Jai Alai IPA - Cedar Aged (Humidor Series) - Cigar City Brewing

DCon

Missouri

3.8/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Shared a 750mL bottle of this w/ BigDoug @ the Royale in St. Louis, MO. Poured from the Red/Green/Yellow Labeled bottle w/ a Giant "H" in the middle into a Shaker Glass. Has no sign of a freshness date.

Aroma- Malt, hop, and a mild blend of oak come around here. Nothing distinct in this aroma and very shy attributes.

Appearance- Pours a 1 finger head that dies quickly. Has a dark orange/copper body with good clarity. Leaves tons of suds behind.

Flavor- Very sweet flavor including American hops but stay as a light-medium flavor in here. A bit of cedar/oak come around towards the end. Medium Bitterness at most.

Mouthfeel- Medium Bodied, Light-Medium Carbonation, Smooth, and a nice barrel attribute with hops are left on the palate.

Overall Impression- Not one of my favorites from Cigar City. Since I thought the Jai Alai was an A+ IPA, you rarely see a beer this profound and world-class to be changed for the better. Glad I got to enjoy but wouldn't grab this as my first choice if around an isle with other C.C. beers.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 19:21:05 | More by DCon

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.23/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared by afdempse. Thanks Adam!

The beer is transparent and orange colored, sporting a half inch of white head. Lasting retention and ample lacing.

The aroma is unique and wonderful. A bold scent of freshly lit cigars and cigar smoke take center stage, followed by floral hops.

The taste is not quite as delectable and intriguing as the aroma, but well balanced and enjoyable nonetheless. I can understand why some may dislike this beer, as it is certainly not for everyone. When viewed solely as an IPA or DIPA, this will not hold its own when matched against the upper tier brews of this ilk. That said, Humidor IPA is a complex, unique, and creative brew to be sipped and savored. I applaud Cigar City for this "outside the box" beer. While I was not expecting to enjoy this nearly as much as I did, I would certainly have this again. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 21:05:28 | More by Huhzubendah

ehammond1

California

1.9/5  rDev -53.3%
look: 4 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

Bottle

Thanks for opening this with me, DarthKostrizer!

Dark, hazy copper and auburn with a moderately sized very light khaki colored head that leaves small smears of lace down the glass. This is a very pretty beer, and the appearance is its best aspect, unfortunately.

I knew this would be an unpleasant drinking experience from the first moment I shoved my nose into the glass. The aroma is of boiled cabbage, old, crusted Heinz Ketchup, some salt, and a bit of cedar. This doesn't smell like anything I want to put in my mouth.

The flavor isn't quite as horrific as the aroma, as the damp cedar dominates the flavor. There's still significant vegetable (cabbage, earth, and old tomato) flavors as well, but the cedar flavor lingers on and on.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Decent enough.

I will decline a pour of this beer the next time it is offered. This was perhaps the worst IPA I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 00:44:18 | More by ehammond1

cwguy5

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

poured into Stone IPA stemware. thanks to sendsilk for the hookup!

A - hazy rusty colored body with a bubbly, white, thin head that faded to thin cap; light spotty lacing

S - cedar and black pepper(lots of both), cigar, leather

T - some malty flavors, probably from the age, but not unwanted; definitely a strong hops presence there still as well though; the cedar is much lighter than the almost overpowering aroma would suggest

M - light-medium body; light carbonation; short, drying linger

O - i liked the proportion of hops to malt to cedar; a very interesting beer that did not disappoint; strong flavors but surprisingly drinkable; a must-try if you can find one

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 01:55:04 | More by cwguy5

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip glass from a 750ml bottle.

Pours a gorgeous dark strong cooper color with some nice orange hues and some slight haze. There is a nice 0.5 inch head that is white and nicely dense. There is also some chunkier bubbles sprinkled around and the head slowly recedes to a thin film.

Interesting aroma. Starts off with some Jai Alai typical tropical notes. Mango and tangerine with some slight tangerine. However, different than the base beer there is a strong cedar notes to the aroma. Very fresh smelling with some nice grassy notes and clean wood notes. Quite interesting but nice.

