Maduro Oatmeal Brown Ale - Cigar City Brewing

smakawhat

Maryland

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

Poured from the bottle into a pint glass.

A one finger light brown cream bubbles head. Body is a good dark brown with some cloudy character. Head manages to fall slowly while keeping the head together. Nice color of brown going to a simple cherry red also.

Bouquet is a malty roast but also some small cream. Slight heat and a dryness to some extent also. Some earthen dirt/soil smells as well.

Interesting taste. Sweet moves to a mild sour astringecy taste and milk creamer more like sweetened condensed milk. A slight bit of pricklyness on the tongue but not a sense of gas carbonation. Husky dry quality taste with milk cream like sensation, kind of interesting.

Pretty solid good brew all around.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2011 18:51:45 | More by smakawhat

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.43/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed on 06/05/2009. Sample from a growler at PPRBSG09. Pours brown with a small head. Aroma of roasted malt and sweet malt. Flavor of light coffee, roasted malt, with a sweet finish. Actually it's a pretty decent brown ale but overall not anything special.

Serving type: growler

07-11-2009 17:08:49 | More by LilBeerDoctor

AgentZero

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - A dark brown colored brown beer with a creamy finger of head that left some decent lace. Also, the head was a tannish color.

S - Sweet caramel and toffee with brown sugar and a little bit of roasted goodness there. Smells solid and appropriate for the style.

T - Brown sugar, caramel, little bit of oats that don't sour too much. It has a nice mildly roasted character but this is definitely a brown ale and it tastes like a good one.

M - Creamy, moderate carbonation, fairly filled out medium body.

O - I enjoyed this beer quite a bit for what it was. I find a good brown ale to be a nice experience, although not necessarily a world class one. I'd say this fit the bill and would drink it again.

Serving type: on-tap

07-08-2011 13:36:21 | More by AgentZero

tdm168

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark brown that borders on black with a thin, brown head that quickly fades. The nose has notes of brown sugar, cigar, and faint coffee. The flavor is woody and earthy up front similar to a cigar and slightly nutty followed by a sweet but bitter espresso, caramel finish. The finish is incredibly dry but smooth with little carbonation.

This is a nice change of pace for a brown ale. I like the woody, cigar-like notes and I like the brown sugar notes as well. The flavor profile is great. The mouthfeel is a bit dry which makes the flavor leave the palate a little early. Overall, a great brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 18:28:35 | More by tdm168

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

12oz bottle served in a standard pint glass.

L - murky brown color with a thin beige head that did manage to leave a decent amount of lacing behind.

S - smokey, caramel malt with hints of chocolate and coffee beans.

T - everything in the smell comes through in a wonderful blend of flavor, very good tasting beer.

F - medium bodied with a smooth, creamy feel.

D - very drinkable and at 5.5% abv, a few would be easy to do.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2010 00:36:12 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Brass Rail Deli on 12/7/09.

A - Clear deep hazelnut brown body with dark amber highlights and a one-finger creamy tan cap of foam that laced up beautifully like cake icing.

S - Initial aroma offers a hint of roasted malt and coffee with a pinch of vanilla and nutty malt. There's plenty of sweet caramel malt underneath, as well as subtle chocolate notes. The coffee character really pushed its way to the forefront as the liquid warmed up.

T - Malt flavor is comprised of flaked oats, sweet caramel and a hint of grains. A vanilla sweetness gives way to slight roasted malt notes with a flavorful coffee character and a hint of chocolate. A nutty malt character also persists throughout. Finishes with slight earthy, herbal bitter notes. Overall, Maduro offers a very complex flavor profile for a brown ale.

M - The initial smooth, creamy texture eventually builds into a moderate bristly sensation on the palate. Finishes with a hint of astringency and subtle hop bite on the tongue.

D - Easily one of the best brown ales I've had to date. Cigar City has burst on the scene and has been mixing things up quite and bit, which is always a pleasure to see. Great stuff!

