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

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I brought this home from the Cigar City taproom, $9.99 (but I saw it 10 minutes later at Whole Foods in Tampa for $7.99!). This was much much more enjoyable than the standard Jai Alai, a beer that was OK but not as memorable as the cedar aged version.

This was copper colored and hazy, very opaque as compared with standard Jai Alai. Thick spitty head with a little lacing, not much. The aroma is kick-ass, definitely strong cedar although at first I'd have said pepper. I get the hops in the smell but it's definitely masked by the cedar.

The beer tastes spicy and a little citrusy, surprisingly light hops bite given the flavor of the base beer. Peppery and woody, really tasty. The body is maybe a little creamier or less carbonated than normal Jai Alai, but I didn't try them side-by-side. Definitely recommended, delicious beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2010 01:39:37 | More by TurdFurgison

DefenCorps

Oregon

2.8/5  rDev -31.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to Mike for sending this rare beer as an extra, of all things!

The pour is quite gorgeous, clear amber with a dense off-white head with an off-white head with great retention and nice lacing to boot. Unfortunately, that's about all there is to really like about this beer. Rich and malty, rather simply so, with a lot of caramel, a touch of honey and some burnt caramel as well. Pine hops are apparent, and when cold, the wood character isn't particularly noticeable. However, as it warms up, the harsh cedar character becomes all too apparent. Woody and astringent, with a touch of varnish-like alcohol is present as well. The palate is rather similar, OPENING with woody tannins and a rather astringent character. Once you get used to the highly astringent nature of the brew, you are assaulted by the massive sweetness with sugar, caramel and some pine bitterness. Hop flavor is rather reserved, and frankly, is whelmed by the sweetness. There's no semblance of balance in this beer. While the finish starts off sweet, the tannins really dry out the palate with a harsh astringency. Medium in body with low carbonation, this is pretty much exactly what an IPA should NOT be, and the addition of cedar strikes me as a gimmick. While I drank my 8oz, it was only in the hope of it improving, which it didn't.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2009 14:33:29 | More by DefenCorps

bark

Sweden

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

The colour is amber, the liquid is a bit cloudy. The large beige compact head slowly sinks down, leaving lots of lacing.

The smell is woody with distinct notes of cedar pencils. Some citric notes including a touch of lemon acid. Furniture polish in the background.

The taste is at first quite mild and smooth. Then, cedar tree and American bitter hops kicks in. Hints of polish and a fresh citric bitterness and a hint of sweet strong white wine. The aftertaste is elegant and polished with mild woody notes. Citric fruits in the finish.

The carbonation is strong, the small bubbles are fresh. The liquid is semi-smooth.

A very elegant end well crafted cask-matured beer; there are woody notes but it is still an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2011 18:09:35 | More by bark

nickfl

Florida

4.28/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - One and a half fingers of off-white head on a moderately hazy, copper-brown body. The thick, creamy head settles slowly and the lace is appropriately dense on the walls of the glass.

S - Lots of hop aroma, very fruity with pineapple notes and a hint of orange. Malty background, toast and a bit of caramel. Can't say I am getting any cedar yet, though it could easily hide within this hop character.

T - Pungent hops up front with some spicy, woody character up front. Pine and grapefruit with toasty, toffee like malt. Bitterness begins to kick in the middle and notes of pepper and grapefruit come out. The wood begins to assert itself in the finish, there is a subtle, incense like cedar note and quite a bit of spicy tobacco flavor. A strong, grapefruit-like astringency lingers on the palate.

M - Medium-thick body, moderate carbonation, and a slightly sweet, somewhat astringent finish.

D - Pretty drinkable with a huge hop character. The cedar seems to be very subtle, and may have contributed to a slightly medicinal aftertaste, but it does seem to augment the hops. Clearly the base beer is a very nice, robust IPA and while I haven't had a chance to try it yet, it is on my list.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2009 03:37:04 | More by nickfl

tpd975

Florida

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

A: Copper colored with pillowy cream colored head. Nice retention and lace.

