Guava Grove Saison - Cigar City Brewing

olimpia84

Florida

4.1/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at CCB. Served on a snifter.

A: super cloudy dirty orange color with a one finger creamy tan head with good retention.

S: fresh guavas, tart, sweet champagne smell, herbal, other sweet aromas are present as well but hard to describe. Very pleasant on the nose.

T: follows the nose with a complex combination of guavas, tart, kiwi, papaya, herbal and a malty character hard to match. A bit of alcohol heat is present as well.

M: medium to full body, low carbonation. Smooth as it goes down, best enjoyed if sipped slowly.

O: an excellent offering by CCB, I was very impressed with this beer and will definitely go back for some more. It's very unique and nothing I've tried before tastes like this.

Serving type: on-tap

09-03-2011 18:05:41 | More by olimpia84

shand

Florida

4.58/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Wow! Now, I'm not the kind of person to review a brew twice when I've had it bottle and on-tap. But, the retooled Guava Grove with the new (or "original," if you will) yeast strain blew me away! Enjoyed on-tap at the CCB taproom.

This beer was just great. Instead of the extreme tartness and sourness the old Guava Grove presented, this one presented a great Saison funkiness that paired very well with the up-front guava notes to make a delicious smelling and tasting beer. The drinkability is probably the beer's finest hour, if this is still clocking in at around 8%, it's some sort of miracle, since it now drinks like it's a 4.5% beer! Seriously. Try the new Guava Grove. It's really, really good.

Serving type: on-tap

07-25-2011 03:30:42 | More by shand

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First had: on tap at Pinocchio's, Media, PA

Poured into a tulip glass, a completely opaque, murky, burnt orange, with lots of carbonation visible, and a thin white head that receded to almost nothing. Earthy aroma, full of fresh fruit and spice, and a bit of funk. The taste follows the aroma more or less, yeasty, with obvious fruit in the foreground--guava mainly, with peach and apricot also noticeable. Very earthy with spicy tones of cloves and very light cinnamon, and a bit of barnyard funk. Full bodied, chewy, and pretty drinkable, though probably not something I'd go out of my way to get again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2011 02:53:45 | More by Rifugium

Agold

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Got this one on tap at pinocchios in media.

When it poured, there was a huge billowy white head which quickly receded to q slight ring. This beer is orange and opaque. Nothing special. The aroma is very nice. Lots of tropical fruit and a background of saison spice. The flavor is the same, except instead of just thinking tropical, I can specifically pick out the guava. Very nice. Mouthfeel is nice and light, perhaps a mild astringency. Unortunately, this is a bit undercarbonated, despite the large head originally. Very nice tropical summery saison.

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2011 19:23:01 | More by Agold

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Liberty St. Tavern. The saison gets a bit lost with the guava, but this was still a great beer. The fruit character shines through with a subtle, not too sweet guava over a mild tasting Belgian pale ale.

Really, this should be classified as a fruit beer. It's not like a saison, but I can understand how that was used as the base beer. This is missing the rich, funky spice, though it doesn't have a comparable bitterness - albeit a smoother, fruiter hop character.

Serving type: on-tap

06-10-2011 03:09:22 | More by tempest

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on tap at hawthornes in philly

Pours a hazy straw yellow color with some darker gold hues. A layer of white head retains while drinking, leaving lacing and film littered around the glass.

A fragrant nose of fruit with a noticeable sweetness from the guava puree. Tropical touches with pear and faint tartness, some spicy notes as well.

Spice and fruit up front with some sweeter tones. Guava is pretty prevalent with some pear, apple, and juiciness. Some funky notes and suggestions of tartness which pepper the tongue. Finishes a bit sweet and juicy with almost no suggestion of alcohol.

Medium body, decent carbonation, a bit creamy and pleasant on the palate. Definitely a delicious saison, and I like the addition of guava - although I remember this being much tarter out of the bottle than it was on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2011 03:32:29 | More by xnicknj

dragonWhale

New York

3.73/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Umm, guava? Light orange color, nice lacing. Off the sweet taps of Rattle N Hum. Yeah, so, I'm not the most familiar with the guava taste, but now I feel like I have a pretty good idea. Very interesting flavor combination. The guava and yeast play a great game, impossible to decide a winner. A little sour, a little sweet, guava fruity. There's a bit of funk in there as well and it finishes surprisingly dry for the initial flavor. Unique has been said before, and it will be said again. Digg it.

