Cubano-Style Espresso Brown Ale - Cigar City Brewing

AltBock

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Cigar City Tasting Room on 15 June. They served it to me in a standard American Cigar City pint glass.

I could tell right off the bat that it didn't pour a pitch dark coffee black color. Instead it poured a hearty dark mahogany brown with a cool looking cranberry red center. On top was a thick beige head of foam. It was a good 3/4 of inch in height. This tall head of foam had excellent retention that left behind a skim of foam and a ton of sticky beige streaks of lace around the glass. Beautiful!!

The aroma was straight up espresso! You could tell that they used quality coffee beans in this beer. They smelled really good. My nose couldn't pick up much behind the espresso. I got a whiff of roasted malt and a tiny speck of dark chocolate. It's nice to have a variety, but the rich scent of espresso was good enough for my nose.

It was pretty much the same story for the taste. The taste was all about the roasted espresso beans. For some reason, the quality of the beans was better in the aroma then what they were in the taste. They tasted dumbed down and slightly bitter. There was more roasted malt and dark chocolate in the taste as well as a tiny speck of caramel. These flavors didn't counter the dumbed down espresso bean taste. It was good, but it could have been better.

This was a straight up medium bodied coffee/espresso beer with a decent level of carbonation and a weak espresso aftertaste. There was only the taste of weakened espresso beans in the aftertaste. They won't linger. That's a good thing.

I had this beer in the bottles before and thought it was better than this. The draft really brought out the weak espresso beans. Really nice appearance, rich espresso aroma, but weak taste. I'll stick to the bottles.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2013 22:49:01 | More by AltBock

CloudStrife

New York

4.29/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz pour into a snifter.

A: Pours a clear brownish dark ruby with a minimal slightly yellowed head. A spot or two of lacing.

S: Strong coffee aroma is the first thing I notice. Fresh coffee grounds. Also a pronounced chocolate character as it warms.

T: Smooth balanced taste with a blend of coffee and nuttiness. Not much bittering at the end. Lots of flavor for a lower ABV coffee brew.

M: Medium body appropriate for a brown ale. Good smoothness to this, and a clean finish. Nice and easy drinking.

Overall another great Cigar City beer. They make some damn good brown ales and this is right on par. A must try for any coffee beer fan, a good change from the stronger stouts.

Serving type: on-tap

04-09-2013 16:32:58 | More by CloudStrife

standardcherry

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

On tap at CCB takeover at OTC.

A: Dark brown color with small tan head. No lacing.
S: This smells like a cup of coffee. Not much else. It's just a huge kick of coffee. A tiny bit of vanilla and nuttiness.
T: Huge coffee flavor as expected from both the name and the smell. A bit of a nutty flavor. Hint of maple syrup as well. Very tasty beer.
M: I feel like these flavors would go well with a thick, full-bodied beer. The mouthfeel is a bit thinner than I expected. Everything is well balanced though, with a nice roasty bitterness at the end.
O: This is a great beer for coffee lovers, I suggest seeking this out. Another great beer by Cigar City.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2013 04:36:59 | More by standardcherry

socon67

New York

4.58/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Brown pour with a cola colored foam. Nice lacing and a slight carbonation.

s - The smell of coffee bean is incredible. Easily among the best I've ever come across. Rich coffee beans that beckon back to coffeehouses. Roasted bean, caramel malt, and a bit of english toffee. Intoxicating.

T - Smooth as silk. Tasted slightly like tiramisu. Coffee flavor was akin to a good cigar (no irony there). Reserved taste, roasty flavor. Could pass for a nice latte.

M - Another positive is how mellow this beer is. not heavy, not overpowering, and well balanced. I had a couple of these and would love to session this on a late night. Heck, maybe some caffeine in this.

O - Mightbe my new favorite from CCB. If bottles make their way up here I'm in. Coffee lovers need to try this one.

Serving type: on-tap

09-15-2012 02:56:05 | More by socon67

brystmar

Texas

4.2/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Breuklyn Bier Merchants. Had the pleasure of drain pouring two awful bottles of this a few months ago (wreaked of cardboard and drywall), so let's see if we can get an uninflected pour!

