Maduro Oatmeal Brown Ale - Cigar City Brewing

da_beers

New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - nice dark brown, almost black w a hint of red. Thin finger of tannish head that quickly dissipated. Low carbonation coming up.

S - faint espresso, chocolate, and sweetness from malts. Not huge on the nose, but decent overall.

T - has a great stout quality for a brown ale. Good chocolate notes. Espresso/coffee as well. No hops, light sweet malts. Almost like a chocolate milk.

M - smooth and buttery. Great across palate, really like a chocolate milk in that way. Med-heavy body yet quite drinkable.

O - my favorite brown I've had yet. Great qualities similar to a stout. Love CCB.

Serving type: can

06-14-2013 01:14:58 | More by da_beers

Stevedore

Wisconsin

4.15/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz can dated 5/22/2013 poured into a CCB snifter today 6/6/2013. Thanks to RaffyS for throwing a couple of these in as extras! I've had this on tap at the brewery about 7 months ago, but I'm basing this review solely off this new can.

Aroma: Nice! People are saying the nose is subtle but it's really not. Lots of toffee, with hints in the background of milk chocolate and caramel, with a bit of bitter coffee. Good robust nose, not overpowering. A nice potpourri of roasted malts. (4.25)

Colour: Pours a mahogany brown with a fluffy 2cm brown head that begins to dissipate almost instantly, like its vaporizing. As the head recedes within a minute, I see a placid mahogany/brown maple liquid body. No lacing to be found on the glass. A placid brew. (3.75)

Flavour: Definitely does not lack in the department. A generous heaping of toffee, chocolate and caramel sweetness that is offset by some espresso and/or black coffee and earthy bitterness. Very nice! It's very flavourful and refreshing- it has the flavour and aroma profile of a bigger porter in a 5.5% can. (4.25)

Mouthfeel: Thicker side of the thin body classification, thinner than some typical brown ales but somehow this is a very creamy and refreshing beer. It's incredibly refreshing and thirst-quenching with 5.5% ABV which I know I'm not going to feel. Aftertaste is a mix of milk chocolate sweetness and bitter black coffee. (4)

Overall: It's a very refreshing brown ale that packs a lot of flavour and aroma- a very similar profile to a good porter like Edmund Fitzgerald or Black Butte, but the beer is on the thinner side and incredibly quaffable. It's like you crossed the flavour/aroma profile of Edmund Fitzgerald with the body and drinkability of an AAL. I like this one a lot! (4)

Serving type: can

06-07-2013 00:56:48 | More by Stevedore

nmann08

Maryland

3.73/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a dark mahogany brown, hues of dark red. Very still beer. Pours with a big fluffy white head, that disappears immediately, leaving no lacing, and little carbonation.

The nose is heavy toffee, dark chocolate, caramel, molasses. Espresso is there, but faint.

Taste is watered down, like ice melted in it. Taste is similar to the nose, but most flavors are muted, not one really expresses itself. Finishes with Earthy hops, which is unique.

Medium-bodied, finishes bone dry.

Overall, this is a good beer, but not as good as when they first started making it.

Serving type: can

06-06-2013 23:41:32 | More by nmann08

Mojo

Alabama

4.26/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Canned May 22, 2013

12 ounce can -> Dogfish Head Glass

A - pours up the color of toffee, a little hazy. Initial big head retreats quickly with no retention and no lacing.
S - nose is subtle with notes of toffee, caramel, coffee, and malt
T - kind of sweet and sour, caramel upfront with a slight coffee finish
M - thin with a small aftertaste
O - I loved this. Nor bitter in the least making it very easy to drink.

Serving type: can

06-04-2013 03:23:31 | More by Mojo

cfaulman

Louisiana

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from can into glass, 2 finger white foamy head that dissipates quickly into a medium-dark brown colored liquid.

Aroma of sweet toffee, caramel, chocolate, with a hint of coffee.

Taste is similar to the aroma with added roasted malt and graham cracker and pecan.

Mouthfeel is full bodied and creamy with nice carbonation, just being a slight bit watery for my taste.