Serving type: on-tap

05-21-2011 23:21:40 | More by dragonWhale

sliverX

New York

4.55/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the tasting room in a snifter.
A nice hazed light Orange copper brew with a nice thick ring around the walls.
Smell is saison yeast with a very tart guava backing.
Taste follows the nose but is much bigger, both are such great compliments to each other
Mouthfeel comes off light yet chewy
Overall this is a great summer sipper, may have to get a few bottles.

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2011 19:27:33 | More by sliverX

Florida9

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Flat hazed out orange in color. Forms a small, fizzy head that reduces to just a whiff of white streaks across the top of the beer. No lacing.

S: Delicious and pungent. Tropical fruits and a blend of yeastiness and tartness.

T: Sweet blend of malt and tropical fruits: guava, apple, soursop, whatever. A bit spicy on the finish.

M: Light and crisp; quite refreshing and slightly spicy.

D: Maybe not an entirely traditional version of a Saison, but a interesting and thoroughly enjoyable take on the style.

Serving type: on-tap

04-05-2011 00:51:58 | More by Florida9

beersensei305

Florida

3.7/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

From Notes @ Cigar City Tasting Room:

A- Pours a hazy amberish color with an off white head.

S- Tart, Funky, with some sweet fruits... Guava

T- Very tart taste but it balanced out with tropical sweet fruits.. guava and pineapple.

M- Low carbonation and crisp. Pretty syrupy.

D- This beer has good decent drinkablity but is definate a sipper due to the tartness.

Serving type: on-tap

11-27-2010 04:50:30 | More by beersensei305

bernardus1212

Florida

4.38/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I've had this guy a few times in bottles but I wanted to wait to write the review when I had it on tap. Served in a 6 oz snifter it poured a bright yellow. Good white head on top. The smell hits with a pungent ripe fruit smell. The one that tilts your head back a little. I went straight in for the kill though. The taste is glorious. The guava and the saison style should get married. I really like this beer. nice ripe guava, and mango flavors, with a little bit of the bitterness really made for a fun start at the tasting room.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2010 18:42:04 | More by bernardus1212

sholland119

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Capone's, 7/22/10.

A-Pours a hazy golden with highlights of tangerine, a thin white head and some good lacing.

S-Belgian yeast, tangy sweet fruit and light peppery hops.

T-Starts with a mild tang, good sweet malt and a good yeasty zing. Good bitterness from the guava and hops in the finish.

M-Light to medium bodied with carbonation on the light side.

D-Really delicious. Loved this in the bottle last year; exciting to have it on tap.

HV

Serving type: on-tap

07-23-2010 14:33:12 | More by sholland119

RomaniIteDomum

Florida

4.45/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this beer at the Brass Tap in Wesley Chapel. It poured a thick straw-yellow with a slightly red tinge.

It smelled like guava. Not the almost over powering sickeningly sweet smell real guava has, but a more mellow version of guava.

The taste was like guava. It was a little stong at first, like biting into a very ripe guava, but not to the point of feeling like guava juice. It was definately a beer. Once my tastebuds rebounded and the beer settled it was very pleasant and even refreshing.

The feeling of the beer was fery juicy and even chewy at times. Thankfully it didn't have the sucrose film guava can give. It is still very much beer. Very pleasant.

This beer was very drinkable. I usually try to drink different beers, as there are almost 400 available any given night, but I was very tempted to order another one. The beer was very refreshing and even thirst quenching at times. It helped cool me on a warm night at an open-air bar.

Serving type: on-tap

08-15-2009 05:05:24 | More by RomaniIteDomum

DaveFL1976

Florida

4.15/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

We received a keg of this brew into Coasters yesterday and curiosity got the best of me. A sampling is in order.

It pours a turbid light brownish color with a fluffy head that settles down into a thin skim. Not the prettiest beer in the world. Time for the smell and taste.

Interesting fruity smell. I don't know enough about guava to say, 'hey! that's guava!,' but I have a hunch it that's what it is. The name and all, you know?

Cool taste! Sharp, a little acidic and tart, but with a cool fruitiness going on. The end of the swallow is sweetish and mouth-coating. Pretty cool, and very unique tasting beer. Alcohol taste is nonexistant; this thing could pass for a SOBE drink in drinkability.

Serving type: on-tap

07-16-2009 16:11:55 | More by DaveFL1976

tpd975

Florida

3.93/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a very murky almost puke orange color. That being said it is kind of cool to look at. The head is nice an thin and leaves no lace.

S: Aroma is very fruit heavy. Lots of Guava with hints of mango. The yeast aroma is there along with a bit of sulfer.

T: Nice and fruity flavor as well. Lots of tropical fruit, most of which is guava. The yeast is there and is combines well with the fruit. There is a light tartness that puckers you up a bit in the finish.

