouldn't submit my review given these circumstances, but as I acquired this via trade and I believe this isn't readily available here at my bottle shop, I'm stuck in kind of a tough spot here. I will revisit this brew another time, and if a re-rating is appropriate I will do so.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2010 23:58:58 | More by psuKinger

Trilogy31

California

3.08/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Canned 12/30/12. Pours a tanned leather with a frothy 3 fingers of rocky foam - nice head and legs. While i am writing this i already know how i want to score this but the "bros" 100 for this beer is amazing to me. As far as i know they havent given us sixes to rate with. This beer is nowhere near heady, pliny, anything by alpine, sucks, columbus ipa and the list goes on. Really, if 100 is perfection its unfair to rate this beer that high but it is a good beer; but i digress. The nose brings caramel malts, lime rind and honestly not much else this is very malt forward and struggle to find any tropical qualities to this beer (i love cigar city and have many of their beers i am just struggling to see why this is rated so high). Mouth brings a slightly herbal twinge, cat piss and some light shades of citrus - beginning to think my less than a month old can is past its prime (this is the second one i opened and both are consistent). Easy to drink much in the same way moretti doppio malto is, overall this is barely above average in my book.

Serving type: can

01-31-2013 05:03:17 | More by Trilogy31

jrallen34

Illinois

3.1/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I drank this from a 12oz bottle into my Orval glass.

The beer pours dark orange with lots of brown in the middle. The head is light tan, rises about a finger and is gone right away. Poor lacing.

The aroma isn't great, a lot of alcohol on the front burning the nose, some pine and bitter sour citrus.

The taste is like the aroma, tons of alcohol start to finish. There is very little citrus or hops, but the hops do present on the finish as very bitter pinecone.

Overall, this is very disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2010 22:35:11 | More by jrallen34

GDBEERMAN

Colorado

3.1/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into tulip.
A: The head formation is rocky and very sticky. The body is a deep orange/copper hue. Nice and hazy, with good carbonation presence. The lacing is left in large swaths.

S: The aroma is a bit weak for this IPA, I am finding a earthy, herbal aroma, but still very faint. With no bottling date, I really have no idea how fresh this is, although it is from Florida.

T/M: The first impression is a full bodied IPA, with nice creamy undertones. A nice smooth piny hop flavor, but a bit faded. Malt smoothness and balance is nicely done. The mouthfeel is a creamy sensation, although the linger ends with a dry character.

O: I find this to be a possible faded IPA and will look forward to finding (hopefully) fresher batches. But still a nice average IPA, with a nice hidden ABV.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2011 16:37:47 | More by GDBEERMAN

sweemzander

Illinois

3.13/5  rDev -25.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz. bottle poured into a nonic. Thanks to beerwolf77 for yet another beer!

(A)- Pours a clear amber color. Produced a great fluffy 3+ fingered white head with great retention behind it; tons of clumpy lacing clung to the sides of the glass.

(S)- A woody pine malt up front with a lemon and lime citrus profile.

(T)- Very similar to the smell. A very woody pine profile with subtle lemon and lime citrus.

(M)- A good carbonation level. Has a bigger bitter bite to it due to how much pine and wood flavors going on.

(D)- I cannot be positive on the freshness of this one due to no date, but it seems like the woody pine takes center stage over the citrus in this. Good, but a bit one dimensional.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2010 17:22:43 | More by sweemzander

scottfrie

California

3.15/5  rDev -25.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into Duvel Green glass. Big thanks to StormKing47 for a couple of these!

A: Pours a burnt amber with a large, thick light tan head that slowly receded into a thin layer of foam that left a sheet of sticky lacing down the glass.
S: Big notes of pineapple and other sweet tropical fruits with hints of citrus and caramel malt. Hints of fruity bubblegum.
T: Maltier than the nose but still balanced by a big sweet fruity hop punch. Finish is sweet and the aftertaste is lightly bitter. Black tea to the aftertaste as well.
M: Low carbonation over a medium body and a mediumly sticky-sweet mouthfeel.
D: Straight foreword IPA. Good, but a bit sweet for my tastes. Thanks again StormKing for this one!

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2010 02:56:05 | More by scottfrie

dragonWhale

New York

3.15/5  rDev -25.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

the one beer (somehow) I picked up at Bierkraft. Hadn't had it, the man at the counter recommended I put it back and get the brown. I shoulda listened.
Pours dark orange and very cloudy. Some citrus and pine and big malt sweetness aromas. Taste was pretty much the same, some faded hop flavor, a little bit of bitterness, sweet malt dominating the beer. Really was hoping for an outstanding beer from Cigar City, and while it wasn't bad, the malts were tasty, it just wasn't as bitter or hoppy as I was hoping for. Ahh well.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2011 03:59:32 | More by dragonWhale

julian

Washington

3.15/5  rDev -25.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Pours looks to be fairly big bodied and hazy. Coppery orange in color with a very healthy off white colored head that lingers nicely. 4

S: It’s definitely dominant on the malt (caramel), and has a lot of bready/toasty aromas, brown sugar and a bit of raisin 3

T&M: Taste is pretty much in line with the aroma. Lots of caramel, sweet malt, almost burnt brown sugar like or solventy. There’s also some toasted malt flavor along with a hop character that’s definitely present and trying to vie for attention, but it’s just not a hop presence I’m enoying. The mouthfeel is nice. Medium - big bodied and creamy smooth, although there is a weird roof of my mouth “tingle” that it’s causing and I’ve never felt that before. 3 / 4

O: Too malty for an IPA, although some may like it. It’s got a decent hop presence but it’s not remarkable and doesn’t make me want more. Too much caramel malt. Not balanced enough for me for the style, and not my kind of IPA aroma or taste. 3

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 16:53:57 | More by julian

atlason

New York

3.15/5  rDev -25.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Poured from 33cl bottle into wine glass.

A: decent head, good lacing. Slightly opaque copper.

S: pale Ale malts and caramel balanced with grassy hops, understated for the style.

T: bisquit and caramel followed by aggressive bitterness. Aftertaste is hoppy, grapefruit and lime. Hoppy even for the style.

M: could use more cArbonation. Not easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 02:51:52 | More by atlason

phichifiji00

California

3.2/5  rDev -24%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into pint glass (Sept. 2011 bottling).

Appearance: Amber with a thick off white head that fades somewhat slowly. Minimal lacing.

Smell: Hops, pine resin, citrus. Fairly mild for a fresh IPA.

Taste: Hops, pine resin, caramel malt. Hop forward, sweet in the middle and a bitter finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, good carbonation.

Overall: A good east coast IPA. Not as hoppy as I prefer and a bit too much malt profile.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2011 17:39:55 | More by phichifiji00

crnipeter

Slovenia

3.2/5  rDev -24%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Pours hazed amber body with orangeish glow, capped by thin off-white head with excellent retention. Albeit thin, the head never dies.
Aroma is a bit bland with weak floral, orangeish and spicy-peppery hop character (surprisingly, I'd expect to find more citrusy, resinous and piney notes in American brew) with gentle caramel malt underneath.
Flavor is caramel malty sweetness with lemony and spicy hops, while the unharsh bitterness shows up only towards finish and lingers into the woodsy aftertaste.
Medium bodied with moderate carbonation seems crispy, but the full malt quickly softens it. Although only 7.5% it seems more boozy than 10% ABV DIPA drunk earlier this evening. (330 ml, bottling date reads 07-24-2011, into tulip)

In short, a bit indecisive American IPA with hops that seem more European than American in character.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 02:13:27 | More by crnipeter