Jai Alai IPA - Cigar City Brewing

DavidSeanNJ

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cigar City Jai Alai IPA on Cask!

A- Ruby brown/amber golden colors. Off white/tan head with lacing that coated at last half of my glass.

S- Faint, but picked up some notes of tropical fruit, grapefruit, cedar, and piney resin. Fruity smelling IPA.

T- Really an excellent flavored brew. Perfect infusion and blend of caramel malt and chewy fruits with the bitter grapefruit hops. Biscuity at times, but the hops always seemed to shine through and be the star of this one.

M- Chewy almost block-like. Smooth and rich. Easy going down.

D- Easy drinking IPA. So tasty and so well done. I could tell I was drinking a quality brew. Look forward to more CC stuff! Excellent!

Serving type: cask

02-24-2010 16:20:14 | More by DavidSeanNJ

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

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

Jekyll

Georgia

4.35/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Well since CCB removed their line up from the Atlanta market I look forward to drinking this on my 4-5 visits/vacations to Tampa and/or further north in St Augustine. I also attempt to "stock up" and I put it in quotation marks because it is becoming increasingly difficult to find this one in stock(was in North Florida this time) as I hear CCB is having a helluva time keeping up with the demand for this amazing brew.
This would've gotten strait 5's from me but I had to lower the taste and mouthfeel to 4.5 due to my humble opinion that this is a little more resemblant to a DIPA than an IPA... sort of a hybrid. Appearance and Smell reel you in right away that this is gonna be a damn good IPA than you taste it and BAM hoppy as hell followed by a subtle sweetness only the subtleness of the sweetness becomes less subtle the more you drink. I'm not complaining very very enjoyable just the more you drink the more it morphs into DIPA territory. Damn find beer and I cannot wait until CCB can maintain the demand for its home state and this native Floridian can enjoy his home states best when CCB decides to come back to the ATL.

Serving type: can

06-10-2013 00:11:16 | More by Jekyll

Stevedore

Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap several times back in December when I was visiting the brewery before heading out on a cruise with the family. Reviewing this one based on a fresh can dated 5/28/2013, so it's ten days young. Poured into a CCB pint glass (the one you get free with the brewery tour). Thanks to RaffyS for throwing a few cans of this in as extras.

Aroma: A bit of pine but mostly citrus and hints of tropical fruit. Balanced out by a nice caramel malt backbone. Smells rich and appetizing without smelling too sticky or resinous. (4.25)

Colour: Beautiful dark amber body with a thick, thick 3cm offwhite head that takes its sweet time settling down into a thick off-white film with tons of ridiculous lacing all over the glass by the time all is said and done. Beautiful! (4.5)

Flavour: Delicious citrus and tropical fruit notes- its grapefruit and mango mixed together, yet balanced out so well by the malty caramel and toffee backbone. All the flavours come together incredibly well, enough that you can pick it out if you pay attention but you're too busy enjoying the damn beer! Has a nice piney bitterness at the end too. Well-done Joey. (4.5)

Mouthfeel: A delicious medium bodied brew with great carbonation, full of the frontloaded fizziness with a clean but moist finish that makes this beer so refreshing. The aftertaste is primarily some combination grapefruit and pine bitterness with a nice malty sweet kick. You cannot detect any of the 7.5% ABV at any point in this brew. Simply quaffable. (4.5)

Overall: One of my favorite IPAs, glad to reexperience this one again. So refreshing, not even a hint of dryness, with excellent hoppiness for an IPA makes this a very well put-together beer. One of the best regular IPAs I've had the chance to drink. (4.5)

(My previous Hads rating from 1/2/2013 was a 4.5)

Serving type: can

06-07-2013 01:47:40 | More by Stevedore

mhksuccess

California

4.04/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

poured from a can into FFF teku glass
nice head golden/red brown color or maybe just my lighting
very nice hop smell although not overpowering
not as much of a hop bite as i would prefer
smooth drinkable ipa with just enough fruity taste and hops to balance out nicely
overall a upper level ipa which i would definite get again

Serving type: can

06-06-2013 14:27:03 | More by mhksuccess

Andrew041180

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured out of a can at a Marriot in Orlando. The beer is a beautiful deep murky copper color with two or so inches of thick creamy off-white head. Retention is solid, lacing comes in rich, thick rings.

S - Wonderful fresh hops, little bit of pine. Mostly citrus. Yum, can't wait to sip this thing.

T - The taste follows the smell quite well. Not quite as citrusy as I was expecting from some of the reviews that I had read before I tasted it, but still bursting with the hop flavors that I look for in a top IPA.