The flavor is interesting as well but thankfully the wood notes only play a background to some nice tropical hop notes. Pretty nice and bitter. There are some woody notes that can be perceived through the beer as well as some spice intermingled with the mango and tangerine notes and tons of grapefruit and some orange. It definitely has some typical IPA notes but it is also quite different and interesting. Mouthfeel is nice and clean with crisp bubbles that helps the brew.

Interesting brew. Notes of wood really give this beer a different dimension especially for an IPA. Still pretty god brew and hoppy enough.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 01:25:32 | More by JoEBoBpr

FanofHefe

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Happy to find this on the shelf at Total Wine. Bomber poured into a pint glass (wish I had a snifter or tulip); dated Nov 2011 on the label.

Hazy body, dark yellow/orange color, with a three-finger, creamy light tan head. The head has excellent retention and settles into a foamy cap.

The aroma is not really like an IPA but is interesting nonetheless. The cedar/wood notes are prominent, followed by a light earthy hop aroma. Some sweet malt in the background.

The flavor is equally interesting. The hops take a background to the wood flavors. The cedar flavor is again prominent, and as the beer has aged, the hop flavors have obviously faded in favor of the malt. The flavor is good, but I actually think this one would be better with a little more age on it, maybe a year or so to have the flavors blend.

Medium mouthfeel with an oily hop texture. Overall, one of the most unique beers I've ever had and definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 00:18:32 | More by FanofHefe

iadler

Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle courtesy of Aiptasia.

A- Pours a hazy dark orange with a two finger white head with good retention. A few lines of lacing are left behind.

S- Earthy oak upfront followed by red apples, lemon juice, grapefruit, orange and a hint of caramel malt.

T- Citrus notes with lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit as well as red apple, caramel malt and a strong oak flavor, which is a bit too harsh and overpowering. It did get a bit smoother as the beer warmed up a bit.

M- Medium carbonation and body with a dry finish.

O- This was as advertised with the oak being prominent in the aroma and taste. I did think it was a little too overpowering in the taste which hurt the drinkability, but certainly not a bad effort from CCB.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 00:25:29 | More by iadler

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

So I was going to wait and try this with a cigar...couldn't wait.
Bottles Nov 2011

The beer pours a hazy dark amber with an inch of fluffy white head that leaves incredible lacing. The beer doesn't appear to have much sediment. Smelling will let you know exactly which wood they used and why they used it. It's an incredibly pungent cedar woodiness with spicy hops to complement. What's remarkable is the taste follows the nose and carries through the notes of cedar, hops, and a rich malt. Incredible cedar, absolutely an untapped potential as far as barrel aging (other than DFH and probably a few others). Overall the beer's mouthfeel was a hoppy IPA with a strong woodiness and a medium body. Even without the cedar this beer has an incredibly smooth body. I would definitely recommend this beer to others, especially to those who enjoy an occasional cigar.

GF summary: Tastes kind of like a guinea pig cage (but in a good way).

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 06:21:00 | More by ThePorterSorter

Thingus

California

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

Live tasting into a Delirium Tulip, courtesy of a good friend... Thank you Peacehammer!

Appearance; pours a gorgeous bright, lively orange, minimal white head that quickly dissipates leaving no lacing.

Smell; cedar, pepper, tobacco, minimal citrus

Taste; leads with some slight honey sweetness that gives way to a hoppy, citrus, peppery tobacco flavor, the bitterness of the hops quickly fades, leaving a lingering peppery tobacco flavor...

Mouthfeel; lively on the tongue, just dances on the palate, great carbonation...

Overall; a fantastic IPA, with a bit of a twist, definitely worth checking out!!

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 05:36:04 | More by Thingus

Viciousknishs

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- pours a hazed deep burnt orange color with a finger of off white head.decent head retention. Good lacing.

S- robust cedar aromas permeate the aroma. Nice citrusy and spicy floral hop notes come out in the middle. Dry malt aroma on the finish.

T- nice burst of citrusy and spicy floral hops up front. Dry biscuity malt brings some balance. Big woody cedar character on the finish with solid hop bitterness. The cedar and spicy leafy hops linger on the palate.