Serving type: on-tap

12-29-2009 15:10:28 | More by ffejherb

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Appears to be a bit of sediment in the bottle so it must be over 3 months old. Color is a hazy dark brown and a half inch of opaque colored head. Sticky lacing.

S - Smells of slightly nutty, mostly brown malts, and some hops

T - Taste pretty good for a brown ale. Mostly brown malts and hops with a touch of nutty almost flavor and the finish is kind of bitter even for it being old.

M - Light to medium easy to drink.

Overall I am kind of stunned this has such great reviews. I have never been a huge fan of brown ales so maybe it is that good but it seems very similar to Voodoo's brown ale with a low ABV.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 04:04:16 | More by DrDemento456

merlin48

Kentucky

4.43/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Many thanks to mntlover for this gem of a bottle. Pours a clear brown body with a large beige head. Good retention with some patchy lacing.

Aroma opens with a surprising assault of minty and pine hops. Nutty chocolate, caramel, and oatmeal quickly climb aboard to remind me this is an American brown ale.

Mouthfeel has the trademark silkiness of oatmeal, with a medium body and carbonation.

Taste has leafy and minty hops which play off malty notes of caramel and chocolate in an entertaining ballet. A pleasant nutty malt character provides the stage. Finishes clean and even.

One of the best brown ales I've ever sampled. Very complex and playful on the senses.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 22:14:02 | More by merlin48

flagmantho

Washington

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: rich dark-brown hue with an amber tint when held up to the light. Head is a thick finger of pillowy tan foam; soft and creamy. Very attractive.

Smell: aroma is rich and quite chocolatey. Milk chocolate, in fact; I like it. There's also a hint of vegetal hop aroma which isn't bad, per se, but isn't necessarily welcome, either. The chocolate does a lot to make up for this, though.

Taste: chocolatey all the way through, from the milk chocolate of the front to a darker, baker's chocolate-like flavor and bitterness at the end. Roasty notes are found in the middle and toward the end, and it's topped off with more of those vegetal hops plus a well-balanced bitterness. A bit muddy, but pretty tasty.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a very well-integrated carbonation. Creamy and delicious -- a touch more body would also make this beer almost perfect.

Overall: very tasty and drinkable brown. I'm going to give a little bonus here because as the brew warms up further, the aroma and flavor are taking on some darker, fruitier characteristics; almost like it's heading for Belgian territory.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2011 14:42:33 | More by flagmantho

Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-Deep, dark, reddish brown with a medium tan head that reduced to a thin cap and left nice lace.

S-Dark roasted coffee, chocolate, dark malts and lighter notes of toffee, earth, spiciness and roasted nuts. Nicely aromatic.

T-Rich, roasted malt, chocolate and roasted nuts. Bit of floral hoppiness and underlying coffee bitterness and light tobacco smokiness. Finishes dry.

M-Medium bodied beer. Full of roasted flavours and lingering bitterness.

D-Wow...full and rich, yet so smooth. This one goes down WAY too easy. Very tasty for "just a brown ale". Nicely done.

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2009 04:06:33 | More by Deuane

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.55/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Thirstybird for sharing. Pours a brownish-mahogany with a slightly hazy clarity. A quarter inch, cream-colored, bubbly head disperses into a thin skim and a sudsy mass. Nose is malty, spicy and slightly medicinal - there's also perhaps a trace of burnt sugar and anise. Taste expresses dried dark fruit (figs/prunes), oatmeal cookie and anise. Mouthfeel is medium-light with an even carbonation that falls just short of crisp and a slightly dry finish. All and all, a decent, nuanced brown with quite a bit of flavor, particularly given the relatively low abv.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2011 01:17:18 | More by Jwale73

Gmann

New York

4.4/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a nice chocolate brown color with some honey highlights, tight tan head that settled into a light ring. The aroma is of a light roasted malt; charred wet wood, smoke, and roastd meat. The aroma is not strong but is very nice. Wow, big big roasted chestnut flavor with a toasted malt backbone. Some nice tobacco flavor as well. Damn, this is like NYC during the winter with the roasted chestnut vendors. There is a nice toasted malt, brown sugar, light honey, grape, lemon and metal; basically a good base for the chestnut flavors. A moderate body with fizzy carbonation, this is coupled with a tobacco like malt which adds a nice earthy quality. This is one tasty ass brown ale. Cigar City makes a mean brown ale. This is a hearty brown ale that won't back down.