M: Medium to full in body smooth and easy drinking

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2009 21:23:49 | More by tpd975

maxcoinage

Illinois

4.01/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From a trade (thanks to rynosf32 )

Poured a 750ml bottled 11/2012 into snifter an orange sunburst color with a nice big 2 inch frothy head.

Aroma is great-orange, tropical fruit, guava, creamy

Mouthfeel- very carbonated as would be expected with a a saison

Taste-fruit hits you at first but then turns a little sour

Overall - A great Saison that I'd buy again, but not sure I would trade for it.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 02:46:06 | More by maxcoinage

wyatt13

Illinois

4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

I received this bottle in a trade with 67couple. Thanks Jon! Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a tulip glass.

A – Pours a beautiful reddish-orange, a hue that is more common in sunsets than beer. A crackling head immediately erupts, only to fizzle away within the minute. Lots of quick moving bottles shoot around the glass. Lacing is nonexistant.

S – A definite Belgian character, with some clove and banana notes. A lot of tartness with a green apple acidity. A nice spiciness.

T – Oh man, this is nicely complex. A great sour character that manages to be simultaneously sweet and puckeringly tart. A nice musty funk in the aftertaste. I’m not sure that I would be able to identify guava, although there is certainly a nice fruity quality.

M – Very active carbonation, which I assume is due to the extensive bottle conditioning. A sharp dryness in the finish.

O – I thought the fruit was incorporated pretty nicely into the beer, adding a good amount of sweetness and complexity to the saison. Very refreshing on a warm spring day.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 03:38:51 | More by wyatt13

Pinknuggets

Vermont

4.14/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle to Fantome tulip

A: It looks clean and orange although it is completely opaque. There is a big tan orange head that dissipates quickly and leaves a heavy lacing and a lot of carbonation. Pretty much what you expect from a hoppy farmhouse ale and definitely resembles guava.

S: There is a distinctive yeasty scent that reminds me somewhat of a farmhouse, but more of a sweet scent. The guava definitely has some presence it is not necessarily a fruity or citrus smell but it does sort of remind me of a tropical smell. The scent is not necessarily pleasant it stings the nostrils a little.

T: The taste follow the nose with a distinctive taste it is yeasty but it is more unique of a flavor then it is stereotypical farmhouse yeast. It does have a distinct begin flavor that probably comes from the yeast but is also very ale like. The guava does also have a presence it is deep in its fruitiness I do not know how to describe it not quite sweet but dead on in terms of my guava experience very similar to mango and a very interesting complement to the powerful yeasty flavor.

M: There is a medium mouthfeel not too heavy or light it is pretty watery but not thin what so ever. It is smooth and goes down easily so it has a good drinkability with the alcohol being completely hidden. There is a light carbonation that adds to the drinkability.

O: I have only had a few Cigar City beers and I have been impressed so perhaps I expected too much but I was kinda disappointed with this beer it is pretty good but I was expecting great. It does have a disnctive yeast flavor with a solid guava presence but nothing really super special flavor for me. I like it, but perhaps I expect too much worth a try for sure though that being said I don't know if I will be back.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 02:40:17 | More by Pinknuggets

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.06/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-light hazy orange amber color with a nice white head and good lacing

S-orange, tropical fruit, pepper, sour, earthy, malt

T-oranges and tropical fruit followed by a sour wave and then slightly sweet malt, pepper, cloves and no significant bitterness, but a lingering pucker

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, crisp

O-a solid Saison. Didn't get a lot of distinct guava flavor,but enjoyed this

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 14:42:10 | More by MDDMD

tectactoe

Michigan

3.88/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to rynosf23 for this one - split five ways at a recent tasting. Burnt sunburst would be the best way to describe the color of Guava Grove - almost one-hundred percent opaque, very volatile, and producing a heavy, foamy, off-white head with very good retention and semi-decent lacing. I like how this one is looking.

The aroma is full of a sweet and bitter mix of fruit, much of which must be guava. I've never had a real guava, I've only had guava-flavored things. But I am picking up some of that guava smell, but it's nowhere near as powerful as I would hope, expect, or like. There's actually an intense pungency that sort of stings the nostrils, not sure if it's a bitterness or what. It's not bad, it's just... different. Some pears and mangoes make up for the remainder of the aroma profile. Not much in terms of malt here - maybe a little bit of added sweetness, but nothing extraordinarily standing out. A light grassiness hits on the tail end as the fruits fade to black.