MF- full slick mouthfeel with a medium body and medium carbonation.

D- good drinkability with very unique flavor from the cedar.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 01:57:40 | More by Viciousknishs

afdempse

Maryland

4.33/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cloudy orange amber color. Head has great staying power.

Smells of hops and spice. Getting the cigar cedar thing in the nose.

Woodsy flavor, strong hops and cedar. Tastes like a perfect marriage of cigars and beer. Maltiness is full without being overly sweet.

Dry finish, wood and floral hops persist in the finish. Excellent.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 04:23:51 | More by afdempse

TotallyHosed

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks goes to Heatwave33.

The appearance has all the markings of a good brew: thick off-white head, translucent dark amber color, lacing from top to bottom and bubbly.

The smell of this brew is lacking. I certainly smell the cedar wood, but at no time could I smell anything else.

The taste is a little better than the smell. When the brew was cold, I was only able to taste cedar and a little bit of sweetness. As it warmed up I did pick up some hoppy bitterness.

The feel is nice. There's adequate carbonation and light body. The bottle says the brew is unfiltered, but the appearance nor the feel reflected this. I would expect to see some cloudiness and a light-to-medium body. In my opinion, this is simply an observation, not a negative critique.

I do enjoy IPA's that are aged with wood. That extra layer, or layers, of complexity is a welcome change from the usual profile. My only disappointment is that I expected more hops in the nose. Maybe a bottle that is more fresh would deliver this. This is an interesting beer that I recommend you try once. I don't smoke cigars, but I imagine this brew would make a good pair.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2012 00:43:29 | More by TotallyHosed

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from bomber bottle into tulip. Slight head, nice lacing.
Smells of dominating cedar...hops and a citrus aroma.
Taste is a copy of the smell...
Cedar is a dominant flavor. Hops, bitter and citrus.
Overall, its a very unique brew. The cedar really makes this brew outstanding and different. Usually, in my opinion, brewers try something strange and its hit or miss, but CC hit this out of the park. The cedar is so well balanced with the bitter hops that it seems like a natural pairing.
Great beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 00:31:34 | More by DrinkSlurm

Amalak

New York

4.55/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Got out of a 750 ml bottle.

It has a hazy bronze. Some small bubbles. It has a nice foamy white head that leaves some lacing. Has a cedar scent, that's for sure.

And like the scent, the cedar really comes through. Smokey. There's a rye sort of taste in the back of the mouth. Very complex. Not as bitter as most IPA's. Nice floral undertone. Some grape or dark fruit. Lovely.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 00:28:54 | More by Amalak

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this from 2beerornot2beer in the Blind Beer Round 6 BIF. 750ml. bottle poured into my Russian River "tion" snifter.

A: Pours a cloudy peach color with hues of oranges, reds, and browns. There is about one finger of thick and creamy looking off-white head. The foam settles nicely over time. There is minimal spotty lacing as it drinks.

S: I’m picking up notes of sweet malt, citrus (orange peel), and some booze. There is a really nice balance to this beer. The nose is very enjoyable.

T: I’m getting a nice hit of bitterness right up front. The citrus notes come on strong at first, but seem to mix with some sort of spice. It stings the palate a little, but it doesn’t really last. I’d venture to say that this beer was brewed pepper, not chilies. The sweetness comes through towards the finish, but then the final impression is back to grapefruit like bitters. This beer gets progressively better as it warms.

M: This is a full bodied beer. There is a bit of stickiness that coats the palate nicely. Yet, nothing is too overwhelming. Great carbonation throughout.

O: I’m really enjoying this beer. There is a smooth transition of flavors from start to finish.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 16:41:26 | More by trxxpaxxs

chilly460

Virginia

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a dark orange/straw color with about a finger's worth of cream-colored head. Good retention, thick cap to the bottom of the glass, good lacing.

S - Definitely interesting nose on this one. Juicy citrus, grapefruit, but with some pine. Cedar spiciness is apparent as well. Get some vanilla in there, finishing up with some caramel malt.