Serving type: growler

11-01-2009 05:19:38 | More by Gmann

mynie

Indiana

4.55/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I always start my reviews of brown ales by mentioning how I don't like the style so much, but then I always seem to give the beer at least a 4.1. A quick glance at my review history backs this up; browns might be one of my most highly scored categories...

What did browns do to me? Is it because I expect them to be bland? Why?

This ain't bland. This is as far from boilerplate as you can get. It smells kind of a like a dulled out version of a good, dry RIS. You get the same vinous aroma, same surprisingly big dry hop bitterness. Only it's tame. There's no burn.

Tastes less intense than it smells, but more pleasantly rough. You got some nutty and chocolately nodes up front, moving into rough and lightly sour oatmeal and bitter barley middle, finishing on a lightly vinous taste of tobacco, caramel, and peat moss. Fantabulous.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 04:46:23 | More by mynie

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a very dark brown color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is mild, some malts are present. Taste is good, malty, slight bit of oats, some hops at the finish. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a good quality beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2011 14:03:49 | More by tone77

Durge

Connecticut

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ran into this at the Celebration Town Tavern in Celebration, Florida. Poured into a pint glass chilled, it shows a dark brown root beer/coffee color. Add to that a thin off-white head and fair lacing. I pick up caramel-malt and charcoal-coffee in the aroma. Decent. The flavor favors the coffee charcoal with an evergreen hop that adds a nice bite. Medium bodied with modest carbonation and a very dry feel. Plenty drinkable for the style which offers lots of taste and some stick to your ribs goodness. Another convincing performance from Cigar City.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2011 03:31:03 | More by Durge

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.38/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

In a Cigar City snifter the beer was a dark brown color with some red highlights. It had a thin tan head.
Caramel/roasted malt aroma. Earthy, a bit reminiscent of tobacco.
Nice taste. Caramel, a bit of milk chocolate, that earthy tobacco hint. Late herbal hops.
A nice rich beer.
Very drinkable.

Serving type: growler

02-07-2011 12:20:41 | More by lordofthewiens

GbVDave

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass. Thanks to HeatherAnn for the assist!

A: Pours a cloudy rust brown color. A thin light khaki wafer of foam spreads out on top before quickly melting down to a thick creamy collar.

S: Complex aromas of toasted grains, pan seared sugar, bruised plums, roasted malt, molassas, maple syrup, and a bit of cigar tobacco.

T: Pretty much along the lines of the smell with a bit more emphasis on spicy tobacco leaf. Some bitter dark chocolate, rum soaked raisins, cocoa, roast, and bread pudding.

M: A flash of sweetness for an instant before a big spicy dryness settles in and hang around through the end of the long finish.

D: This is a beer made for drinking after dinner with a cigar. Rich, roasty, and completely crushable. Great beer!

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2011 22:43:24 | More by GbVDave

billab914

Virginia

2.78/5  rDev -29.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into my Terrapin shaped glass. It poured a darker brown color with a bubbly head filling the top two inches of the glass. The head settled to a thin layer, and left a bit of lacing as it did.

The aroma has a fruity, cherry, raisin like flavor coming through with a little bit of a tart, acidic undertone to it. behind that I get some toffee and caramel flavors to it as well as some roasty, coffee like flavors coming through. Seems like there could be the beginning of an infection going on, but I'm not sure.

The taste shows a pretty good amount of roasty, coffee like flavors to it. Like the nose though, I also get some of that cherry, fruity, tart, acidic flavor throughout the beer. Behind that, I get some hints of toffee and caramel sweetness. Flavorful beer overall, but I have to assume the tart, acidic, fruity flavors aren't intended. Luckily the roasty, coffee flavors seem to overpower the off flavors in it.