Overall this is an great brew that I would certainly have again given the flavor balance and mouthfeel. It seems like the type of brew you could enjoy at anytime, meal, sporting event, etc.

Serving type: can

06-03-2013 02:58:59 | More by cfaulman

Bosoxfan20

Missouri

3.74/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A- Dark chocolate brown with a creamy tan head of about a 1/2 finger that doesn't stick around too long. Opaque with sparse lacing. I know browns aren't usually the most asthetically pleasing style, but nothing that really stands out to me here.

S- Caramel and roasted nuts with toasted grain up front. Touch of chocolate. Espresso kicks in late. Delightful nutty aroma.

T- Follows nose pretty well. Intense roasted walnuts and caramel gets things started. Chocolate, oats, and the slightest touch of earthy hops also make their way. Finish left a little something to be desired for my palate. But it had a nice richness to it.

M- A little thin, but not far off for the style. Smooth and fairly drinkable. Good session beer if you enjoy these flavors. Not bitter, but slightly dry.

O- My first from Cigar City. Unique, and certainly enjoyable. Almost like a light, thinner porter. I can see how this would pair well with desert and a cigar (if i were a cigar smoker). Very interesting and well put together nut brown.

Canned on 4/24/13
Consumed on 5/14/13

6 pk for $7.49

Serving type: can

05-16-2013 16:49:06 | More by Bosoxfan20

TheSixthRing

California

3.83/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Appearance - Pours a deep ruby brown with a light tan half finger head. Sub-par retention, leaving an island of microbubbles in the middle of the glass, and a ring around the edge. Spotty lacing with fair stick.

Smell - Chocolate and sugary sweetness; almost cola like. Touches of coffee.

Taste - Follows the nose. Powdered chocolate and sugared malt sweetness; more toffee than caramel. Moderate roasted nut character in the finish, with faint traces of mocha nipping well into the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - Medium in body with moderate carbonation. Goes down smooth and easy, then finishes bone dry.

Overall - This is a really good brown. A little too dry for my taste, but the flavor is great. I suppose that comes with the territory of an EBA, though. In any event, it kicks the tail out of Newcastle.

Serving type: can

05-04-2013 02:49:18 | More by TheSixthRing

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.65/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

bring brought me this one from his side of the pond. That's not a typo. Cheers man! Enjoyed this one while bewing up my next hop monster, which is still in the fermenter.

From a can into a snifter.

APPEARANCE: Pours a one finger, medium looking, off-white head with decent retention. Chestnut brown with slightly lower levels of carbonation. Head fades to a splotchy wisp. A ring remains and leaves some small dots of lacing falling down the glass.

SMELL: Dark malts with dark bread notes, some cocoa powder and espresso. Touches of toffee in there and some oats play a role as well. Nice, but not quite as impressive as the flavor.

TASTE: More oats here for sure, with dark, bready malts and cocoa powder up front. Some caramel and toffee sweetness in the middle into the swallow, then a medium but persistent finish of dark bread, cocoa powder, some bitter espresso and touches of roastiness. Quite nice.

PALATE: Medium body and medium carbonation. Not quite as creamy as hoped, but goes down fine and finishes dry on the palate.

OVERALL: Nice beer for sure. I can see why it's a popular regular offering. It could be a touch creamier perhaps, especially for an oatmeal ale, but this is a flavorful and enjoyable brew. Love me some CCB. Cheers bring!

Serving type: can

04-26-2013 18:42:38 | More by Jeffo

Cavanaghty

Maine

3.83/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a can into a pint glass. Thank you to shan8454 for this brew in trade!

Appearance: Brown in color with about one finger of a biege head.

Smell: Nutty, with fruity banana like smell, sort of like a hefeweizen.

Mouthfeel/Taste: Smooth, medium bodied. Nutty up front that gives way quickly to a coffee flavor, which I was not expecting.

Overall: One of the better brown ales I have had. And it smelled like a hefeweizen and drank like a stout.

Serving type: can

04-13-2013 19:12:26 | More by Cavanaghty

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Can from Total Wine in Tampa. Canned March 20.