M - probably on the thicker side of medium-bodied and a pleasure to drink. Another facet of this beer that stood out to me as unique is a bubbly tingle that I felt on my tongue during and after the finish. It really created a great contrast to the easy smoothness of the beer.

O - All the components of some of my favorite IPAs are present here. My only regret is that I had to drink it more quickly than normal due to concerns over catching a flight. Highly recommend if you can get your hands on some.

Serving type: can

06-06-2013 14:05:40 | More by Andrew041180

Rosanne

California

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

Great aroma, taste floral and fruits, light, very easy to drink.
I shared one can among five people. I enjoyed it, but not my favorite.

I rate to taste, not type.

If you would like to see a picture of the can and beer please refer to the link:
https://carbeers.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/walter-claudia-house-usa/

Serving type: can

06-05-2013 18:32:09 | More by Rosanne

klkatz

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

it's balanced like a russian gymnast... nice bite, decent mouthfeel.... not too bitter but a nice hop taste.

i guess it looks like an IPA should look.... like when a ball player makes a routine play you'd expect that they'd make the routine play, but the difference sometimes between an all-star and the scrubs is making the routine play... routine. 4 for appearance based on this philosophy.

clean and crisp upfront but then it finishes smoother than most american IPAs... kudos for that... no bitter beer face. but who doesn't like bitter beer? oh yeah... chicks.

Serving type: can

06-04-2013 01:35:38 | More by klkatz

B3nzin0

Florida

4.85/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Deliciously filled with Hops and has a great bite. No strong aftertaste since they stopped bottling it. Only served in cans now and Tap. I live in the area and it is a local favorite.

Beware though if it is not kept cold it will begin to re-ferment and leave a yeast looking clumps floating in your beer once re-cooled.. Still drinkable if you can get past the particles.

Serving type: can

06-03-2013 13:37:58 | More by B3nzin0

Mojo

Alabama

4.11/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Canned on May 23, 2013

12 ounce can -> tulip glass

A - pours up medium gold, initially cloudy, but clears eventually, one finger off white head, poor retention, but decent lacing.
S - Very earthy. Pine, Citrus, bread.
T - Very hop forward with citrus notes, but balanced well by the malt.
M - Not bad. Not much aftertaste for a beer with 70 IBUS.
O - Very solid!!!!

Serving type: can

06-03-2013 04:01:22 | More by Mojo

sleuthdog

Illinois

4.21/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Canned May 1 2013 poured into Shorts pint

Pour: Pour produced a huge 4 finger rocky, pillowy bright white head that refused to say goodbye. Lacing is all over the glass from top to surface of the beer. Color is a hazy, cloudy burn orange with some floaties.

Smell: Wonderful splash of all the big citrus fruits: pineapple, mango, melon, peach, tangerine, pineapple and grapefruit thrown in at the end for good measure.

Taste: Citrus rules the taste too with all the above noted aspects. It is a juicy citrus forward hopped beer. A very smooth not too bitter IPA that is a perfect addition to a visit to the beach or other hot summer day activity.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, creamy medium bodied with medium carbonation. This is a sticky feeling beer with a bitter-sweet finish.

Overall: I had a Zombie Dust just before this and ZD is fantastic but I find this just so much easier to drink because it is so damn smooth and citrus bitter-sweet perfection.

Serving type: can

05-31-2013 20:21:59 | More by sleuthdog

JohnnyMc

Ohio

3.59/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

The famous Jai Alai!!

Pours out a bright and clear golden/orange with 2 fingers of white head.

The aroma has a good amount of orange peel, peach, mango and pineapple. There are some caramel and bready notes in there as well.

The taste is definitely hop forward with nice big notes of orange, peach, pineapple and mango. These are followed up by a big malt backbone of caramel and sweet bread.

The body is light-medium with a crisp mouthfeel. The ABV is hidden completely.

This was canned 5 weeks ago so the malt may be more forward at this point. It's a decently hoppy IPA with nice tropical fruit notes, but the malt notes are a bit too much in the mix for my personal taste. Would definitely like to try this more fresh. Good beer nonetheless.

Serving type: can

05-31-2013 02:21:40 | More by JohnnyMc

AndrewScottPentland

Florida

4.6/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Pours a brilliant orange color. There are hints of copper and gold. With a moderate - straight down the center of the glass pour I still got a nice 1.5-2 finger head with tight slightly off-white bubbles. There are moderate alcohol legs. I was surprised at how well the beer retained its carbonation in the growler. It sat around for a little over week after being purchased at the brewery. I have had this beer in the can and bottle, but the growler is what I happened to be drinking as I write this review.

The smell is dominated by the late addition and dry hopping hops. Bold tangerine, orange, and lemon aromas. There are light bitter grapefruit notes and a substantial malt backbone that gives off a biscuit/light bread character.