S: Same great hoppiness of the standard Jai Alai. Lots of nice pine with intermingling grass and citrus. Strong notes of spicy cedar can be picked up as well. A real nice fruity aroma as well that reminds me of fruity pebbles.

T: Love how the cedar plays off the hops. If you had not had the regular Jai Alai you would think it is rye or a herbal hop. It's not its the cedar and boy does it work. Of course it is backed up by ample amounts of malt and lots of grass and citrus. The finish is bold and sweet. Nice orange with hints of pineapple. Really top notch, can't wait for the bottle release.

M: Medium in body, nice and smooth.

D: Very tasty, I love what the cedar does to this already tasty IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2009 20:01:04 | More by tpd975

LilBeerDoctor

New York

4.3/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottle. Pours a cloudy copper with a thick, foamy off-white head. Aroma of floral hops, bready malt, citrus, and wood. Flavor is slightly more woody/oaky with some sweet caramel malt and a touch of citrus. Creamy palate, just awesome. Not as cedary as I'd expected given the title, but I like the subtlety. Very nice IPA, definitely not a classic example of the style because it's not very hoppy, but a tasty treat nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2009 20:45:01 | More by LilBeerDoctor

AgentZero

Illinois

2.95/5  rDev -27.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A - Dark amber color, with some brownish tints. Small white head. Some retained sticking on the sides during the drink that slid down back into the beer very quickly.

S - Wow, super huge wood smell right off the bat, smells almost like gin. Something quite spicy in there, maybe spicey soy sauce or horse radish. Also a lot of cigar smell in there, like it sat in tobacco or something. Very unique.

T - Really hard to describe what is going on here. Huge woody taste, some very hot spice going on here, and it really does taste like it was filtered through tobacco. There is some hops present but all the wood and tobacco taste kills in.

M - Lighter side of medium, decently carbonated.

D - Taste really kills this one for me, maybe my pallate is not sophisticated enough for this, but I just can't do it.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2010 01:33:35 | More by AgentZero

champ103

Texas

2.88/5  rDev -29.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A big thanks to jenray for the generous surprise. This is an IPA aged on Spanish Cedar.

A: Pours an incredibly cloudy copper/orange color. Way to much suspended sediment that detracts for me. A large white head forms, but gently fades to a ring. Not much lace to speak of.
S: The cedar is very prominent. Musky wood, almost moldy wood even. Some citrus tries to break through, but with no avail.
T: A little better. The cedar takes an up front and center seat here. Though more IPA does come through. Bitter grapefruit is dominate in the finish.
M/D: A medium body and carbonation. Not nearly dry enough for me though. This is a bit of a chore to finish. Not something I will come back to.

Overall, an interesting idea. Though poor execution IMO. Way to much wood takes over, and not much else. I am glad I tried it, but not something I would recommend.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2011 01:45:32 | More by champ103

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.28/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle into a Duvel tulip.

A: Clear deep amber body with 3 fingers of creamy tan head. Fantastic retention and solid rings of lace. I couldn't be more pleased with how this looks - it's clear yet rich, imposing yet delicate. Fantastic looking IPA.

S: Sweet malt, vegetal hops, and rich, sweet wood. Plenty of vanilla, and yet also some cedar dryness. I'd like some more pop from the hops, but this is still excellent.

T: Starts out hoppy, then turns malty and woody. The cedar is completely distinctive, and yet doesn't threaten to overpower. Cleanly bitter finish. Excellent.

M: Medium bodied; starts a little sharp carbonation-wise, but smooths out nicely.

D: The alcohol starts to peek through a little bit, and the woodiness gets a bit heavy. Still, not too bad.

Notes: I've been looking forward to trying this beer for a long time, and it didn't disappoint. It's my first cedar-aged beer, and I love the hint of humidor. I was afraid the cedar would get oppressive, but it kept itself perfectly in check throughout. Far better than regular Jai-Alai, and a real treat.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2010 03:08:30 | More by woosterbill

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle into half pint glass on 9/14/09. Thanks to FooFaa for sharing.

A - Poured a hazy amber/orange colored body, reminiscent of a sunset, with a one-finger rocky, frothy head that deposited lots of sticky foam around the glass.

