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

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a hazy orangey color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of citrus hops is dominating with a lightly sweet malt presence also noticeable. Taste was also dominated by some citrus and floral hops notes with a solid malt backbone that doesn't take too much from the hops and some subtle notes of cedar which seems to round thing out. Body is full with limited filtration and good carbonation. Well brewed though cedar is not that apparent.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2010 20:27:39 | More by Phyl21ca

TheKingofWichita

North Carolina

3.85/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Tried at Sexual Chocolate 2011. Pours a slightly orange yellow color with a thick yellowish white head and tons of lacing. Smells of strong hops and a little malts. Tastes of piny hops and plenty of citrus. Mouthfeel is medium and drinkability is high. Has a very nice flavor.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 14:46:39 | More by TheKingofWichita

RaulMondesi

California

3.85/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pretty solid brew for Raul. It definitely doesn't make you want to say "uh!" but it's aite like. Smell kinda like an ex-girl; it's inviting, but not intoxicating. Taste is all beautiful n kind of smooth; the cedar is slight, but it's a nice enough curve (not Kershaw nice) but nice enough to change thangs up.

Good offering, but Raulsky wouldn't hunt this thing down like the o'possum that has been waking him up every night at 2 AM.

Peace!

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 02:58:00 | More by RaulMondesi

vande

Illinois

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

A: Cloudy brownish-amber with 1 finger of head floating... Active beer as the lacing is left behind as one watches patiently, waiting for their first sip.

S: Cedar on top of grapefruit/citrus hops...but the cedar is definitely present, not overwhelming, but very pleasantly there.

T: Much the same as the smell. Cedar bitterness w/ a bit of bready-biscuit note. Spicyness blends nicely with the hoppiness in this beer. Very interesting cedar aging going on here.

M: Medium bodied IPA with an active mouthfeel.

O: Very approachable. It'd be interesting to do a blind tasting with a bottle of this. Worth getting a bottle or two, that's for sure!

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 04:06:36 | More by vande

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

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark hazy golden orange/amber color with a 1.5 finger frothy, pillowy off-white head. Good retention with soapy chunks of lacing.

Citrus earthy hop aroma. Floral and citrusy with an excellent biscuity malt backbone with a subtle cedar smokey tobacco presence.

Creamy medium body with soft carbonation. Citrus hops, light fruit up front followed by a nice citrus hop bitterness and a nice roasty cedary wooden tobacco presence that leads into a very bitter hop finish. Burnt wood tobacco aftertaste is present with a little too much of a mat backbone for my liking but otherwise very unique, complex and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2009 07:44:00 | More by corby112

Shaw

Florida

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Got this bottle from Thryn, thanks! I've been wanting to try the Cigar City beer that won a gold medal at GABF.

It's an orange-copper in color with a big foamy head that reduces to a dollop of foam in my tulip glass.

You can really smell the cedar in this beer. Its almost-medicinal aroma is mixed with the big hop aromas that Jai Alai has.

The cedar brings all kinds of new flavors to this beer, while keeping it hoppy and bitter. I'm tasting perfume (!), flowers, rosewater, wood and more in this beer. The cedar tones down the flavors from the hops that are so strong in regular Jai Alai.

At first I thought the taste was too strong, but after more sips my palate has adjusted.

The body is just as good as regular Jai Alai: light but not watery.

The cigar cedar really transforms the beer from a juicy hop bomb to a fragrant perfume-like sipping beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2009 06:30:17 | More by Shaw

AleWatcher

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a bottle of this from DosBeerigos in a great trade-- thanks bud!
Reviewed from dictated notes during my "Clean out my cellar weekend."

Pours a cloudy amber/copper color-- a little like the sky at dusk. Hints of orange and pink hiding there too. Head is slightly off white, but frothy and thick. Great lacing clings for a while and then slowly settles into the body.

