Sugar Plum Brown Ale - Cigar City Brewing

chinchill

South Carolina

3.71/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2012 12 oz. bottle served in a goblet.
Pours a dark and hazy brown with a small tan head that soon reduces to a durable ring.

The interesting, unusual and distinctive aroma is spicy and sweet. Hard to pick individual spices out of this complex mix, but cardamon and cinnamon seem clear. Solid roasted malt base with notes of figs and other dark fruits.

T: Holiday spices start to finish, but not to the degree suggested by the aroma, thankfully. Roasted malts are still evident, and lend some chocolate and faint coffee to the finish and aftertaste. Hints of ginger, caramel, toffee, chamomile, plum, dried plum, figs.

M: Medium in body, with good carbonation.
O: A rich and tasty holiday brown ale with a distinctive pallet of spices. Has great complexity and flavor dynamics. A bit sweet and approaches over-spiced, but then this is a winter holiday ale. Worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 23:48:46 | More by chinchill

Shaw

Florida

3.68/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12-ounce Christmas 2012.

Deep brown/amber with a short tan head.

Aroma is of Christmas spice, though not overpowering.

Spice aroma carries over to the taste, with cinnamon and rose hips in abundance along with other flavors. Reminds me of spiced tea or even mulled cider in that respect. Toasted malt flavors come out at the end.

The body isn't watery. No complaints here.

Overall this is one of the better spiced beers. Cigar City didn't go overboard with the spices, a mistake that has befallen other brewers.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 03:35:33 | More by Shaw

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at Coffee District, Delray Beach, FL

Hazy chestnut brown pour with reddish-purple hues, topped with a small but dense cap of foamy white head that receded to a thick ringlet and left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma is malty and nutty, full of ripe fruit and light spice. Taste of fresh fruitcake, candied plums and apricots, sweet bready malts, cinnamon and nutmeg. Lots of sweet elements, yet overall the beer was not cloying or sickeningly sweet; there was a good balance. Smooth mouthfeel, medium body, but fuller--and much tastier--than your average brown ale. Liked this one a lot, and picked up a bottle to take home.

Serving type: on-tap

01-04-2013 01:32:28 | More by Rifugium

Bung

North Carolina

3.4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz. Cloudy brown pour, thin layer, really just a ring of white on top.

Aroma, smells like a snicker doodle cookie. Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, light brown sugar. A Christmas ale for sure.

Taste, luckily not as sweet as the aroma. Still pretty much like a liquid ginger snap or snicker doodle. Faintest caramel malt background. It's just a tad watery without a stronger base for all the spices.

Just gets somewhere between light and medium body. Gentle carbonation, more would not really do anything though. Drinks easy, you just have to get by the spice.

Not bad, I just feel the same meh for most Christmas ales.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 04:27:23 | More by Bung

BobZ

Massachusetts

3.4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into my Duvel tulip.

Appearance: Pours dark brown with little to no head leaves only a thing ring. Minimal lacing.

Smell: Spice (cinnamon) and a fruity sourness stands out.

Taste: The fruit flavor comes through with much less sour in the taste that was present in the nose. The spice again reminds me of cinnamon and does leave a warming effect. The malts are not really noticeable but for the style the beer is pleasant enough.

Mouthfeel: Medium body (to style) and clean on the palate.

Overall: Interesting beer (thanks for the extra Mike) and I’m always happy to try a CCB offering. I’m generally a fan of fruit or sourness but I did enjoy tasting this unique take on a Christmas themed brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 21:42:50 | More by BobZ

merc7186

New York

3.75/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bomber into snifter. 2011 Version.

A: Reddish/Brown Hue, Passes Mild Light, Thick White Head, Great Lacing

S: Ginger, Cinnamon, Cardamon

T: Ginger, Cinnamon

M: Outstanding Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Spicy

Overall, the taste is just spicy with an overpowering ginger on nose and taste.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 02:41:23 | More by merc7186

kylehay2004

Florida

3.9/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: thin head dissipates rapidly on a clear deep amber/marroon body.

S: brown sugar, toasted malts, almost has a wet sock hop not with makes this one smell like moldy clothing though.

T: brown sugar, caramel malts, toasted malts up front finishing with toasted coconut, dark fruit and spices

M: medium body and moderate to high carbonation.

Overall: Very easy to drink, full of flavor. fairly complex, definitly better than your average brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 01:50:49 | More by kylehay2004

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Toasty and spicy, very smooth drinker with herbal tea, Ginger, Cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar. Brown head on brown body. Cookie. Filling, soothing after more bitter beers.
Ginger and spice in aroma. A cigar puff in the finish Xmasy brown ale, obtained through a mail order.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 03:45:53 | More by northyorksammy

oline73

Maryland

3.05/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from the bottle into a Chimay goblet.

Appearance: Pours a murky reddish brown color with a layer of of white head that fades to a ring around the edge of the pour.

Smell: Sweet malt with some dark fruit and Christmas spice notes.