The mouthfeel is on the heavier side for the style, and carbonation is moderate. Overall it was decent despite of the fruity, tart, acidic flavors that are developing. They actually gave it some interesting flavors that complimented the malt at times. Not a bad beer overall, but one I'd like to revisit to see if there really is something going on with this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2011 22:50:20 | More by billab914

emmasdad

Colorado

3.68/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep brown color, with hints of ruby and a nice firm white head. Aromas of cocoa powder, roasted nuts and caramel malt. Flavors of dark chocolate, caramel, toffee and nuts. Had quite a bit of this one late last year, and after hearing so much about Cigar City, found myself less than impressed. A good solid brown ale, but nothing more.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2010 04:56:47 | More by emmasdad

DavoleBomb

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a mug.

3.5 A: Looks like a clear dark brown in the mug. One and a half fingers of creamy tan head with average retention and a bit of lacing.

4.5 S: This one smells great! Musky nuttiness (if that makes sense) is powerful with coffee undertones, oatmeal, a bit woody, and at times chalky cocoa. Apparently this pairs well with cigars and I can see why based on the nose. It has the musky, earthy smell of a cigar shop. Not overly complex, but really nice.

4.0 T: Taste is good, but not quite as good as the nose. Again, there's a musky nuttiness, pithy earthiness, raw cocoa, oatmeal, and some coffee. Hops don't do much here aside from a touch of earth. Low bitterness and for the most part dry.

3.5 M: Lighter medium body. Good moderate carbonation. A bit chalky, could be a bit creamier, but otherwise smooth.

4.0 D: I do like me some brown ales and this was a good one. I'd have this again anytime...maybe next time with a nice cigar!

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2011 21:48:58 | More by DavoleBomb

maximum12

Minnesota

3.4/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The week of the 'lost beers' continues. Tonight we have, from the back row, underneath a pile of other bottles, a Cigar City entrant that was inexplicably overlooked. Seeing as I'm a big fan & loved the Cubano Espresso, hard to believe this one has survived so many beer massacres. Thanks to moose3285 for this bottle (the other one went into my wife's belly).

Pour is dark brown with a halo of red making it look dapper & refined in the light. Smell is on the faint side, light malts & roast. A little nutty & chocolate. All of this has to be dug out with a heavy trowel, though.

Maduro Oatmeal Brown leans heavier on the oatmeal than any I've encountered to date. Grainy, nutty, oatmeally smoothness makes this feel like a liquified blender full of Raisin Brand Crunch & Malt O'Meal. Light roast & baby bite of hops just at the end of the tunnel.

Very straightforward brown that hits all the appropriate notes. Pretty good brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2011 03:51:21 | More by maximum12

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

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

Cigar City- Maduro

A- Solid chestnut brown with a small tan head. Light lacing along the top of the glass.
S- Light hints of molasses, chocolate, oats, and caramel malt.
T- Light touch of oats, chestnuts, and molasses up front with a good chocolate malt body and a mild nutty oaty finish.
M- Thin throughout, but mildly sweet, creamy, and smooth.

Overall- Good blend of flavors but just a bit light. Even my wife, who took a sip, said so.
Kick this 1 up a notch and it'll be phenomenal.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2009 23:04:21 | More by NJpadreFan

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.51/5  rDev -11.4%
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

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.4/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12oz bottle thanks to CruisaC, thanks man. Soft brown color with a quickly disappating head. Aroma is ok, mostly malt and a touch of sugar. Flavor is about the same. Decent beer but nothing I'd go seeking out a second time. Still, I was thankful to get the opportunity to tick this.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 05:12:40 | More by ArrogantB

srandycarter

California

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Brown. LOL. Cola brown, light tan head that leaves to disk pretty fast. Some spotty lace.

S - Light malt scent.

T - Nice medium maltiness, not too sweet, slightly bittered to clean finish.

M - Light to medium body, nice carbonation and balance.

D - Very easy to drink for sure.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 03:01:43 | More by srandycarter