Smell is intense pine and cedar up front. The regular Jai alai really rocked my world with big tropical fruit smells... This one is mostly the pine and cedar.
Taste starts off sweet... then turns dry and bitter with definite wood and earthiness-- like dry earth. Not quite musty, but some dried firewood notes. Now I'm starting to pick up some citrus flavors too-- hard to pick out exactly what it is-- it's like an indiscriminate citrus. It adds nicely to the overall flavor profile.

The body is spot on. The carbonation level is great for being aged on wood-- a nice medium body helps to translate the flavor and add to the overall experience. This slides effortlessly down the mouth, but leaves a nice lingering oily feel. I honestly didn't want to open this one up until I had people over to split it with... and now I regret that choice--- I could have easily drank this entire wine bottle myself with no problem. This is highly enjoyable.

I could see this pairing well with a light cigar-- maybe a macanudo/claro. This would be a great beer to sit on the porch watching the sun go down on another glorious day... in a suit of white linens... at your South Carolina plantation.

EDIT: after having several bottles, I'll just say that the beer is MUCH better when fresh. After a few months the hops fade out fast and you're left with a beer tgat literally tastes like a cigar box.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2010 04:32:13 | More by AleWatcher

nerdrocker101

Georgia

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a mildly hazy, yellowed orange with a fair amount of white foamy head that lingers.

The nose is very faint, consisting mostly of peppery spice with a little bit of citrus.

I have never had the Jai Alai to compare, but I can definitely get a good idea from drinking the one. The wood seems to mellow out the hop profile which doesn't hit you up front, but the grapefruit notes definitely linger on the backside of the brew. Loads of pepper in this brew. The cedar certainly makes for one interesting brew.

Medium body and a somewhat bubbly feel. This beer is very drinkable, but I don't know if I could drink them back to back.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2010 11:52:01 | More by nerdrocker101

emmasdad

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks again to Schmittymack for another great tasting, and for giving me the opportunity to try this unique and interesting beer. Good aromas here: citrus, floral hops, black pepper, cedar. Huge cedar on the palate as well, but the floral hoppy IPA flavor is complemented nicely by it. Really enjoyable, but the whole 750 would have been tough.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2010 01:13:48 | More by emmasdad

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy orange-ish/ yellow color with an off white head. In the aroma, mix of pine and citrus hops and a hint of wood. In the taste, starts with pine hops and leads into orange citrus hops at the end, a bit woody and nice malt backing. A small hop bite and medium bodied mouthfeel, with a small dry orange citrus hop in the aftertaste. Nice citrus hop and just a hint of wood.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2010 15:31:31 | More by OWSLEY069

BearsOnAcid

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A friend brought this back to me from Tampa during vacation. He wasn't sure if it was the Jai Alai but I'm guessing it is.

This hazy copper beer poured out with a big head. It was very fluffly, pourous, spongey, and dense. It looked fucking beautiful and left a sticky lacing on the glass as it settled.

The smell was sweet and floral. I got a nice scent of light caramel from the malt. The hops were pretty equal with that and didn't overpower the aroma. I could sense a bit of the cedar wood in there lending a belgian spice character. It smells like I stuck my head in a cedar chest. Very fragrant.

This beer picked up a lot from the cedar. I like this amount but in reality it's overpowering the beer. It weaves in nicely with the hops but they are married so well I can't really pick up certain flavors. The malt isn't as pronounced as the smell. I'm not sure how fresh this is but I would like it to be a little more hop forward.

I'm loving this beer so far. Lots of wood character and a nice creamy mouthfeel. It's easy to drink if you like things aged in/on wood.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2010 01:28:00 | More by BearsOnAcid

Gmann

New York

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy golden honey color with reddish hightlights. A nice frothy and dense off white head that settles into a big puffy cap. The aroma is malty sweet with tropical fruit hop scents. Smells like a DIPA, which I'm not that big of a fan. The taste starts off with a big citrusy and tropical fruit hop flavor. This is cut by an earthy, woody and slightly sour flavor from the cedar aging. The wood flavor helps keep the malty sweetness in check. There is a grassy pepper hop flavor towards the back end. The cedar flavor seems to fade or my palate seems numb to it, though the IPA still seems to be in good balance. Moderate body with fizzy carbonation, which helps breakup the hoppy bitterness. A good amount of grassy bitterness in the finish but doesn't totally wreck your taste buds. A good AIPA. I prefer that the hops have more of a floral or fresh flavor. It seems that the aging wouldn't allow for this. Other than that good brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2010 01:38:23 | More by Gmann

robwestcott

Indiana

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

poured from the bottle a cloudy honey amber to a dogfish head signature glass with an off white finger and a half head and an incredible amount of lace retention.