Sweet hazelnuts and espresso greet my nose up front. Candied coffee leads to a slightly-watery brown ale base supported by espresso beans. Nose and taste are constructed very nicely. Smooth drinking, totally sessionable. Hard to believe this is the same beer because I really like it. I'd happily drink this regularly -- provided there's no infection!

Serving type: on-tap

07-15-2012 02:50:41 | More by brystmar

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at Woody's, Philly, PA

Poured a very cloudy cedar brown color with a small cap of tannish head that retained as a ringlet and left a bit of lacing on the glass. Nutty aroma rife with coffee grounds. Taste of coffee grounds, as promised by the nose, nutty, caramel malts, toasted grains, grassy and slightly astringent in the finish. Body was about medium, a little thin-tasting, but generally pretty drinkable. Not something I'd go out of the way for again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2012 00:41:21 | More by Rifugium

BucBasil

South Carolina

4.65/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured on tap at the Cigar City tap room in Tampa.

A: Dark brown with a light tan head. Surprising bright and clear. Some read notes coming in on the sides.

S: Very roasty. Cafe au lait. Creamy caramel. Heavenly note almost like a good chocolate ice cream.

T: Creamy coffee. Super smooth. Chocolate and mocha. I love this beer.

Fantastic. Smooth. Everything I want in a brown ale. Recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2012 00:23:39 | More by BucBasil

vgiusto

Florida

4.43/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Got this on tap at the tasting room Tampa, FL. Glass was a normal 16 oz pint glass.

A – light/medium brown body, very good head retention. 2-3 inches when served

S – very nice aroma, the coffee breaks through well

T – had a semi-earthy and medium coffee flavor . Not very heavy for a brown.

M – Not very much mouthfeel.

O – I think its one of the better coffee browns I have had. Very good in bottle as well.

Cheers Cigar City.

Serving type: on-tap

10-07-2011 17:48:16 | More by vgiusto

olimpia84

Florida

3.93/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at CCB. Served on a pint glass.

A: this beer has the darkest shade of brown you'll ever see. As the glass moved it gave the impression of dark swamp water, probably because the beer was a bit watery. Very small head with little to no lacing, although as the beer warmed up the lacing improved.

S: coffee 100%. Seriously, if you blind fold somebody and put this in front of them they'll never guess it's a beer. Very small hints of vanilla are found as well along with malts.

T: very, very strong espresso flavors with hints of vanilla, some sweet tones at the beginning. Roasted and burnt malts.

M: light to medium body, average carbonation. A bit watery unfortunately.

O: all I can say is that if you enjoy drinking coffee and espresso,s and you're a beer fan, this brew is made for you.

Serving type: on-tap

09-03-2011 17:50:46 | More by olimpia84

kylehay2004

Florida

4.22/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: decent lacing. murky brown. Half finger off brown head.

S: mild espresso roast smell. burnt and toasted malt.

T: vanilla, mild coffee and roast. Sweet cocoa in the background. Not too overwhelming with the espresso. This is very well done.

M: Moderate carbonation and medium to full body.

Overall: An excellent beer. The espresso is just the right strength and the grouping of the flavors is excellent

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2011 22:42:21 | More by kylehay2004

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

4.43/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured on-tap at the Cigar City Brewing tasting room in Tampa. Served in a pint glass, the beer has the same body and color of Maduro Brown. A deep, dark brown color with ruby highlights and a light, thin, foamy head. Smells like I dove into a double espresso. Smelling this made the hair on my chest stand up. Bravo! Flavor is very heavy in the coffee, and tastes like I am eating coffee beans. Slight sweetness helps balance the bitterness from the liquid Juan Valdez. The aftertaste is like wearing a used Folgers filter around your neck, with some light, sweet malty and spiced flavors. Dry, crisp finish. Very tasty!

Serving type: on-tap

06-14-2011 02:08:46 | More by GarthDanielson

Sean9689

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on-tap at CCB Tasting Room.

A - Pours a dark brown, mocha-colored head, some nice lacing and a filmy thin cap.

S - Coffee, sweet burnt sugars, oak notes, nice malt backbone.

