Maduro Oatmeal Brown Ale - Vanilla - Cigar City Brewing

rev3rb

Virginia

4.08/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Bottom Line Up Front: Mellow version of the Maduro with noticeable but not overpowering vanilla flavor.

Had this beer on tap in a goblet @ The Brass Tap in Brandon, FL

Appearance: The color of this brown ale is a deep brown color with a thin but nice head.

Smell: There is a noticeable vanilla aroma.

Taste: There is much more mellow roasted body compared to the standard Maduro from CCB with a sweet but not overpowering vanilla flavor.

Mouthfeel: The ale has a very thin mouthfeel and a light aftertaste.

Overall: This was a pleasant deviation from the Maduro. Worth trying at least once. Would recommend over Abita's Vanilla Double Dog brown ale.

Serving type: on-tap

11-25-2012 01:16:12 | More by rev3rb

kylehay2004

Florida

4.33/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Single finger head with some retention and excellent lacing on a murky deep amber brown body. Aroma is a bit mild with toffee, caramel malts, nuts and a nice vanilla presence. Flavor follows well with nuts, chocolate malts and burnt toast initially then moving to brown sugar and vanilla. Not too sweet and well balanced. This one gets better as it is enjoyed too. Medium body and moderate carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

11-07-2012 13:10:27 | More by kylehay2004

Googs

New York

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

On tap at The Pony bar NYC. Poured into a pint glass.

A: A nice brown body, not thick and barly any head or lacing on this one.

S: Nutty, roasted malts in the nose. A tiny bit of sweet vanilla after.

T: Roasted/toasty malts upfront - pale, chocolate and caramel. Finishes up with a very nice wave of sweet vanilla. Perfect amount of sweetness for this style. Good balance Not picking up a lot of hops, slightly bitter. Maybe could have used a bit more with the hops I suppose.

M: Medium body but on the lighter side for its style I feel. A bit creamy, could use more. Medium carbonation. Slighty watery and very drinkable at 5.5%.

O: I like the base beer and I thought this vanilla varient was really nice. Don't have much to complain about here really, it's a solid session beer with some complex flavor. Try some if you get a chance.

Serving type: on-tap

09-15-2012 05:27:21 | More by Googs

macrosmatic

Florida

3.83/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had on-tap at CCB tasting room. Poured into a pint glass.

A: Very dark brown. Not quite opaque. Amorphous foam at the top, but not really a big head. Minimal visible carbonation.

S: Roasted malt dominates. Not a big vanilla nose, if any.

T: Nutty brown flavor (can brown be a flavor? It is here) with the vanilla roaring in at the end. On an unexpected note, the vanilla flavor seemed to diminish as the beer warmed. I'm unsure it I just got acclimated to it or if it actually started to disappear.

M: Medium body to slightly thin for the style. Slight sweetness to the finish.

O: Good. Not great. Maduro has never been my favorite (personal preference here; as an example of style, or for someone that is seeking out an Oatmeal Brown I would highly recommend one). But, I thought I'd give the vanilla variant a shot. I probably prefer it slightly to the base beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2012 01:19:49 | More by macrosmatic

PorterLambic

Florida

3.6/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Arrives a rich chestnut brown with a small head of light tan foam on it. Dissipates quickly to a film.
Smell is full of toasted malt, cardboard, cocoa and coffee though no vanilla was noticeable. Nice balance, though.
Taste follows the smell, always a good thing, with a well-balanced mixture of toasted malt, cocoa and coffee. Odd that a vanilla beer would have no smell or taste of vanilla. A more than a wee bit disappointing from CCB.
Light body, light effervescence, watery. Great taste but WTF with the body? I thought my first cask would be a no brainer given the quality of brew in the past.

Serving type: cask

04-30-2012 20:26:17 | More by PorterLambic

TheGordianKnot

Tennessee

3.78/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at CCB 1/13... Served in shaker pint

A- Dark brown color with deep,dark red tints. Finger of dense head that dies quickly leaving film on the liquid and no lacing on the glass.

S- Faint aroma, but I get some toasted cracker, brown sugar, and vanilla bean. It's nice, but just that- not amazing and really should be kicked up a notch.

T/M- Nice and smooth going down. Sweet and toasty/roasty balance- really nice blend of melonoiden (sp?) and charred/coffee flavors. Turbinado sugar faintly there with a finish of sweet vanilla that has an incredibly long lingering finish that makes you want to take another drink which also transitions into the toasted/roast flavors of the next sip; it's a cyclical beer to drink. Very balanced, nothing is overpowering. Nice medium body, highly carbonated, smooth.