Taste: This beer isn't overly sweet at all. There is a Christmas spice note, but it is overshadowed a bit by an herbal bitterness in the finish of the sip.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with aggressive carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: This isn't a particularly good beer by any means. The bitter herbal notes in the finish didn't go very well with the other flavors. I wouldn't have another.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 01:44:26 | More by oline73

CampusCrew

Florida

3.68/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

appearance: dark brown, fading head.

smell: brown sugar, molasses

taste: low hop profile, sweetened brown ale, not much else, some fruit esters

mouthfeel: medium bodied,

drinkability: this is one of my least favs from my favorite brewery. similar to their maduro but a little sweeter,

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 21:08:32 | More by CampusCrew

socon67

New York

3.78/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle shared for Mother's Day.

A - Brown pour with visible sediment in the glass. Some carbonation. A thin foam goes away quickly.

S - Smells of spice and fresh fruit. Some cinnamon and ginger jumped out to me.

T - Good blend of flavor that has substance. Spciy up front, then a concentrated sweetness of sugary fruit. Finish has a bit of tartness that seems to come from the yeasty sediment.

M - Good rinkability for a spicy\sweet beer. I easily had a second glass.

O - Perfect cocktail beer, which is what I did. Meant to be shared. A good novelty from CCB.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 00:41:23 | More by socon67

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle, $8.95 from New Beer Distributors.

Pours dark mahogany with crimson edging and a quarter inch head of beige. A few stretched dots of lacing and a fine bead around the surface for the duration.

Aromatics are filled with holiday spice and toffee-laced malt. Cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, star anise, menthol, and candied fruit.

Medium bodied with a chewy, sticky, almost syrupy mouthfeel.

Zesty spices aplenty lead off the palate. Peppery, minty, and licorice-laden. Heavy nutmeg and cinnamon. French toast drizzeled with dark rum and Sambuca.

Finishes with sweet nutmeg-infused malt and sugar-dusted dark fruits.

The spicing is a bit overboard in this one, perhaps a few or ten years in the cellar would mellow it out. Otherwise the beer is sweetish and rich.
A good beer to share.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 00:34:06 | More by brewandbbq

maximum12

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to one of the best beer guys east of the Pacific, moose3285, for yet another sixer of Cigar City bombers. These packages arrive two or three times a year & bring with them smiles & happy-happy. Do a little dance, make a little...

Pour is rose-bush brown, trademark peppy carbonation. Smell is of a rather spicy bent, very peppery, & cardamom must be a dominant gene, because it stinks up the brew. In a good way, of course. I'm going to have to start using it cooking.

Sugar Plum is like a beer someone tipped the spice rack into, which I suppose it is. Massive cardamom, slaughter of pepper, underlying sweetness that's almost molasses-like. Ginger root tacks up the end, along with an almost hoppy bite...maybe. Sweet malt throughout. Light & airy for a brown, & despite having the spice enclyclopedia thrown at it, easy to sip. I bet William Wallace would have enjoyed this.

Overall, an enjoyable winter ale that avoids the pitfall of all spice/no beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 02:48:36 | More by maximum12

HamFon

Florida

3.75/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Hazy copper with a large fluffy beige head that produces lacing.

S: Lots of holiday spicing notes - cinnamon, cardamom, ginger. Also coffee and chocolate. Late floral notes.

T: Holiday spicing comes through - cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and lots of caramel with coffee and chocolate. Woody chicory.

M: Medium full body with light astringency - possibly from the chicory.

O: A nice holiday beer with lots of spiced flavors going on. Not quite balanced, could use more of a malt backbone.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 15:28:20 | More by HamFon

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle into a CCB snifter

A- pours black with a one finger tan head. Looks ok. A little dark for a brown ale

S- smell is of cinnamon, and other very sweet flavors. Again....a little out of place for what I'm necessarily expecting

T- slight roast coming along with some sweet brown sugar. Not bad

M- medium bodied

O- different. Interesting. Not a huge fan overall, but it's not bad.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 23:56:49 | More by bigfnjoe

dstc

Florida

2.98/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Was planning on aging this bottle for next year to see if it would mellow out a bit. Noticed the other day it was starting to leak at the cap. Chilled it and opened it tonight, plenty of carbonation, a bit of a gusher.

Murky brown color with an enormous tan head. Head is very slow to fall. Thick, clinging lace.

Nose has plenty of spice especially from the cardamom and ginger. Interesting aroma.

Taste is all spice , booze and bitterness. Bit of a mess to be honest.

Medium bodied in the mouth with moderate carbonation and a slight bite on the tongue.

I love Cigar City and the beer they brew but this one just misses. Too wrongly spiced and oddly bitter. Was looking forward to it but not a fan.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 00:40:37 | More by dstc

Heatwave33

Florida

3.5/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 750ml bottle to a Dogfish Head Signature glass.

Color: Deep murky amber with a khaki head.

Smell: Roasted malts, cinnamon and chocolate up front. Followed by coffee and spice.

Taste: Same as the aroma.

Mouthfeel: Mid-low carbonation, lightly coarse with a medium dryness on the palate.