T - The coffee and sweet malts really go hand in hand and work well together. Some burnt sugars in there as well and a touch of hops but they really take a back seat to the coffee and sweetness, which they should.

M - Light to medium, soft carbonation, semi-dry finish.

D - Really liked this one as much as the regular version. Would def have more often if I was closer to CCB, but, I'm not. Oh sad. Oh well, very enjoyable!

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2011 23:58:41 | More by Sean9689

jrallen34

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the pub as part of a taster... Pours a bright amber/copper color that is very clear. Much clearer and lighter in color than I would imagine of any beer called Cubano Espresso, making me think of a coffee color. A nice tan head, good retention and lacing... The aroma is really sweet, caramel with tons of fresh coffee. I really like this... The taste is really good, coffee forward for sure but the coffee the notes are sweet with lots of caramel and chocolate. Really smooth to drink with a hint of vanilla.

This was the shock of our taster and well worth trying. A big improvement on maduro.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2011 03:40:37 | More by jrallen34

thirsty4beer

New York

4.53/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

my second annual Cigar City tasting at Rattle 'n Hum. ordered 2 flights of the various offerings but started with a full pint of the cubano espresso - it was my top pick from the previous year and I had long-awaited its return

A: clear chestnut brown with a rapidly dissipating off white head. a good-lookin ABA

S: spot on! semi-sweet cuban espresso aromas slap me around before I even pick up my pint. like no other coffee beer. like a bag of freshly ground coffee beans. if I had been blindfolded, I might not have believed it was a beer. caramel malts are present with a hint of cocoa and roasted nuts. the beer's strong suit.

T: roasted malt deliciousness takes the front seat while the roasted espresso and toasted nuts sit in the rear. a balanced caramel/light brown sugar sweetness hangs out from start to finish. mocha lingers on the palate. the hops are hiding, as they should. superb.

M: very smooth but the body and carbonation seem to be on the slightly lighter side. it works well for the carbo but I could use a tad more body.

D: bartender, I'll have another. and another. and another. bravo, Cigar City. by far my favorite of the maduro oatmeal brown ale series. I hope it's as good in the bottle bc I'm on a quest to find some more. such a unique take on coffee beer

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2011 11:49:38 | More by thirsty4beer

washburnkid

New York

4.03/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First off, this beer gives Coffee Bender a run for its money. Like CB, this brew overwhelms you with sweet roasted coffee, on both the nose and the palate. The mouthfeel is light and there's good carbonation, and the brew leaves nothing but bitter coffee throughout. Slightly acidic. The brew is dark brown with a head that sticks around through the session.

I'd recommend this for after dinner. I ordered it before, then ended up getting other beers while I sipped on this and drank a majority of it for dessert. It's a great replacement for the post-dinner espresso!

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2011 17:40:46 | More by washburnkid

saintk9

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Was in Tampa today and went by CCB. Had this beer fresh on tap.

WOW is all i have to say. This beer was tops for me. I love the espresso finish to it. Could stand to have a little stronger nose.

Could only get it in pints. Wanted to buy a growler but they would not let us.

If your in Tampa area go to CCB and have some beers!!

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2011 01:00:35 | More by saintk9

HeyItsChili

China

4.1/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at the Cigar City Brewing tasting room.

A - On draught poured into a snifter glass. Rich brown body, coca cola brown with lighter highlights and a thin foamy khaki head.

S - Fresh ground espresso backed by some roasted malts. Sharp, syrupy sweet coffee. Doesn't have the sometimes flat overly sweet malty aroma of a lot of brown ales.

T - There are a lot of flavors packed into this one. The espresso is the most prominent, obviously, but there is some cocoa in the mix. Also an earthy kind of flavor from the oatmeal.

M - Just under medium bodied with a decent amount of carbonation.

Really nice variation of the brown ale style with tons of subtle flavors there.