O- Liked it a lot, didn't quite love it though like I did the Cubano espresso style Maduro. I would absolutely get this again, and would've taken a growler if it was allowed. Sweet vanilla finish really broke everything up making this complex and balanced.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2012 14:42:23 | More by TheGordianKnot

chinchill

South Carolina

2.98/5  rDev -27.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On tap at Kickbacks in Jacksonville.

A - essentially opaque with mahogany highlights. Has a thin bubbly tan head.

S - Sweet aroma with a clear but not too strong vanilla note; hint of milk chocolate.

T - Largely follows the aroma, but the vanilla is too dominant and the beer is too sweet. Roasted malt and oatmeal are detectable.

M - Near medium body but too thin for style. Would also be better with a slight increase in carbonation.

O - Disappointing: I prefer the regular Madura.

Serving type: on-tap

05-31-2011 03:42:39 | More by chinchill

Lerxst

Florida

4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Kickbacks

A-Pours a dark chestnut brown with a creamy one finger khaki colored head that has good retention and leaves some nice lace.

S-Vanilla is the main player here along with some roasted malt and hints of coffee and chocolate.

T-Follows the nose. Vanilla (not as intense as ST Creme Brulee, but its very prominent), along with some roasted malt, coffee, chocolate and maybe a bit of caramel.

M-Just on the light side of medium body, somewhat creamy.

O-Its a nice twist on what is an excellent brown ale, but I think I prefer the base beer. Still, its definitely worth a try; especially if you like dessert type beers.

Serving type: on-tap

05-30-2011 13:12:12 | More by Lerxst

babaracas

Florida

3.95/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On cask at the tap room. In the pint glass, a cloudy dark brown, reddish tinted, with one finger of khaki colored head, spotty lace left behind. Smell: a lot of vanilla overwhelms chocolate and a slight nuttiness. Taste: vanilla ice cream in caramel syrup, lightly roasted backdrop. Silky feel. Drying finish where some earthiness emerges. This does a great job of featuring vanilla - it's loaded with vanilla - but it's one note compared to the awesomeness that is regular Maduro.

Serving type: cask

04-24-2011 02:20:24 | More by babaracas

afksports

New York

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Well, Cigar City doesn't really have to do much to their Oatmeal Maduro for me to love it. In fact with this one, they almost hurt it, but I'm still in love.

The appearance in a growler from the cask is actually good for some head. It's thick and brown, not even thin on the edge. Smells like brown, although the bitter tones of the hops in it are supressed by vanilla. At least I assume so, because I can't really smell it. The malts I get though, and they come through in the taste also. That part is a slight problem for me. The good parts about a brown is a balance of malt and hops, this just does t have it.

But the vanilla does add to the body, and it's still drinkable as anything. So so tasty. Just probably not worth the extra cost of production to put on vanilla. I'll take original. Cheers!!

Serving type: cask

01-24-2011 00:42:50 | More by afksports

CooperEllis

New York

4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Cask into tulip.

Very nice dark with a nice light head; the cask effect is evident in the lack of lacing.

Full of malt in the aroma; mild oaked vanilla with a bit of lactic like one would expect with a milk stout.

There is a bit of water in the taste. After the initial malt burst there is a watery feel and then again after the roasted malt with slight vanilla note. Overall, a full flavor.

I think I prefer the cask Maduro to the bottle. While I don't notice enough 'vanilla' to make a huge taste difference I do think the cask makes this a better drink.

(91st)

Serving type: cask

01-24-2011 00:39:07 | More by CooperEllis

kwjd

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I had this on cask at Pony Bar in NYC. It was listed as "White Oak Vanilla" on their board.

The beer pours a murky brown colour with bubbly white head. Head dissipates without any lacing. Smells of very strong vanilla with a hint of oak. Chocolately and some roasted malt in the smell too. Quite a sweet beer. I found I enjoyed the first half of the pint more than the 2nd half as it was a lot of vanilla. Still tasted nice though.

Serving type: cask

01-07-2011 16:37:04 | More by kwjd

DoubleSimcoe

New York

3.73/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Cigar City Maduro Vanilla on cask at Pony Bar in Hell's Kitchen, New York.

Appearance: Served in a standard 16-oz pint. Light fluffy head that lingers, very bubbly. Absolutely no retention. Deep ruby color, very hazy and opaque.

Smell: Dark chocolate, sugar, some caramel. Also a bit of clove and spice. A tad of hops at the end of the sniff.

Taste: Not as exciting as the nose. Dark roasted malts, some distant vanilla. Sugars. A tad thin. Also some strawberry-fruity sweetness, pretty unique! But no oatmeal or cereal whatsoever.

Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, medium body and flavor. Quite the cask. Dry, bitter finish. Could use some more robustness.

Drinkability: Understandably high, at only 5.50%. Enjoyable but not superb.

I appreciate how the vanilla aging is subtle and not overpowering/overdone, but I would have liked this beer to be a bit more tweaked and interesting. Also, the oatmeal and brown aspects of it were lost on me.

Serving type: cask

01-01-2011 22:39:57 | More by DoubleSimcoe

kbutler1

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler. Courtesy of McDiddyPop on BA. Pours a nice brown color with the slightest tinge of red to it. Great foamy tan head. The aroma is very similar to the regular version but with a strong vanilla smell that takes center stage, other notes of dark malt, subtle sweetness, cocoa take a back seat. The taste is all vanilla for the first second then slowly transitions to the roasted malt and cocoa flavors. Lingering taste of vanilla. Very well balanced. Mouthfeel is medium. An interesting addition in flavor to the regular version.

Serving type: growler

08-20-2010 13:46:46 | More by kbutler1

aubuc1

Florida

4.3/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

32 oz grolwer packaged on 6/17/10.

Pours a hazy dark brown with a thin tan head.

Rich roasty smell is a sweet coffeeish and earth.

Taste is a nice balance of the roasty and the sweet vanilla. Leaves a dry tang. Really nice.

Mouthfeel is very creamy, and the balance makes this quite drinkable.

Very good beer.

Serving type: growler

06-20-2010 21:44:24 | More by aubuc1

Tilley4

Tennessee

4.72/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Took everything I had not to drink these til I was floored...

Arrives a beautiful deep brown with a tremendous head and lots of sticky lacing..

Chocolatey goodness laced with vanilla that just won't quit... This smells terrific with the vanilla taking the lead but not being overpowering at all.. A wonderfully crafted brew...

Truly a world class beer.. I had this at the brewery and I was blown away by the freshness of this... Its absolutely delicious...

I could waste time and space expounding on this brew but why bother? Its world class and makes me wish I lived in Tampa...

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2010 22:39:16 | More by Tilley4

WeisGuy

New York

4.33/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler picked up at the brewery earlier today

a - pours a deep dark brown color with a one inch mocha head, not much retention and little lacing

s - big vanilla and creme brulee aroma mixed with some coffee and dark chocolate, very nice

t - slightly bitter coffee and dark chocolate up front with the vanilla bean really coming through on the midpalate, finish is reminiscent of a good vanilla latte without much of the bitterness, some nuttiness and very little trace of alcohol on the finish as well, hoppiness of the base beer is very muted in this variation

m - medium bodied, moderate to lower carbonation, slightly bitter on the finish, but well-balanced finish overall, slight alcohol warming

d - pretty drinkable, much more so than other vanilla-infused beers I've had because the vanilla, while prominent, is not overwhelming

Very good beer overall. I'm impressed with the use of vanilla bean in that it adds another dimension to a great base beer without totally overwhelming it.

Serving type: growler

06-10-2010 01:45:24 | More by WeisGuy

jpittman80

Florida

4.58/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Cloudy brown with shades of red. Off-white head that leaves some lacing.

S - Chocolate, vanilla, roast barley, maybe some mint from the hops.

T - Oh. yes. Loads of chocolate and vanilla, a nice oak character, smooth sweetness that finishes pretty dry, with a nice bitterness to even things out. Blows the original out of the water.

M - Very smooth, soft carbonation, and excellent dry finish to curb the sweetness.

D - Yeah, I could drink this for quite awhile. There's nothing candyish about this vanilla beer.

Expert handling of the vanilla aging. It really takes this beer from pretty damn good to outstanding. I might have to drive down every weekend now...

Serving type: on-tap

05-29-2010 19:14:42 | More by jpittman80

gunnerman

Florida

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

Poured from growler into a pint glass, pours an impressive brown with ruby color hue and nice thick fat lace. Smell is of dark chocolate, roasted caramel and sweet cocoa slight hint of vanilla. Taste is spot on big and roasty with chocolate, tobacco, a hint of spice from the hop and just a slight faint taste of vanilla. Overall another impressive offering from Cigar City.

Serving type: growler

04-25-2010 12:39:37 | More by gunnerman

nickd717

California

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

Growler via trade thanks to Sebletitje. Glad to try another brown ale from the brewery that IMO does the style best. Yes, I'm drinking the CCB Kool-aid. These guys are good, and MOST of the hype is warranted.

Pours cloudy chestnut brown with a thick, creamy light yellow-beige head that lasts. Good lacing.

Aroma is nice and sweet. Lots of vanilla, along with sweet caramel, wood, and nuts.

