Sugar Plum Brown Ale - Cigar City Brewing

johndoe8

California

3.3/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Beer a fair amount of spice. Nutmeg maybe some cinnamon. Lot of bitterness from hops and I get this slight pit bitterness to it as well. The nose is pretty good but in the end this combination of spice and flavors was a little disappointing. I was hoping for a sweet tasty sugar plum but this didn't quite deliver

Serving type: growler

11-26-2011 03:57:54 | More by johndoe8

fields336

North Carolina

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

750 mL served into SN Snifter
11/14/11 bottle date

A: purple, dark red, garnet color with 2 fingers coffee colored head. Lacing is nice, hangs around the sides of the glass.

S: breadyness, CCB yeast, some spices, earthy malts and hops, a little chocolate, some hops.

T: definitely some hop bitterness as well as some spice bitterness from the ginger and chamomile, tasting some cinnamon, cardamom, etc.

M: Medium bodied, decent carb, similar to red wine.

O: not as sweet as I was hoping, and it was decent, I feel like they overhopped this beer and killed it, bc it could have been so much better if it was sweeter and maybe more belgian style

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 01:23:10 | More by fields336

hdelavega

Florida

3.7/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Nice dark brown with a thin white head. Good lacing.
Nose is sweet malt with a bit of sweet fruit in the back.
Sweet flavor, mimics the aroma. Realy nice. More plum coming thru as it warms up.
Mouthfeel presents a medium body with medium carbonation, realy nice.
Realy nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 00:23:58 | More by hdelavega

PorterLambic

Florida

4.33/5  rDev +25.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Arrives a rich dark brown with only a hint of light penetration. Dark tan head dropped fairly quickly to a solid film. A ton of lace, though.
Smell is spicy and swert with notes of nuts, roasted malt, nutmeg, turbinado sugar and cinnamon. Good balance.
Taste is malt and spices first with a well-balanced hop presence following. I expected a straight Maduro with spices but got something different. Well done. As it warms a more juniper -like hop note comes through. Very nice with the roasted malts.
Creamy to start with a cleaner than expected finish. Somewhat drying as well. Medium-bodied with a solid effervescence. I could drink this seasonal brew all year round. The spices are well-restrained in the mouth. Slight coating on the palate.

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2011 21:48:28 | More by PorterLambic

nmbr0ne

Florida

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

Served from tap into pint glass at The House of Brews in Jensen Beach, FL.

Appearance: Dark brown color with the slightest hue of purple. Thick head with good retention and lacing.

Smell: Kind of funky. Made me think of a saison but it may just be a smell that resembles plums.

Taste: Good mount of spices, but no real plum flavor. I can detect some cinnamon maybe, but not pronounced enough to judge without a reasonable doubt.

Mouthfeel: Medium in body with decent carbonation.

Overall: Not my favorite brown ale, but good for what it has become. I wish the smell was better than it is and wish the taste of spices were translated better into the beer. Leaves more to be desired.

Serving type: on-tap

11-04-2011 03:07:43 | More by nmbr0ne

Kiefdog

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +30.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle courtesy of JRedner. Pours a milk chocolate color with a thin off white head. Aroma is malt, spice, some chocolate. Flavor is much of the same with some rip fruit and cinnamon notes. Medium to full body with a lingering malty finish. Nice ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2009 23:04:47 | More by Kiefdog

tpd975

Florida

4.08/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a chestnut brown hue with tones of purple showing thru. The head is thick, dense, and creamy with good retention.

S: Nice roasted malt aroma with a huge blast of spice. Tons of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Allspice. Light notes of dark fruit lay beneath.

T: Wow I expected the spice to be huge here but it is not. The base beer is a solid one and it has not been destroyed by the spice. Nice roasted malt can be picked up right away with hints of caramel and toffee. Dark fruit comes next with hints of plum. The spice is there, but in such a understated way. It is light and just kind of hangs out in the background. Very tasty, and sessionable.

M: Medium in body, with good carbonation.

D: I could drink several. I have the feeling Cigar City will be known for the big beers they make, but this is one of the examples of a wonderful sessionable brew that they will bring to market.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2009 16:00:45 | More by tpd975