Serving type: on-tap

01-04-2011 21:30:41 | More by HeyItsChili

amc2341

New York

4.2/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this one on tap in the tasting room in Tampa. This is a modified version of Cigar City's Maduro Brown Ale to which they've added (you guessed it) coffee! The appearance is a medium brown with some red hues coming through, bubbly white head. Great aroma: the coffee really comes through. I forgot to ask exactly what the method for adding the coffee was when I was on the tour (grinds vs. brewed, etc) but the aroma is very full and roasty. The taste finds a nice balance between sweet and bitter from the roasted malts/coffee. A little lighter bodied than I had expected, but this actually makes it much more drinkable. I only wish we could buy Cigar City in Buffalo, as a six pack of this beer would make a winter day much more bearable.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2010 17:13:48 | More by amc2341

LilBeerDoctor

New York

4.22/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed on 12/23/2009. Growler from Big Z Beverage. Pours brown with a small white head. Aroma of light coffee, roasted nuts, roasted malt. Flavor of intense coffee with some malt in the background but mostly it's just all about the coffee. As I continue to drink some peanut butter and oreo cookie notes start to come out. Reminds me of a peanut butter pie. All I can say is yum!

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2010 16:39:05 | More by LilBeerDoctor

kbutler1

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Draft. Pours a clear reddish tinged brown color with a collared tan head. Nice strong aroma of coffee notes, vanilla, and chocolate with touches of a nutiness that is really nice. The espresso really does take center stage though as it should. Nice roasted espresso coffee notes mixed with bitter chocolate and some bitterness. I also get some vanilla and nut in the flavors at the end. Medium mouthfeel. Pretty easy drinking. Not the best coffee beer I have had but very good.

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2010 13:44:09 | More by kbutler1

Hojaminbag

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Maduro Oatmeal Brown -Cubano Espresso has a dark brown body with ruby highlights. The head is small and light brown, leaving only a spot or two of lacing.

The aroma has sweet malt and a ton of coffee in it.

The most powerful flavor in MOBCU is, as expected, coffee. There is also some chocolate, some sweet malts, and a hint of hops in the finish.

The mouthfeel is a pretty good, it's got a creamy fullness, probably from the oats.

This is a pretty good brown ale that borders on being a light, small oatmeal stout.

Serving type: on-tap

11-27-2010 15:23:54 | More by Hojaminbag

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.6/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served from tap into a Dogfish Head stout glass, enjoyed with JackTheBear on a recent trip to Athens, GA. Poured a deep dark brown with a one finger tan head. Maintained phenomenal lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of BIG espresso, coffee, and cream. The flavor was of roasted malt, espresso, coffee beans, cream, and chocolate. It had a medium-heavy feel on the palate with mild carbonation. Overall this brew was quite excellent. Since I personally don't drink coffee, I could see this as being a damn fine substitute. Had an excellent aroma and flavor on this one. Very well balanced even for a non-coffee drinker. The aroma was almost intoxicating it was so rich. Also it went down nice and smooth leaving you craving more. Very nice brew CCB!

Serving type: on-tap

11-22-2010 12:53:37 | More by thagr81us

AgingWarrior

Florida

4.7/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Enjoyed on tap at Cigar City Tap Room.

Pours a dark brown with about a finger of dark tan head. The head dissipates into a layer rather quickly, but hangs around until the very end.

Smell is incredible! Is this Starbucks?!? Strong espresso in the nose, with some hints of brown sugar.

Taste is as good as the smell. Strong coffee taste on the front, but with a slight vanilla taste and some bitterness on the end.

Tastes ever so smooth and creamy.

This is a very drinkable brew and at 5.5% abv you can enjoy several.

Highly recommend!

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2010 14:39:08 | More by AgingWarrior

cbak999

Florida

4.22/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured of tap at Kickbacks in Jacksonville. A small tan head quickly disipates to a rim around the glass. Dark almost black in color. Smell is all coffee. Taste is expresso and hop. Nicely balanced. This is a very drinkable brown ale at 5.5 percent. Very pleased and will be back for more! Another great Cigar City brew.

Serving type: on-tap

07-30-2010 20:39:16 | More by cbak999

phishgator

Florida

2.5/5  rDev -39.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Had this is pint glass. Big espresso nose before you even see the glass. This one is completely opaque, but not black. It is more of a dark brown with little head. The alochol is hidden in the coffee aroma and taste. A night capper of a brew because of the overpowering astingence of the coffee. Not their best offering.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2010 18:52:29 | More by phishgator