S - Initial aroma is extremely spicy and woody with fragrant wafts of pine needles, cedar and white pepper. Malt character is sweet and syrupy.

T - Spicy and woody flavor with a dominant cedar character and hints of pine needles. A syrupy sweet malt backbone balances all of the spicy notes. However, plenty of sticky, piney hops emerge in the backend and work quite well with the cedar and woody characteristics.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation and a syrupy texture with a bit of oily residue. Finishes with assertive bitterness on the palate.

D - Unique and innovative, this cedar-aged ale is extremely aromatic and flavorful. The cedar character is undeniably palpable. I have a feeling this brewery is going to become one of my favorites very quickly.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2009 21:57:05 | More by ffejherb

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.6/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to jedwards for sharing. 750ml capped bottle served in a tulip. Pours a hazy, burnished, burnt orange with a frothy, bubbly white head that quickly dissipates, but is revived with a swirl of the glass. Cedar wood dominates the nose (definitely has that humidor smell), with some citrus following. Cedar is more subdued in the flavor profile - cork, citric acid and grapefruit are also revealed. Mouthfeel is light-medium in body, with a lively, semi-dry finish. An interesting and decent brew; however the cedar is a bit overwhelming.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2010 23:29:25 | More by Jwale73

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

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a bottle of this on the cheap at whole foods in plymouth meeting, poured into a Penn Pilsner pint glass.

Jai Alai cedar pours out the standard orangeish infused with light red color and some creamy egg colored foam on top, small lacing. Smells like Jai Alai, I guess the cedar really is not all that prevalent. The wood is there, it just does not break through the east coast malt build. Some small citrus in the nose with grapefruit, I guess the hops died down when this was aging on the cedar. It tastes like Jai Alai as well, I thought I was drinking the regular version because the wood is not big. Grapefruit and a dash of pine with minimal wood. Feel is medium and bulky, drinkability is hindered, not a huge fan off this. They should do a double cedar aged version of this

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2010 13:51:34 | More by onix1agr

Durge

Connecticut

4.13/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This time I try the bomber to compare to my previous sample on tap at the brewery. This brew shows a light but cloudy amber color with a big sturdy light oatmeal colored head and great lacing. The aroma is suggestive of the humidor moniker with tobacco tinged herbal/pine hop and marshmallow - graham cracker sweetness. Very nice. The flavor offers a smooth piny hop with caramel candy corn malt. Sweet but balanced with a pleasant peppery grain overtone. Quite drinkable despite a medium plus bodied brew with a luscious feel and hint of alcohol. Well done, though I obviously preferred the fresh on tap versus this bottle that got waylaid with my luggage for an extra day.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2010 19:56:09 | More by Durge

GbVDave

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a St. Bernardus goblet.

A: Pours a relatively clear, autumn-orange color with about 2 1/2 fingers of creamy and bubbly, light tan foam on top. Retention was fleeting but the ropey lacing left behind was gorgeous. The second pour was incredibly thick and murky looking...almost like mango nectar.

S: The very first whiff I took of this from the bottle had a noticable cedar hope chest/cigar box type aroma that faded quickly. What emerged after that was mango, papaya, pineapple, toffee, clementine, pine bough, caramel, and tangerine.

T: Just like above with more of a cedar presence. I really liked how citrus and tropical fruit forward this was. Slight alcohol flavor becomes apparant as it comes up to temp. When it came time to pour the second half of the bottle, I made sure to swirl all of the sediment and get it into my glass. This netted me a TON of spicy cedar flavor.

M: Big juicy and sticky tropical fruit blend very nicely with spicy cedar, and prickly citrus and pine. Finishes with more than a hint of solvent alcohol. Second pour (with all the sediment) was spicy to the point of heavy astringency.

D: I think this would've scored maybe half a point higher if it weren't for the obvious alcohol presence. This is supposedly only packing 7.5% abv, but feels much higher. Other than that, this is a stellar AIPA!