aroma of citrus, primarily orange and a bit of piney hops in the rear.

very sweet malt forward, with a mildly bitter bite following up. tastes of orange, pine, and pepper. not much hint of cedar, but i'm guessing its the cedar that has muted the bitterness.

smooth, almost creamy, only slightly bitter.

very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2010 01:13:44 | More by robwestcott

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Barely blurry apricot with polished gold edges and an outstanding looking crown of bone colored mousse. These guys nail appearance much more often than not. The foam is finely pitting, softly rocky and impressively sticky. We're off to a great start.

With each sniff, I'm instantly transported back to my childhood and the cedar chest in my mom's sewing room. The nose is incredibly aromatic with respect to that pungent, almost incense-like wood, not so much in terms of hops. While it's pleasant enough, a lack of lupulins is a liability in an American IPA.

Thankfully, the flavor is less cedar-centric, because this would have been a long 750 ml if JACAIPA tasted like it smells. There's still wall-to-wall wood. However, the base beer is incredibly fresh and bitingly bitter. Well... at least as fresh and bitingly bitter as an ale that has been aged can be.

Specifics include multiple planks of perfumy cedar, lightly toasted bread, and loads of white grapefruit and orange. A hop bill that supposedly includes Simcoe, Amarillo and Centennial makes sense as soon as one lets beer wash over taste buds. Something is giving this offering an almost cardamom and white pepper spiciness that is different, interesting and enjoyable. The next highest taste score was a serious consideration.

No second thoughts about appearance... it's out of this world on subsequent pours and after. The mouthfeel is classic AIPA. It's light-medium for the breed and the bubbles are both fine and dandy. Great for ease of drinkability.

While I wouldn't want to drink cedar-aged IPAs every day, this Cigar City Humidor Series ale is different enough (and hoppy enough) to hold my interest. Thanks to ktrillionaire for yet another delicious Sunshine State brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2010 13:40:50 | More by BuckeyeNation

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Growler thanks to fogdog. Poured into my duvel tulip.

A: deep golden orange, full two fingers of cream hued head, tons of sticky lace

S: holy cedar chips, This smells like a new set of dresser drawers that someone spilled a fresh IPA in. Once you get past the cedar the citrus fruits really shine. Unique for sure.

T: The cedar does not let up in the flavor. Nice mix of citrus and pine help to balance the cedar out. smooth malty finish.

M: Medium body moderate carbonation

D: Overall a strangely tasty IPA. Not something I could drink all the time but a refreshing change of pace for sure.

Serving type: growler

09-11-2010 02:19:58 | More by beerwolf77

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Review from notes taken on 11/20/10. The label is different from what is listed but I'm assuming this is the same brew. No indication on the bottle that the base brew is Jai Alai but this is the only listing for a cedar aged IPA so it's probably the same.

Poured into a snifter this brew appears a beautiful perfectly clear light orange color with 2 fingers of fluffy yellowish stained, creamy head. It retains well and leaves a leggy pattern of lace around the glass.

The aroma of this brew is sweet floral hops mixed with some light indications of vanilla. Some citrus, pine and spicy character is evident. A light tingle of the alcohol is felt in the nose through the back along with a seemingly candy sugary sweetness.

The taste is herbal hops mixed with a woodsy flavor that unsurprisingly tastes like cedar with some spiciness. Some oily bitterness clings with some resine like orange rind. A light toasted grain sweetness balances out the flavor of the hops and cedar.