T - Surprisingly malty up front, bold caramel with some deeper toffee. Spicy wood comes in the middle, a bit earthy. Finishes with the citrusy hops.

M - I liked this one, medium to heavy body with lower carbonation.

O - Really nice balanced beer, quite complex but easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2012 18:48:35 | More by chilly460

Immortale25

Florida

4.89/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured into a Sierra Nevada pint glass. No freshness date on the label or bottle but the sticker put on by the liquor store says 12/22/2011.

A- Pours a dark amber color with a one and a half finger head that retains like a champ before finally residing at a 1/4 inch head with nice lacing and spots of foam on the surface indicating healthy yeast.

S- Oh God. Smells like literally stepping into a humidor. Wood-laced tobacco aroma that blends beautifully with fresh, peppery hops.

T- It's like taking a bite out of a cigar box which I view as a good thing. Massive rushes of black pepper and cedar which suit the particular types of hops used to perfection.

M- Prickly and a bit dry but it doesn't bring the drinkability down at all. High carbonation also helps round out the flavor profile to its excellent standing.

O- It just doesn't get much better than this. Even my girlfriend, who almost never likes IPAs, enjoys the hell out of this. This was the first Cigar City brew I ever had and it was love at first sip.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 03:14:15 | More by Immortale25

willseph

Illinois

2.42/5  rDev -40.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a Duvel tulip glass, 2011 release date. Part of a mini-tasting with Spdkilz.

It poured a translucent amber color with a pillowy white head and quite a bit of lacing. The nose is dominated by cedar with hints of vanilla and grapefruit. Taste...holy cedar. Way too over the top cedar taste for me, it was like I was chewing wood chips. Slight hints of spiciness and hop bitterness, but the cedar was over powering. Medium bodied with an oily residue finish. Overall, the cedar was so extreme that it really brought the beer down for me. Maybe it would be better if it aged for a bit and some of that dissipated but I couldn't wait to finish this one and move on to the next.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 16:28:04 | More by willseph

inlimbo77

Delaware

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

750ml bottle poured into DFH signature glass. I think this was released July 2011, but I can't tell from the bottle print (missing a little)

A: Pours a very clear orange color. Fluffy bright white big bubbled head. Good carbonation. Some sticky lacing.

S: Definitely get some cedar, and some fruity notes, and some breadiness. Smells really nice actually. Lots of fruit.

T: Ok, thought it was UNFRESH but it's actually fine. You don't get the hop bitterness on the tip of the tongue I was expecting. You get a little mild one. Then the malt bill and cedar hit you. Really nice woodiness. And the close is crisp and somewhat clean.

M: Medium bodied

O: B+ to A- because I wonder what freshness would do for this or if better with age and the wood.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 16:04:19 | More by inlimbo77

zaphodchak

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Bottle doesn't say "Jai Alai" but whatever. It's the Humidor IPA.

Thin tracing of white bubbles. Yellow-amber, cloudy.

Smell is mellow hops and a trace of cedar.

Quite cedary. Interesting complement to the hop content. It's a wood aging that doesn't cut into hop character, which should be appreciated by hop lovers. I'm not one, but still good. Grapefruit aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is mixed, not great.

It's pretty good; I didn't know what to expect. Definitely an IPA but a complex one.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 01:47:43 | More by zaphodchak

Reaper16

Alabama

3.43/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750mL bottle served into a tulip glass

Pours a darkish, burnt orange color. Plenty of murkiness to the body, though you can see some carbonation when you hold the beer to direct light. The carbonation gushes out, forming a two-finger-plus sized head, but it reduces down to a very tight one finger. Plenty of thick-ringed lace is left in its wake.

The dominant aroma I'm getting is caramel malt. Which isn't what I personally want to get as the dominant aroma in an IPA, but I can roll with it. There's green hop notes here, a splash of fruit juice too. There's a different sort of astringency here too which I am attributing to the cedar chips. Slight vanilla comes along with the wood. I've had cedar in beer before (namely Boulevard's discontinued Seeyoulator Dopplebock), and this doesn't at all smell like what I thought it would. The unique character of cedar is diminished on the nose of this bottle. Is it old? I have no reason to think so, but it could be the case.