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2010 23:18:51 | More by GbVDave

oline73

Maryland

4.2/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy amber with a hint of orange. Has one finger of off white head that leaves nice lacing and a ring around the edge of the glass.

Smell: Some sweet malt with a citrus peel hop bitterness. There is just a hint of wood.

Taste: Citrus peel hop bitterness is the dominant flavor. There is some malt sweetness and a spicy note. The cedar has a great flavor that compliments the hops very well. A very well thought out beer. Tastes much better than the smell.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with smooth carbonation. The finish seems like it should be dry, but it never gets there.

Overall: I really enjoyed this one, even more than I thought I would. The cedar is very nice. I would love to have more.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2011 00:38:26 | More by oline73

billab914

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 750ml bottle into my Russian River tulip glass. Poured a murky copper orange color with a big frothy three finger off-white head. The head had some very good retention and left a lot of lacing on the glass as I drank it.

The aroma starts off with some hoppy citrus flavors but then the big cedar, dry, woody flavor hits you. It really smells like you walked into a humidor. It's kind of hard to pick up any of the beer flavors through the strong cedar.

The taste shows a little more of the hoppy, citrus & pine IPA flavor then the nose did, but it also has a pretty strong woody cedar taste to it. The finish leaves a nice long lasting bitterness on the palate. The ceder might just be overpowering the taste too much in my opinion though.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Drinkability is decent, you really have to enjoy the wood flavor for it to be drinkable though.

Overall this was a very interesting beer, it was a cool idea and I'm glad I got to try it. The cedar is just too overpowering in it though in my opinion and the wood flavor is hard to get past. This is probably the most extreme "wood" flavored beer I've ever had and I'm not sure how I feel about cedar as a beer flavor. It didn't seem to lend itself to beer as well as say Oak does in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2010 19:23:09 | More by billab914

maximum12

Minnesota

4.47/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I would be remiss not to send out a great, chest-thumping thanks to moose3285 for sending me a great, big, overflowing box of Cigar City to add to my collection. Split with the wife while settling in to watch the Twins dismantle the Yankees in game two...I hope.

First & foremost, CC gets props for their cool-ass bottles, each with an amusing anecdote on the side. The beer leaks into my Tyranena pint glass a light amber, borderline red-style brew. Smell is subdued hops & faintly woody.

Not much subtlety here. I'll warrant that I'm not terribly keen on anything interfering with my hops, but the cedar balance here is spot-on perfection. The underlying IPA I'd warrant is very good, the hops are there, but not so bright as usual; warm, rather than bitter, sharp rather than biting. The cedar does a marvelous job of complementing the hops with its woody woodiness, rather than taking over, or slinking too far into the background. Perfect balance.

Split the bomber with the wife, but she just got a dinner invitation, so I'm eyeing her half of the bomber in the fridge...I can't let that oxidate for an hour plus, can I? That would be criminal. I suppose that means it's drinkable, to consider stealing good beer from your most excellent wife. I'll get the stink eye for that later. Better bust out something else she likes!

Dammit, this is an excellent beer, which I've come to expect/assume from Cigar City. This raises the bar on a wood-agd IPA. I'd drink this every day & twice on Sundays given the chance.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2009 22:47:58 | More by maximum12

superspak

Michigan

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

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 9/17/2012. Pours extremely hazy orange amber color with a nice 2 finger dense off white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice dense foamy lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of big orange, mango, orange rind, grapefruit, pineapple, caramel, cedar, floral, grass, toast, and herbal earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great hop complexity and good balance. Lots of sweet hops with minimal pine or spiciness balance. Taste of big orange zest, pineapple, grapefruit, orange rind, caramel, floral, grass, toast, light cedar, light pine, and herbal spiciness. Good amount of citrus bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of citrus, pineapple, caramel, toast, light pine, grass, and herbal spiciness on the finish for a good bit. Fantastic balance of hop flavors with a nicely balanced malt backbone; zero cloying flavors noticed after the finish. Cedar wasn’t too noticeable, but it probably also smoothed out the beer flavors. Medium carbonation and body; with a nice creamy, lightly slick, and crisp mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is extremely well hidden with pretty much zero warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a highly excellent IPA! Great hop complexity and flavor balance; very smooth and easy to sip on. A highly enjoyable offering as I expected.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 05:30:40 | More by superspak

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

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.79/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

On tap at Cigar City Tampa FL for 5$

Appearance - Slightly hazy gold colour with a large size fizzy white coloured head. There is a low amount of carbonation showing and there is some great lacing. The head lasted for only a few minutes.