This is a medium bodied brew with a moderate level of carbonation. The alcohol is noticeable with a bit of a perfume-like flavor and warmth. The hops last inside the mouth long after each sip. This would be a well balanced brew except the cedar flavor really stood out and sort of clashed a bit. Nonetheless it was an interesting experience and I would drink it again but maybe with a different take on the hops or with a less aggressive cedar flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2010 19:44:00 | More by stakem

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750mL champagne style bomber poured into a pint

Pours a pretty orange amber with a good amount of bubbles pushing their way north. A huge, firm bone white cap rises 2+ fingers and recedes in classic raindrop pattern, leaving huge chunks of lace all over the glass.

This is a unique aroma. Cedar, vanilla, tropical fruit and a clean malt backbone. This is not an aroma that jumps out of the glass, it really makes you work to get a good whiff.

Lightly sweet tropical fruit off the bat with the cedar coming in smooth through the middle with a swoop of tropical fruit in the finish. A moderate business grabs hold and lingers along with a residual sweetness. The cedar really takes the edges off of this beer.

A medium body that is smooth with a bit of a chewy hop presence. A nice lingering bitterness and good carbonation

I found this to be relatively easy to drink. The booze in this one caught up with me a little quicker than expected, and I am not drinking it very fast. A bit of warming too.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2011 02:46:26 | More by ColForbinBC

OakedCanuck

Washington

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottle poured into cervoise

This beer pours a cloudy apricot coloured orange. There is a LOT of head, at least half the glass. Definitely either overcarbonated or possibly infected. Either way, the smell wasn't off, strong cedar smell, very woody, with some citric orange and grass. The taste was more along the lines of grassy, piney hops. The cedar is unique and takes a few minutes to get used to. I also pick up a bit of dried tobacco, oddly enough, the aftertaste is of cigars, hmmm. Mouthfeel is drying and over carbed, I believe. This is a decent IPA, just might be a tad too 'unique' for some but I'd have another one for sure.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2011 15:45:28 | More by OakedCanuck

katan

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep dark brown color. Bright white head, lots of lacing. Certainly opaque.

Lots of caramel and toffee. A light fresh cut wood scent. Hops are fairly hidden.

Starts with those malts married to a little woody note. Mid stream gains some caramel toffee and even vanilla. Smooth finish. Malt forward version of the IPA.

Smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Somewhat sticky at times. Restrained carbonation.

Very complex ale. Hard to imagine it based on their IPA. Abv seems high but workable.

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2011 20:46:16 | More by katan

StLThrash

Missouri

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle that I shared with some folks at a beer tasting this past weekend.

A - Hazy golden / orange color. Not much of a head as didn't pour a lot into the tasting glass. What head there was dissipated quickly and left a small white cap.

S - Holy cedar, Batman! Lots and lots of wood / earthy tones. Kinda peppery as well. A little bit of citrus (grapefruit) comes through, but this is definitely a cedar aged beer, and it comes through big time.

T & M - Again, lots of cedar. Decent carbonation. Some earthy hops / malt backbone, but again, dominated by the woodsy cedar aging.

Overall - I liked it. I thought it was interesting. Other people that tried it thought it was disgusting and dumped it. It's definitely not for everyone. I love a nice bitter IPA, and this one was that and then some. If you don't like cedar, earthy, woodsy scents / tastes - then avoid this... you'll hate it. If you do - then it's worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2011 16:28:48 | More by StLThrash

srhoadsy

Florida

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Looking for something different to drink tonight and boy did I find it. Forgot I even had this in the cellar.

I was surprised to see the variation in reviews for this beer. Granted this is a very unique beer but the reviews are all over the map. Any way, here we go.

Pours a cloudy orange color with about 1/2 inch cream colored head that fades pretty quickly. Bottle conditioned, so watch your pour.

Smells like the name implies; malt, cedar and tobacco.

My initial impression was alot of grapefruit flavor with a background of pepper and spice. As the beer warmed the cedar and tobacco really begin to come out.

Carbonation wasn't overwhelming and mouthfeel overall was fairly light for a beer with this much flavor.