Overall: A secent winter ale. My buddy and his girlfriend enjoyed it. Medium bodied with a decent balance. Don't know if I'll pick this up again. But definitely worth trying. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 04:20:10 | More by Heatwave33

AgentZero

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Brown colored beer with some touches of red on the edges. Tan head that left some spots behind.

S - Dark fruit, cinnamon, caramel malts. There is some plum in there that gives it a slightly acidic note. It's pretty spiced which is fine, just not really my thing.

T - A little bit mild with some caramel and plum notes. Spice consists of nutmeg and cinnamon. Some moderate sweetness, not as malty as you would have expected.

M - Lighter beer than expected, pretty dry finish. Needs more body.

O - Not a bad beer for the style, but it's just a style of beer that I haven't found to put out something great yet. Worth trying, particularly if you like beers of this style.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 04:21:49 | More by AgentZero

Viciousknishs

Virginia

3.53/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- pours a murky copper toned brown with a finger and a half light tan head. Ok retention.

S- subtle toasty bready malts malt aromas blend with light chicory and spicy ginger. The Christmas spices give a perfume like woody characteristic. Very floral and tea like on the finish with some mineral tones and subtle leafy hops.

T- toasty bready malt with a touch of fruitiness hits the palate at first. I assume plum seeing as that is the beers namesake. Floral tea like bitterness blends in the middle with a touch of light roasted coffee. Noble hop flavor with mineral characteristics also come out. Very dry finish with a dry fruitiness and soft Christmas spice.

MF- slick oily mouthfeel with a light medium body and average carbonation.

D- pretty drinkable

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 02:14:40 | More by Viciousknishs

Doppelbockulus

Florida

3.63/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a coppery color with almost no head.

Smells strongly of the typical Christmas spices and a little malty.

Taste includes some vegetables, pickle skins, some hops, and at the finish there is a thing that reminds me of peanuts.

Mouthfeel is watery and leaves a slightly clingy film like tannin.

Pretty similar to the 2011 Anchor Our Special Ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 01:04:35 | More by Doppelbockulus

beergod1

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a mostly brown amber with an average sized tan head. The nose is mild, notes of cinnamon and ginger with some more subtle dark fruit under tones. Smooth mouth feel with a medium body and some carbonation. Flavor is spicy with loads more cinnamon and ginger notes some lesser chocolate notes are present as is the mellow nutty malt back bone. Some dryness on the finish with an aftertaste I can't put my finger on. But a Great holiday brew. I like the Warmer Winter A little better, but this is a good one.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 18:57:03 | More by beergod1

DrewShal9

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks wscaffe!
A: a purplish brown that's reminiscent of a barleywine with a white head that leaves a beautiful lace along the sides of the glass
S: ginger, cinnamon rolls, spices, and bready malt
T: intense and complex yet very tasty! Spices and sweet that finishes with plums.
M: somewhat light bodied with moderate amount of carbonation
O: very tasty brew that I want to revisit and try one aged!

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 05:26:13 | More by DrewShal9

bierguru

Florida

3.4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a dark woody purple/brown with a 1 finger light tan head. Excellent lacing.

Smell: Sweet winter spices with ginger dominating. Cinnamon and nutmeg also come through nicely. Faint fruitiness that lingers on the backend

Taste: Spices dominate up front followed by typical malty brown ale flavors , a touch of hops and a bit of fruitiness at the finish. Aftertaste is mildly bitter like the skin of a plum.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a good amount of carbonation.

Drinkability: High drinkability. You could easily have a few of these over the course of an evening.

Overall: Very good beer overall. Was not expecting much from the negative reviews i was getting from friends, but i enjoyed it very much

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 00:28:13 | More by bierguru

adam42381

Florida

4.03/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from notes at World of Beer - Fort Myers on 11/9/11.

Poured on draft into a pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a dark woody brown with a 1 finger creamy light tan head. Excellent lacing.

Smell: Sweet winter spices with ginger dominating. Cinnamon and nutmeg also come through nicely.

Taste: Spices dominate up front followed by typical malty brown ale flavors in the middle before ending with freshly chewed grass, a touch of hops and a bit of fruitiness at the finish. Aftertaste is mildly bitter.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a good amount of carbonation.

Drinkability: High drinkability. You could easily have a few of these over the course of an evening.

Overall: Very good beer overall. Another fine offering from Cigar City. Definitely worth trying if you find it on draft.

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2012 16:03:21 | More by adam42381

babaracas

Florida

4/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy dark garnet color with two fingers of dense cream colored foam. Settles to a thin ring leaving a few lines of lace on the glass. Smell: spice bouquet for reals - ground ginger and cinnamon and some floral notes. Base is toast, almond, with caramel and dark fruit notes. Taste: black plum and brown sugar are buried under orange, ginger, and powdery cinnamon. Toasted nutty finish. Creamy feel but with maybe a little too aggressive carbonation for a laid back holiday beer. Nuts and spices work together, yep. Bottled Nov 14 2011.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 06:59:40 | More by babaracas