Tasting the beer leads me to believe that it isn't blindingly fresh but isn't over the hill either. There's a fair amount of peach and orange hop flavor to this bottle. The caramel malt IS stronger than I'd prefer, but it maybe needs to be. The cedar flavor isn't dominant or even particularly strong, and I think the malt is helping a lot to keep the wood in balance. That wood is green and yes, tastes like cedar. Very trace vanilla; mostly green wood.

This beer is on the thicker side of medium-bodied. I typically don't like that attribute, but it works for this beer. There's something pleasing about the textural heft in relation to wood flavor. Usually, wood-aged beers are so thinned-out, so the contrast is unexpected and enjoyable.

Overall, this is an above-average IPA. It is unique and enjoyable, though nothing that I would turn to regularly (or ever again, even). It isn't what I'm looking for in an IPA, but it does succeed in what it wants to do.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2011 03:57:18 | More by Reaper16

chugalug06

Colorado

4.83/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A - Awesome white fluffy head. Perfect looking head. Great lacing. Brew is cloudy orange with lots of yellow and some reds too.

S - Lots of huge cedar notes. Some nice brown sugar, citurs, and orange. Pepper and spice galore. Yum.

T - Whoa! Very unique! Great huge unique wood flavor... Silky and smooth. Citrus is very mild, yet aggressive and forward.

M - Perfect. Bitterness is perfect for an IPA. Carbonation is also done well. Very nice body, thick for an IPA.

O - Great brew. Very unique. CCB really showed me something with this fine brew. I would love to try more of their specialties, keep em coming Matt, you badass. Thanks for sharing, don't worry I also shared... Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 21:32:35 | More by chugalug06

TenHornsProud

Colorado

2.1/5  rDev -48.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Pours a cloudy orange with a big white head.

Smells of cedar and some pine/grapefruit hop.

Up front cedar/pepper that lasts through the whole taste and ends on a woody, vanilla, peppery mess. It tastes like sawdust...no thanks.

Medium to light body with medium to low carbonation work for the style.

While this is a well enough made beer, the flavor is quite off putting. Like sucking on cedar cubes. Beware.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 19:54:10 | More by TenHornsProud

mindspin315

New Jersey

4.48/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Victory HopDevil Nonic. Heavy blanket of slightly off white head. Solid orange body with a little haze. Alcohol lacing and legs are both nice. Head retention is really good as well.

Woah...right up front is a strong cedar smell, which carries all the way through. If you've ever opened up a cedar chest or cigar box then you will pick up this smell right away. The hops are sitting right behind the cedar. Hops have a piney citrus/orange aroma, faint grapefruit. Not sure how fresh this bottle is but I would love to smell how the hops interact with this one fresh. Sweet malty/bready aromas come in at the middle.

Cedar hits right upfront, just like in the aroma. The cedar flavor rises up to the roof of the mouth. A good amount of bitterness from the middle to end and the palate drys out nicely in the finish. Grapefruit and pine come in quickly but also leave rather quick...grapefruit lingers on a little bit longer. The cedar is definitely the star of the show but isn't so overwhelming that this isn't enjoyable. I find this one to be fairly drinkable.

Unlike any IPA I've ever had, but then again adding cedar during fermantation is something probably only Cigar City does. Another stellar/interesting beer by this brewery!

[97/100]

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 06:31:48 | More by mindspin315

n2185

North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: pours a hazy orange with a finger of off-white head that recedes into a thin layer with little lacing.

S: sweet orange and pineapple citrus at first followed by surprising bubblegum aromas. There are some woody cedar notes throughout, though they're relatively faint.

T: grapefruit, rind, and some pine diminate the flavor at first. Faint wood and citrus notes follow, which blend nicely with the hop bitterness. There are also some faint peppercorn flavors.

M: medium body with lowish carbonation, this beer is a bit oily feeling and could benefit from some more carbonation.

O: a good beer overall, and better than regular Jai Alai. I would like a bit more cedar presence and carbonation, though.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 20:13:25 | More by n2185