Flavor is fairly sweet and very complex. Caramel and toffee malt notes, chestnut and other nuts, LOADS of vanilla, wood (was this -bal aged?), chocolate, and molasses. Crazy stuff.

Palate is exceedingly smooth and creamy, with medium-full body. Really sticks with you.

It's almost unfair to classify this as a brown ale, but if you do, it's great for the style. Drinkable and really enjoyable overall.

Serving type: growler

04-15-2010 18:02:48 | More by nickd717

ktrillionaire

Florida

3.63/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This treatment of the Maduro Brown is somewhat underwhelming, and at any rate is a mild addition.

The beer still looks the same.

It smells like the base beer, but more strongly of vanilla. I have always detected a vanilla nuance in the base beer, so this just reinforces that aspect.

As far as the taste goes, and to some degree the smell, the addition of vanilla has sharpeneed some of the sweeter elements of the brew and toned down the tobacco flavor, as well.

The feel is about the same.

The drinkability is a bit higher than the base beer.

Not my favorite treatment of the Maduro Brown.

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2010 16:32:25 | More by ktrillionaire

Freethyhops

Alabama

4.38/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

32oz growler thanks to Gtreid. split between a buddy and I.

A- pours a translucent brown that turns to a deep ruby red when held to light. produced a large cream colored head. good retention with light lacing.

S- caramel and chocolate malts that blends into huge notes off vanilla bean. the aroma is strong and inviting.

T- starts off with a strong mix of chocolate, vanilla, and caramel. everything is rich and decadent. the vanilla lasts the longest and finishes with a bit of breadiness and very light bitterness.

M- very creamy and full bodied for a brown ale. subtle carbonation adds to the velvety mouthfeel.

D- delicious stuff that I would jump at the chance to try again. my pint was gone way too quick. I could see the vanilla being a little much after a couple pints, though. its quite strong.

Serving type: growler

03-22-2010 19:12:25 | More by Freethyhops

urwithdave

Florida

4.33/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a growler that I purchased at the Hunahpu release, into my CCB snifter.

A- Dark brown in color. Poured a 1' 1/2'' tan off white head. The head settles quickly and a fair amount of lacing is left.

S- Coco, vanilla, malts and coffee beans.

T- Chocolate and vanilla right off the bat. Caramel, malts and more vanilla follow. My wife said it tastes like a vanilla/chocolate tootsie roll and I think she is right on with this comparison.

M- Very nice! A little thin, however, I'm not complaining.

D- Almost Perfect....I can't wait to have this one again, again and again!!!

Serving type: growler

03-18-2010 06:50:35 | More by urwithdave

mullenite

Florida

4.28/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

From a 32oz growler in to a snifter.

Very dark brown in color, almost black but not quite. One-finger of solid foam for a head that dissipates in to a thin ring and leaves some nice lacing on the glass.

Smell was primarily chocolate with some light roasted and vanilla notes in the background.

Taste has a much more prominent vanilla note, with the chocolate and roasted malts lingering in the background. Vanilla is so clean it almost comes off as artificial.

Mouthfeel is a bit thin, I really wish it were just a bit thicker. Lots of carbonation gives it a mouthfeel similar to Coca-Cola.

Overall it is a pretty tasty beer, I will be getting this again some time if it is available.

Serving type: growler

03-15-2010 05:26:37 | More by mullenite

MasterSki

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a 32oz growler at Cigar City. Served in a odd square glass at a friend's place.

A - Pours with a few fingers of tan foam that dissipates slowly and leaves tons of sticky lacing. Transparent cherry brown colored body.

S - Tons of vanilla - maybe too much vanilla, although it's the real kind and not the synthetic stuff. There's a bit of toasted malt in the periphery, but this is straight up vanilla bean. A little more of the base beer comes out when it is warm, but not a ton. If you dig vanilla you'll love this, if you don't you'll hate it. The smell is pretty potent and does exactly what it sets out to, so points for that.

T - More vanilla! The finish has a little bit of multi-grain bread. Not sure what else to say - it's authentic vanilla bean which is nice. Aftertaste is also similar to other vanilla-flavored things - that weird slightly sour flavor that I don't care for all that much.

M - Very thin, lower carbonation, somewhat dry and gritty texture with a light amount of residual stickiness. I know it's a 5.5% session brown but it could use a little more heft to it.

D - I had two glasses and probably could have done the growler on my own if I hadn't had help. The odd aftertaste actually kept me sipping, as the initial flavor is so much better.
Low ABV, thinnish texture enhance the chug factor. Still, not my favorite treatment.

Serving type: growler

03-15-2010 03:20:14 | More by MasterSki