Overall, one of the most unique and interesting beers I've had in a while. Not something I would drink on a regular basis but a good one to throw in the rotation when you are looking for something different.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 03:36:36 | More by srhoadsy

jegross2

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Reviewing the Humidor Series Cedar-Aged Jai Alai IPA from Cigar City Brewing out of Tampa Bay, Florida.
Score: 88

Bottle is from November 2011. Served in a snifter glass and enjoyed on 06/23/12 at the inaugural Chicago craft beer lovers meeting.

Appearance: Hazy/murky golden orange color with minimal head and lacing. It is a little hard to discern much "appearance" from my pour size on this one, but nothing really stood out to me about the color. 3.5/5

Smell: Huge waves of cigar box cedar hit upfront. I love the smell of cedar, so this was quite awesome. Behind the cedar is malty orange, pepper and a little onion. Pineapple with a hint of hops too. 4/5

Taste: Bring on the cigars! This beer tastes like you are standing inside a humidor! Though the hops are almost entirely faded here, left behind is a residual bitterness and oily blend of peppery cedar flavor and malty orange citrus. Easy drinking. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Light-medium bodied, medium carbonation. Nice peppery-cedar kick on the tongue. Quite malty. 3.75/5

Overall: I was not going to review this when I saw the bottle date, but then I found that I surprisingly enjoyed this stale IPA. I will be seeking out a fresh bottle of this upon its next release in a couple of weeks. Yum!

Recommendation: If you like cedar and cigars, seek this one out.

Pairings: Big, fat Cuban cigars.

Cost: $10.99 for a 750 ml bottle.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 01:25:04 | More by jegross2

JohnQVegas

Tennessee

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle into Sam Adams lager glass. Big thanks to Greg (Tpd975) for the great extra!

Pours clear copper with a towering, dense 2-finger off-white head and tons of effervescence. Fantastic stickage and lacing. This one hits all the right notes in terms of appearance.

Nose is evident even as the beer is being poured from a foot away. Big, vibrant, tangy grapefruit and even a bit of pineapple latch onto a spicy pine note that I think is also the best incarnation of the cedar as well, which is very subtle in the nose.

Taste carries a big, pungent hop note up front, grapefruit rind, pine, and the spicy, resiny cedar note all latch on to the prominent bitterness. Caramel malt backbone never diminishes underneath, but never escapes that big, pungent hop note either. There's a dankness to this one that I have a hard time deciding whether I'm a fan of or not, almost a denseness to the flavors. Medium-heavy bitterness lingers on the finish.

Mouthfeel is full bodied, creamy from the lingering head with a pleasant, tiny-bubbled, soft carbonation. Bit tingly, sticky, heavy.

Drinkability is ok, I suppose - too heavy and dense to really be tempting in large quantities, and the pungency and bitterness tend to build up a bit. A nice beer, and gorgeous, but with flaws as well.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2009 18:19:00 | More by JohnQVegas

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Huge thanks to my man, Kiefdog, for hooking me up with this in our last trade! I've really wanted to try this one for awhile.

Big bottle poured into a stemmed Allagash glass. First beer to be poured into this one. Pours a very cloudy dark rusty-orange with a massive 3-finger beige head on top. Excellent retention, and tons of sticky lace stuck around. Wow. This is cedar-aged for sure. Smells like my humidor, obviously, given the series name. This followed by faint tobacco, fresh spices, and mild citrus. I loved the nose on this beer. Excellent.

The mouth is full for the style. Carbonation level is about mid-level. It bites at moments, but at other times becomes very smooth and bordering on flat. The flavor on this one is far different than the original Jai Alai. The citrus aspects are pushed out of the way by a big semi-sweet spiciness that I'll attribute to the cedar. Very woodsy tasting. The bitterness makes itself known on the back end, but leaves a mildly spicy aftertaste. This is a great autumn IPA. I like the spice characteristics, especially given the season. I think I prefer the original version, but this was a treat to try.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2010 14:04:43 | More by Onenote81