At the front of the mouth there's a burst of fruit bitterness and a surprising amount of light malt. There are some very mild acidic vegetal flavors, like a very sweet onion, but this is pleasant - definitely not overpowering. The juicy orange fruit aroma is less prominent in the mouth and the bitterness peaks in the middle of the mouth while the malt leaves a nice lingering sweetness - like taking a drink of fresh orange juice.

It has a light - medium bodied mouthfeel. It isn't overly effervescent and has a nice juicy character.

Overall, a delicious beer - one of my favorites. A great example of a Florida IPA. With an east-coast malt backbone and a burst of west coast hops, Jai Alai IPA is a balanced delicious brew.

Serving type: growler

05-27-2013 19:34:31 | More by AndrewScottPentland

Bosoxfan20

Missouri

4.21/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A- Pours a deep copper with near white head of 1.5 fingers. Hazy look of a heavily dry hopped beer. Sticky lacing and retention. Good looking IPA

S- Big citrus aroma. More evidence of intense dry hopping. Tangerine, grapefruit, apricot, fresh cut grass, and super juicy. Faint dough comes through as well.

T- Immediate waves up hops come at you hard, followed by the alcohol warmth and just enough of a malt backbone to stand up to the alpha hops before it finishes smooth.

M- Covers the palate well. Mid body, smooth, and not overly bitter or dry. Wet actually. Slight alcohol present.

O- Just a well done IPA. The sweetness of the malt shows a nice level of balance without compromising on the hop complexity. Another well done beer by CCB

Spiegelau IPA glass

Canned on 4/24/13
Consumed on 5/23/13

$7.99 for a 6 pk

Serving type: can

05-27-2013 16:30:34 | More by Bosoxfan20

riored4v

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured with a clear copper body and a 1 finger, rocky head. Great appearance.

Aroma was excellent. Very bright and crisp. Light maltiness that seemed to balance out the floral, citrusy and tropical aromas of the beer. Mild caramel and biscuit aromas.

Taste was what you hope for out of an IPA. Resinous, citrus and floral hop flavors up front followed by a light maltyness and slight caramel and biscuit. Hop flavors continued throughout and the finish had a mellow bitterness that didn't destroy your tongue. Slightly piney in the finish.

Mouthfeel was medium/light body, medium carb and a crisp finish.

Outstanding beer. Anytime I'm near the east coast I make sure to get as much as this as I'm able to bring home with me. Excellent IPA.

Serving type: can

05-26-2013 02:49:00 | More by riored4v

CAMRAhardliner

Ontario (Canada)

4.4/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Love the 6 pack holder that covers the entire top of each can. Take that liquor store can lickers! Im on to you! I digress.

Pours bright orange with a bit of haziness and a swirl of sediment at the bottom of the can. The head recedes to a ring quickly, but positively coats the glass in lace. The aroma is sweet and fruity with a strong citrusy and floral hop character. Luscious, juicy orange, tangerine and grapefruit hop flavors burst forth on the first sip. The vast hop profile is met almost immediately with an equally hefty crystal malt flavor, grape bran and cookie dough with a nice crystal malt coarseness. The mouthfeel is quite full bodied with an active, smooth carbonation. The finish is moderately high in bitterness with a nice tropical, orangey flavor that lingers a while. Alcohol is incredibly well hidden throughout.

This is a very interesting IPA. Very fruity hop profile with lots of fresh, pungent hop presence, and a massive malt profile to balance without putting off hopheads. Very good stuff, I highly recommend and will seek out again.

Serving type: can

05-23-2013 01:32:42 | More by CAMRAhardliner

ironchefmiyagi13

New York

4.4/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Just got a shipment in from lets pour.com and they sent some freebees with my order. Canned on May 14th...doesn't get much fresher than that for someone way out in the boonies of Long Island.

This beer is definitely worth the hype. Great IPA nose with the classic hops resin, citrusy grapefruit and lime with a little pineapple coming through. What I like in my IPAs are a faint malt backbone. Not a huge fan of malty, sweet beers and this one is right in the middle. The sweetness comes in the form of fruit juice instead of malt. Very nice touch.

I still have 3 more cans to hoard and will definitely savor each and every one of them.

Serving type: can

05-20-2013 23:00:17 | More by ironchefmiyagi13

beechner224

Florida

4.48/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a can into a standard pint glass. White head with enough foam, nice lacing as the glass was emptied. Color was light orange. Looks very good. Doesn't smell as strong as I remember. But whats there is very citrusy. Love the taste, but again, not as strong as I remember it being. Very balanced with citrus, grapefruit and orange. Mouthfeel is just a tiny bit syrupy. Overall, love this beer and it is my go to IPA.