A - Pours a murky iced tea colour. One finger white head gone fast. Good carbonation. No lace, no retention. Murkiness is good, but no head is a fault.

S - Nutty, vanilla, toffee, a little dark fruit. A nice malty English brown aroma.

T - Chocolate, nuttiness, vanilla, toffee, caramel. A little woody. Nice.

M - Nice carbonation, light to medium body that leans towards the lighter end. Clean, slightly sweet finish.

O/D - Very much a well put together Brown Ale. Doesn't knock the ball out of the park, but it does what it intends to do very well. Highly drinkable and quite tasty.

Serving type: can

04-12-2013 21:06:50 | More by tbeckett

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Another big thank you to Coldsnack for this treat from Florida!

Appearance. Pours a deep and hazy amber-brown with almost a finger of khaki head.

Smell. Sweet caramel malts, coffee and vanilla with a little bit of sweet chocolate and molasses.

Taste. Sweet caramel malts again, a little coffee and cherry, roasted nuts and a bit of vanilla.

Mouthfeel. On the low side of medium bodied with medium carbonation.

Overall. For a style that isn't my fav, this is a pretty decent beer. Could see myself easily putting back a bunch of these around the campfire.

Serving type: can

04-05-2013 00:03:10 | More by Rutager

breakingbland

Michigan

3.88/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a can into a pint glass. (Forgot to look for a date on the can.)

Appearance: Brownish-red, nearly opaque. The brownish head dissipated quickly. 

Aroma: Malty with espresso and chocolate. Initially, I detected a slight, odd detergent aroma, but it seemed to dissipate quickly and didn't interfere with enjoying this beer. (maybe it was my imagination...) 

Taste: Espresso and chocolate followed the aroma (but no detergent!). Only a faint hops presence as anticipated for this style.

Mouthfeel: This beer had a nice body -- a full feeling in the mouth. It had a pleasant level of carbonation with medium-sized bubbles. Espresso and chocolate intensify on the tongue if you let it linger.

Overall: I had heard that this was a beer to seek out while in FL. It definitely didn't disappoint! It was fun to drink and went well with food (a big burger @ Ford's Garage in Ft. Myers, FL). I will look for this again while in Florida.

Serving type: can

04-02-2013 00:25:04 | More by breakingbland

Swedgin_Wu

Florida

4.6/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

My first tangle with Cigar City, despite the fact it's given quite a name for itself especially in Florida.

12 oz can ( i guess they abandoned the bottle) into a Tulip Glass. Perhaps the best "canned" beer i've tried thus far

Appearance - Nice medium brown color, decent amount of head

Smell - Wonderful smell. Toffee, Caramel and some nut stand out. it's very inviting and matches the taste. I don't really sense an oatmeal presence despite the name

Taste- Much like the smell...A blend of toffee, nut and caramel. Maybe a little coffee. It's a very flavorful beer to the point you want to take just the right sized sip to savor the flavor. beautiful transition to the finish.

Mouthfeel - moderately carbonated but i tend to like beers with more than a little carbonation.

Overall - Excellent beer..perhaps a great dessert beer, but i can drink this on any occasion. It's not a session beer....but it's one of my favorite just to have as a standalone. Between this and the Rogue Hazelnut, i have been fully converted to loving Brown ales. the oatmeal aspect of it i did not really notice

Serving type: can

03-16-2013 09:14:44 | More by Swedgin_Wu

ExtraStout

Massachusetts

3.64/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Had this from a can poured into your standard draft pint.

A: creamy white 3/4 inch head on top of a cola like brown in color

S: smokey, oatmeal with tangy hops in the nose, with some sugar like malt, very nice.

T: sweet oatmeal malt, with a nice mild hop bite (25 IBU) and some hints of oak and smoked barrel flavors.

M: creamy but not heavy, smooth, but quits easy on you

d: easy to drink, while @ 5.5% ABV its on the higher end of ABV's for the style.

Serving type: can

03-11-2013 19:56:23 | More by ExtraStout

kagent777

Utah

3.58/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

One from a six pack I purchased from Knightly's Spirits on OBT while on vacation in Florida last week. I poured this one into my perfect pint.