I'm immediately met with a sharp carbonation upon taking the first sip. Some light spices; clove, coriander, maybe orange peel - much akin to a Belgian style ale - followed up by a light guava flavor. The fruitiness of the guava is very pleasing, however it seems to "come and go" very quickly - it hits your taste buds hard, then it fades away almost instantly. Upon fading out, heavy-ass barnyard flavors hit center stage; wet cork, oak, damp cellar, musky - those are certainly the best descriptors. Upon tasting those, I finally remember that this is a saison - otherwise, it could pass for any old fruit beer. The aftertaste is also dominated by the funk, perhaps with just a tiny bit of fruity flavors and malty sweetness to couple with. Medium bodied with a heavy dose of carbonation and a reasonably dry finish.

I had high hopes for this one - I like CCB and I like guava-flavored things. I also like saisons. So this is a win-win-win, right? Well, perhaps it didn't quite live up to my godly expectations, but it was still a damn good beer. I enjoyed the saison and funk flavors tgat come through and pound hard from middle to end - but my main complaint is that the guava (and fruit in general) was too muted, both in the aroma and the taste. Still very enjoyable - very solid saison.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 22:06:28 | More by tectactoe

superspak

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 9/4/2012. Pours hazy orange amber color with a big 3 finger fluffy cream colored head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a large amount of streaming carbonation retaining the head. Aromas of big pear, apple, lemon, orange zest, pineapple, guava, pepper, clove, floral, grass, herbal, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity and spicy notes. Taste of apple, pear, lemon, orange zest, guava, pepper, clove, wheat, floral, grass, herbal, and yeast earthiness. Lingering notes of light fruits, guava, citrus, pepper, clove, wheat, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a bit. Very nice complexity of fruity and spicy flavors; with great fruity/peppery flavor balance; and zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Very high carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a lightly slick, very crisp, and prickly mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an excellent saison style. Very nice balance and complexity of fruity and spicy notes; and very smooth and crisp to sip on. A very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 06:16:08 | More by superspak

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.71/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

I aged this bottle for about a year. It felt appropriate to open on a Friday afternoon.

I poured this beer into a chalice and received some minimal foam. The coloring is a deep orange. It works well for the style.

The nose on this one is as a pretty vibrant sour. I get some of the fruityness, but the saison aroma is strong with this one.

The flavor isn't as strong as the nose. I get minimal saison and what I think is Guava. There is a ton of carbonation filling my mouth.

I will pick up a fresh bottle on my next trip to Florida for a good comparison.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 20:37:21 | More by ummswimmin

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml Bottle from Total Wine Clearwater FL for 2.99$ (bargain!)

Appearance - Hazy gold colour with an average size fizzy white coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is some faint acing. The head lasted for 3-4 minutes. There are also some particles floating around in it.

Smell - Breads/grains, guava, coriander

Taste & Mouth - There is an above average amount of carbonation and I can taste bread/grains mixed with some lemons. There is also some coriander and some yeasty notes and a guava fruitiness. It ends with a spicy yet fruity aftertaste.

Overall - Wow, really good stuff. I was expecting this to taste artificial and way too fruity. It's a great saison with only subtle hints of fruit. If I lived in Florida I'd take a truck over to Total Wine and but whatever they had left at 2.99$ for 750ml. I guess it's out of season but it still tastes fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 02:19:17 | More by spinrsx

Beerenauslese

California

4.08/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Amber gold body with a foamy tan head that dissipates quickly to a ring. Almost no lacing, rather unusual for a saison.

Lovely nose, smells of toffee, guava, clove, brown sugar.

Tastes of toffee, brown sugar, spicy saison yeast--a strong, tongue numbing sensation of clove phenols and a coppery metallic taste. There's some guava fruit coming through midpalate and in the finish, but it is dominated by the strong clove spiciness.

Body is medium, carbonation is light, with a spritzy mouthfeel.

This is a strongly spiced saison which is quite enjoyable, but the clove yeast phenols dominate and I would prefer more of the guava flavor to come through.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 04:22:53 | More by Beerenauslese

Johnnyhitch

New York

3.6/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Hazy just shy of opaque golden hue

S - Interesting musty sourness sugared orange big notes of melon strawberrys guava?

T - This one explodes as it hits the mouth. Orange pineapple plums guava tropical flesh very deep, sweetness provides depth and mouthfeel. Not to cloying or puckering.

M - Nice and full great situation going on here not always a huge fan of overcarbed beers but this one needs it and i was glad it was there. Very champagne like.

O- Overall much better as it warms, had a harsh bite after being opened. Really nice tropical tones that all get held together by the carb and sweetness. One to try but will not be looking for again.

EdiT...After a glass i have STRONG guava undertones that just linger on the palate. very interesting brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 02:42:12 | More by Johnnyhitch