Smell - Hops, malts, grapefruit, wood/smoke

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste caramel and malts mixed with hops. There is also some grapefruits mixed with cedar/smokey/peppery notes. It ends with a bitter hop aftertaste and some lingering woody notes.

Overall – I had this along side a regular Jai and this one seemed to lose a bit of the tropical fruitiness while gaining the woody flavours. It's a really interesting beer, but not something I'd want to drink a whole lot of.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 01:28:45 | More by spinrsx

laituegonflable

Australia

3.23/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a red-tinged deep amber colour with lovely beige head that webs out into sparse patterns, retaining a great crown of small but visible bubbles. Bit of cloud in the body. Looks great.

Smell is very funky and spicy. Not a huge whiff of rank though, rather there's some fresh floral notes on there but largely an earthy blend of aniseed, lavender and a touch of chicken batter. Intriguing, could really be more complex, it's all a bit one-note.

Taste is quite dour; gravelly and spicy with a mostly earthy palate. Starts bitter with soil notes, gets some organic spice midway with steamed bok choy, fennel and black pepper. Slight fruity bitterness on the back reminiscent of late-addition hops, but not a lot. The cedar just subjugates the palate and it's quite astringent and unpleasantly spicy. It really needs toning down, I can't say I'm a big fan.

Not bad feel, goes down quite smooth but a bit empty as it goes through the mouth.

Not an everyday drinker; it's too bold and yet doesn't clean itself up by the end of the palate.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 04:21:38 | More by laituegonflable

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

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

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

Pours a clear golden color with a decent sized white head that slowly fades to a ring around the top of my glass. Smells like that old chest at the end of your grandmothers bed. Earthy and woody with a hint of patchouli. There's some citrus in there as well, and maybe some malt, but the cedar is such a powerful aroma its hard to find anything else. It tastes just like it smells. Cedar and citrus with a hint of pepper and malt splashed in for good measure. I'm not sure if I'm imagining this, but after each sip my pallet seems awash with the flavor of cannabis. Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation and a sweet bubbly mouthfeel. The cedar flavor and aroma is quite strong here and the first few sips were rough until my taste buds finally cried uncle. This is not something I would drink often, but I applaud the result.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 01:52:51 | More by johnnnniee

Overlord

California

1.98/5  rDev -51.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 1.5

Thanks to fogdog for hooking me up with several Cigar City brews. I am looking forward to trying this underexposed, almost never mentioned on the forums brewery.

I carefully poured myself 2.3 oz for reviewing purposes, then set the rest aside to be consumed after my review is in final (there will be no edits at a later date). I tossed the bottle in my dryer on medium heat then shoved it in the microwave, sans cap, for thirty seconds, to replicate cross-country growler shipping in desert conditions. Now we're good to go!

Pours a deep, hazy orange-amber with a billowing off-white head. Huge heads on these Cigar City brews.

Smells like ... whoa. Holy s***. So that's what a cedar infused beer smells like. Ummm...okay. I smell what I imagine is cedar. Huge amounts of piney, aromatic, cigar-storage-box esque cedar. Yeah, the humidor name is apt. While there's no tobacco in the nose, my brain wants to insert it.

Taste is a bit more complex, with some grapefruit, juicy tangerine, and a bit of bitter pine ... along with CEDAR. And some balancing caramel. You have to have a disciplined palate to pick out the nuances here.

It coats the tongue. Exotic. Memorable. Would I want it every day? No. Cedar is awful and shouldn't be used to age beer. There. I said it.

Very good mouthfeel. Sticky, tangy, good carbonation. F*** that cedar.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2009 09:03:31 | More by Overlord