Appearance: A two finger thick sandy colored head cannot keep the pleasant mild smell contained. The color is nice and brown just like a good maduro should be, this also has some amazing red highlights.

Smell: Smell breaks through the head with notes of chocolate, lightly roasted malt, coffee, and a touch of alcohol. No strong hops to speak of.

Taste: The taste largely follows the smell. Overall, it seems quite mild. A hint of vanilla matches up against the chocolate. A very balanced beer. The finish seems very short.

Mouthfeel: The body is on the thinner side while the carbonation is middling.

Overall: I usually love cigar city, but I am not wowed by this one. The other cans in this sixer were all nice, but I am not getting as much flavor from this one. It is good flavor, but just really diminished.

Serving type: can

03-07-2013 04:45:14 | More by kagent777

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.91/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

a deep amber almost brown with 2 fingers of creme colored head leaving behind great amounts of sticky lacing. smells of delicious sweet chocolate, bread, grassy hops. a very chocolatey oriented flavor - toasted grains with a light coffee hint, grasy hops are there but subtle, very subtle sweetness. medium body with a slightly chalky feel, moderate carbonation. very creamy, thanks to the oats.

a really great brown ale.. it's hard to come by an impressive one, but this and ellie's brown ale by avery are my top 2 i think

Serving type: can

02-21-2013 21:58:06 | More by facundoCNB

draheim

Washington

4.04/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz can (canned 10/18/12) into a tulip. Pours a hazy mahogany brown w/ a 1-finger head that leaves behind a thin film on the surface.

Aroma is bitter roasted malt, fresh donuts, bitter coffee, and chocolate. A little lighter than a porter but lots of good complexity. I'm going to let this warm up a bit.

Taste is roasty and bitter with caramel and toffee, maybe even some pipe tobacco. Has a smoky quality, some dried figs and dates in there too. Bitterness is tempered by a vaguely fruity sweetness.

Mouthfeel is light but not quite watery, finishes bitter. About right for the style.

Overall a good, robust brown ale. Flavorful enough to satisfy, light and clean enough to refresh.

Serving type: can

01-30-2013 01:51:41 | More by draheim

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.78/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to Momar42 for the can! 12 oz can poured into a Duvel tulip.

A: Pours a hazy dark burgundy color. The head is a gorgeously textured one finger offwhite color - shame it fades so quickly. It leaves a modicum of lacing on the glass.

S: There's a dark fruit note to it that sets it apart from the more dry/bitter browns out there. Concentration of the aromatic senses will yield some light chocolate, hazelnut, and unroasted coffee, as well.

T: This could almost pass for a porter at times. There's an initial flavor of coffee (this time taking more of a roasted quality than in the nose) and oats, before transitioning to caramel, chocolate, and hazelnut on the midtaste and finish. After it warms up slightly, I notice a slight twinge of earthy hops. Rather simple in its flavor profile, but what's here works very well.

M: Not fully creamy, likely due to the strong carbonation. The latter quality gives the beer a light and airy dryness to counteract the smooth, syrupy finish. Very wet on the aforementioned finish and aftertaste otherwise. Perhaps not as easy to drink as it could be, though - the sweetness gets to be a bit much at times.

O: Cigar City could have called this an oatmeal porter and I wouldn't have batted an eyelash. That's a compliment. It's a bit too sweet to be a quick drinker, but it's richness belies its 5.5% ABV. Would make a great dessert beer.

Serving type: can

01-29-2013 23:53:02 | More by ThisWangsChung

Brad007

Vermont

3.63/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

First I've seen of Cigar City in my corner of VT. This is only available at one location and that's a health food store.

Pours a cloudy reddish brown with a thin head. Not as brown as I hoped it would be but it's close as it is.

Caramel, toffee and a touch of cocoa are apparent in the nose of this ale. It certainly does more complex than a standard brown ale.

Tastes like a porter with the mouthfeel of a brown ale. Sweet and toasty with a very nice roasted coffee/cocoa note in the middle. Caramel. Toffee. It doesn't lay anything on too thick.

