Jai Alai IPA - Papaya - Cigar City Brewing

devilben02

North Carolina

3.63/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

While visiting Miami from out of town, this is one of the Cigar City beers I was able to pick up to sample the brewery's work. It makes a great first impression, with a hazy yet brilliant orange color being topped by a thick, creamy, off-white head that leaves great lacing as I emptied the glass. The aroma is varied but not very fragrant, with light notes of honey, flowers, orange, and a dull pine characteristic.

The flavor is likewise pleasant but not as exotic as I had hoped, with big doses of wood and pine being contrasted by a fruity sweetness that is more like canned peaches than like papaya. Because I know it's there, I can force myself to taste the papaya, but it is not prominent. The texture is solid for an IPA, with a resinous body that lingers long after each swallow. Overall, this is a well-done IPA, but it is far more common than I was hoping.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 16:11:40 | More by devilben02

homebrew311

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Reviewed from notes. Pours a deep orange with minimal head and nice clarity. Moderate lacing left behind. The nose is fruit forward with tropical papaya qualities coming on strong, waves of fruit countered by a decent malt depth. The taste is slightly syrupy with a nice tropical fruit profile that melds well with the sturdy malt backbone. The mouthfeel is medium with high carbonation. Overall, there is a nice feature of fruit here, but it comes off as being a malt forward IPA which seems a touch counterproductive to its concept.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 04:04:34 | More by homebrew311

JamesWn

Florida

3.25/5  rDev -18.3%

02-28-2013 20:57:04 | More by JamesWn

FLBeerGuy

Florida

4/5  rDev +0.5%

02-27-2013 03:23:35 | More by FLBeerGuy

sirsteve42

New York

4/5  rDev +0.5%

02-23-2013 04:01:17 | More by sirsteve42

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.75/5  rDev -5.8%

01-18-2013 20:53:21 | More by AlexFields

spycow

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -12.1%

01-14-2013 05:21:55 | More by spycow

afksports

New York

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

Hazy orange to copper, nice sustaining head with great lace. Smells of papaya, tropical IPA all the way. Aroma comes through as quick as a Matt Ryan pass on the Eagles defense. Sweetness and grapefruit, orange peel, but overwhelming citrus sugar. Smells almost diabetic.

The taste is slightly disappointing, if only because it fits a more standard IPA mold. Wonderful smell, but the front of the taste only has a little papaya and is mostly grapefruit, moving to malts in the middle and drying at the back. Less than fantastic.

That said, it's got a medium body, sweet and dry finish, and great carbonation, so it's a quality beer that smells excellent, which half the time is all you really need.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 17:13:23 | More by afksports

sendbeer

Georgia

4.75/5  rDev +19.3%

10-27-2012 15:54:16 | More by sendbeer

HairyHood

Alabama

4.5/5  rDev +13.1%

10-23-2012 22:16:00 | More by HairyHood

t0rin0

California

3.25/5  rDev -18.3%

09-15-2012 21:35:36 | More by t0rin0

beernads

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -5.8%

09-15-2012 10:49:45 | More by beernads

IpeeA

Missouri

4/5  rDev +0.5%

08-05-2012 02:48:31 | More by IpeeA

DIPADude01

Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +25.6%

07-26-2012 02:45:12 | More by DIPADude01

closisinthehouse

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +6.8%

05-16-2012 16:52:21 | More by closisinthehouse

ygtbsm94

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -18.3%

04-23-2012 22:28:44 | More by ygtbsm94

Florida9

Illinois

3.23/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Lightly hazy dark amber in color. Forms a bubbly off-white head that leaves some light lacing.

S: Tropical fruits and some citrus hops. Then a woodsy quality, a bit of malt and some sweet floral hops.

T: Bitter and malty with very little papaya flavor. Starts with a relatively strong maltiness, then grapefruit. Some tropical fruit in the mix, but to a much lesser extent. Bitter and fairly one dimensional.

M: Medium bodied with appropriate carbonation and a strong, unbalanced bitterness.

O: Bitter and malty with only a hint of papaya flavor. Drinkable, but unbalanced and one dimensional.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 13:23:33 | More by Florida9

RomaniIteDomum

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +13.1%

03-14-2012 03:59:10 | More by RomaniIteDomum

baerb69

Georgia

4/5  rDev +0.5%

02-11-2012 21:39:22 | More by baerb69

Pencible

Virginia

4/5  rDev +0.5%

02-11-2012 19:40:46 | More by Pencible

THECPJ

Delaware

3/5  rDev -24.6%

02-03-2012 01:13:38 | More by THECPJ

mdaschaf

Washington

3.4/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from notes.

A: Pours a light orange color with a small off-white head on top. Very little retention and lacing.

S: Surprisingly malty with a good bit of caramel. There certainly was some fruit present, but not as strong as I was hoping. Had the papaya been as forward as guava is in guava grove then I would have been thrilled.

T: Not as malty as the aroma led on. More floral and citrus flavors, can't really pick out papaya though. A little bit of pine mixed in.

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Slightly dry finish.

O: Was hoping for a bit more oomph from the fruit in this one. Not a bad IPA, but I still prefer regular Jai Alai to any of the variants.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 21:15:18 | More by mdaschaf

shwillivanilli

California

3.5/5  rDev -12.1%

01-25-2012 08:58:34 | More by shwillivanilli

tugg407

Florida

3/5  rDev -24.6%

01-06-2012 07:28:53 | More by tugg407

IdrinkGas

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.5%

01-04-2012 23:41:34 | More by IdrinkGas