Serving type: can

05-18-2013 19:43:18 | More by beechner224

SSEngelbrecht

Louisiana

4.49/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a can into a standard pint glass.

White head, light foam, nice lacing as the glass was emptied. Color was typical light orange / golden.

Smell is dominated by herbal hops with a light citrus in the background.

The taste is on par with the best. Nice bitterness balanced by malt and tons of citrus, lemon, grapefruit and orange. There's an initial sweetness on the palate which rolls into a pleasant bitterness with great balance.

The mouthfeel is thicker than I expected with a syrupy body that is very pleasing, especially as the beer warms up a bit.

Overall, this is a winner and ranks up there with many of the greats.

Serving type: can

05-17-2013 23:40:25 | More by SSEngelbrecht

OBeerMeGreatOne

California

4.01/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I got this for free off a Florida Instagram follower of mine (my IG is StStrange). It was canned in January so it isn't fresh.

Pours a nice copper/orange with a solid inch of head. Moderate lace retention.

The smell is muted grapefruit and caramel. Orange rind around the middle, citrus to finish.

Taste is caramel and grapefruit up front. Nice blood orange in the middle. Cumquat aftertaste. All a little mellow and the caramel is too up front. Goes down smooth.

Like Pliny, this beer must be best fresh. The one I had, four months old, but still good. I would absolutly love to have this brew with less than a month on it.

Serving type: can

05-13-2013 02:26:02 | More by OBeerMeGreatOne

da_beers

New Jersey

4.78/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I have been waiting for this one for a while, my good friend @Jmscowcroft hooked me up with this one. I'm moving from VT to FL in a while, and this is what I'm looking forward to most!

A - Darkish hazy orange, almost a burnt orange. Has a beautiful creamy white head.

S - Fruitiness at first, then comes a great hop blast. Piney notes and earth notes come through as well.

T - Hops give an initial kick, but balances out well with the malts. Grapefruits definitely come through at end, as well as a piney resin.

M - So incredibly drinkable, could session this IPA all day. Medium body that doesn't fill you up too much.

O - Fantastic, this is what the hype is all about. Really intrigued to now find the White-Oak aged Jai Alai and try that one!

Serving type: can

05-08-2013 01:55:43 | More by da_beers

JMScowcroft

Vermont

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

Cigar City Brewing - Jai Alai IPA

Look - Pours a slightly hazy copper amber with a fuller fizzy head that starts dissipating quickly. Sticky as hell lacing.

Smell - Sweet malts with spice on top. Hops are present in just the right amount and in a bitter biting citrus form.

Taste - What a smooth ride in. Hops keep you in line but the super smooth blend with malts makes it friendly on the palate. Almost like cinnamon and spice.

Mouthfeel - Rests an amazing spicy almost cinnamon and sweet malt heaven with hops in top. The blending here makes this brew super drinkable and smooth.

Overall - Wow. I have a new found respect for Cigar City Brewing. I had heard good things but had to taste it for myself. This is an utterly amazing brew. Recommend 100%. I will try more from this brewer for sure.

Serving type: can

05-02-2013 13:23:37 | More by JMScowcroft

TheSixthRing

California

4.34/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Canned on date of 04/15/13

Appearance - Pours a semi-hazy orange amber with a slightly off-white 2 finger head. Good retention, leaving a fair amount of microbubbles across the surface and builds up around the edges. Fair lacing around the glass with good stick.

Smell - A strong aroma of pineapple and orange upfront. Lesser notes of grapefruit. Malts are moderate, coming through with a bready quality.

Taste - No tricks here! Very much in line with what was detected in the scent. Strong, tropical character upfront and throughout. Pineapple, grapefruit and orange intermingle on the tongue, while a lightly toasty bread plays along in a supportive role. Touches of caramel. Clean, fresh, well balanced finish.

Mouthfeel - Medium in body with moderate carbonation. Smooth. Fair creaminess, before a semi-dry finish.

Overall - A strong, assertive IPA. I'd liken it to Sculpin with a more prominent malt body. Really clean. Very enjoyable. It's a shame this isn't available on shelves in California.

Serving type: can

05-02-2013 01:27:59 | More by TheSixthRing

Cavanaghty

Maine

4.56/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a can into a pint glass. Thank You shan8454 for this one from a trade.

Appearance: Golden color, with a very slight haze. White head of about one finger and mild lacing on the glass.

Smell: Citrus and hops, very pleasant smells.

Mouthfeel/Taste: Smooth medium bodied. Delightful taste of hops and citrus,maybe some pine as well.

Overall: Excellent IPA! I look foward to having this one again.

Serving type: can

04-30-2013 18:15:08 | More by Cavanaghty