Lots of balance and interplay between flavors. The mouthfeel is sort of thin though.

Very tasty and well worth what I paid for the 6 pack.

Serving type: can

01-22-2013 06:35:57 | More by Brad007

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.51/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

12oz can from Total Wine Tampa FL for 2$

Appearance - Hazy brown colour with a small size fizzy beige head. I can't make out the amount of carbonation showing and there is some fair lacing. The head lasted for only 2-3 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, nuts, chocolate

Taste & Mouth - There is a below average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, chocolate, and some light coffee. There is a bit of a nuttiness and the beer ends with a malty and chocolatey aftertaste.

Overall - Mouthfeel isn't great, but it has a taste that keeps it interesting throughout the glass. Worth a try but probably not a repeat purchase for me with some many other great beers out there.

Serving type: can

01-17-2013 01:39:42 | More by spinrsx

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

3.73/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz can poured into a Sprecher snifter glass

Appearance- A very murky brown with a finger of light kahki head that dissipates into a thin surface layer and leaves some minimal lacing.

Smell- Some carmel, a little bit of nuttiness and a citrusy hop smell that is pretty predominant.

Taste- Front and middle of the tounge is a nutty flavor that then transitions into a long cloying citrus rind finish.

Mouthfeel- Nice chewy mouthfeel that still has loads of carbonation to balance and make it pretty easy drinking.

Overall- A little more hopped then Im used to, but had a pretty good balance in both flavor and mouthfeel.

Serving type: can

01-05-2013 17:41:10 | More by BrownAleMale

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Canned November 28, 2012.

Beer is very dark brown, almost appears black on certain angles. Small off-white head disappears immediately.

Aroma contains vanilla, brown sugar, toffee and caramel. A bit nutty and sweet,

Taste contains caramel, toffee and vanilla. Milk chocolate and some slightly roasted nuts. A bit sweet. Tastes like a better version of Newcastle Brown - not wildly different, just improved.

Medium to light bodied, moderate carbonation. A bit chewy,

Overall, good. Nice rendition of the style. Not a thrilling beer, but flavourful and something that you could readily drink quite a lot of.

Serving type: can

01-05-2013 04:43:06 | More by jrenihan

Arithmeticus

Maryland

2.6/5  rDev -34.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Poured chilled in straight-edged ale glass

A: dark cola colored; very well carbonated; medium-sized head, mixed sizes of bubbles
S: brown-ale aroma; bit of root beer aroma
T: sweet; low on hops; tinny flavor; oatmeal is not really all that present
M: a bit thin-bodied

A bit disappointing for a brown ale

Serving type: can

01-04-2013 04:36:53 | More by Arithmeticus

Beerenauslese

California

3.6/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Light brown body, tan head dissipates quickly to a film and ring. Not much lacing.

Smells of roast nuts, coffee, and toffee.

Tastes nutty, with hints of coffee and toffee. Not too hoppy with a little hop bitterness in the quite dry finish that complements the other flavors.

Light in body and carbonation, quickly goes flat.

A good tasting brown beer with a nutty flavor, nicely hopped, and fairly low ABV. Decent beer for drinking and enjoying with food, but not highly remarkable.

Serving type: can

11-21-2012 02:16:48 | More by Beerenauslese

GregSVT

Texas

3.9/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12oz can into a tulip

A: Pours brown with a nice off-white head that fades to a ring and leaves a bit of lacing on the glass.

S: The nose is sweeter than I expected with notes of vanilla, raisins, cocoa, and chocolate malt.

T: The taste is much like the nose with good flavors of chocolate malt, raisins, and a touch of vanilla on the finish. Sweet but not overly so and the roasted malt adds a touch of bitterness to keep it from being cloying.

M: The feel is par for the style...light-medium bodied with good carbonation. Although my can didn't say anything about Oatmeal I expected a bit more body on this one.

O: Typical run of the mill Brown Ale...maybe a bit sweeter than others. Not sure I'd go out of my way to get this one but I was glad to have tried it.

Serving type: can

11-17-2012 07:00:06 | More by GregSVT