Jai Alai IPA - White Oak - Cigar City Brewing

LiquidBread219

Indiana

4.43/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A= Light amber color nice foamy head, with lots of lacing.

S= I had the regular Jai Alai right before this one and that one didn't have much of a nose. This one however has a real powerful nose smells like tropical fruit and vanilla really stand out you also smell the oak in this one.

T= The taste is very nice really like this one the oak blends well with the hops and the vanilla really good.

M= Medium bodied and nicely carbonated.

D= Really nicely done haven't had a IPA like this one really like the oak tasted nice. Went down smooth would love to get more of this one.

T=

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2010 01:19:56 | More by LiquidBread219

babaracas

Florida

4.43/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy dark amber with towering creamy just-off-white head and slowly fades to a meringue-like cap leaving thick styrofoam globs of lace. It doesn't get better than this. Smell: the oak is fantastically upfront and lends a coconut character. Second level we have sticky pineapple, soft tropical fruit, and citrus rind above a sweet melon + caramel base. Taste: acidic pineapple, toffee, pink grapefruit, vanilla + coconut + oak character, caramelized cantaloupe (can that be done?). Creamy with perfect slightly prickly carbonation. Freakin' fantastic. As much of a revelation as the humidor was, this is orders of magnitude better.

If the tasting room can stay open for a few weeks I'll be back begging for a growler fill of this.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2010 05:49:49 | More by babaracas

bierenutz

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-Pours a murky brownish orange color with about a finger's width head and nice lacing.
S-Very unique...with a hoppy earthiness and strong aroma of fresh cut wood.
T-This beer had a butter like quality with a taste almost like popcorn and of course the woody oakey flavor. The hops were bitter but took second stage with this different beer for me.
M-Moderate feel and carbonation.
D-This was a different experience and not what I expected. I was pleasantly surprised and wowed by this brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2011 10:38:53 | More by bierenutz

aubuc1

Florida

4.43/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into tulip pint glass.

Pours a nice orange with a thick off white head.

Smell is huge citrus with some light pine and then woody oak.

Taste is sweet, but not cloying, citrusy without bitterness. The oak cleans up the aftertaste and absorbs the bitter finish but still is dry.

Mouthfeel is good and drinkability is great.

Was surprised by the effect of the oak.

Great beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2011 01:58:25 | More by aubuc1

aepb1

Florida

4.43/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Quite similar to their normal Jai Alai, Nice amber body with 2 fingers of a white head with little lacing

S- This is where it diverges and it does so splendidly. Oak, earthy tropical fruits and some sweet malts

T- Earthy, woody sweet malt with the hops bite being tempered by those great malts. More fruits too.

M- Medium-bodied and good carbonation

D- Very easy to drink. Cool concept and awesome flavor!

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2011 18:36:29 | More by aepb1

jjanega08

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

No freshness date but drank within a day of trade.

A= Pours a nice hazy orange with a finger of head on it. The head looks a little lighter in color than the regular Jai. The head is also a little less dense and maybe falls a bit faster but not by much.

S= The smell on this is very interesting. I can say with confidence that it smells like oak. Straight oak and hops. There is no misunderstanding what kind of wood was used. The hops are a little taken over by the oak but it still is there and maybe a little more fruity with the oak smell. Reminds me of overripe mangos or something.

T= The taste is much more oaky than I would have expected. Still very very tasty though. It has a lot of coconut flavor I think. Pineapple as well. Tastes almost like a pina colada! Really interesting and unique. This maybe the only IPA that I've had that I thought made a totally new and tasty beer when it had wood added.

M= The carbonation is a bit lower than the regular version which is nice.

O= Wow I thought I would have hated this beer but it's actually really really nice. Unique and delicious. Worth trying and drinking regularly if it's avalible to you. I would gladly drink a lot of this.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2011 00:48:41 | More by jjanega08

pigc

Nebraska

4.43/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a dirty light copper with two finger head.

S - Citrus, pine, orange, tropical notes. Slight oak.

T - Mango, orange marmalade, citrus, pine. Bitterness is apparent yet not overwhelming. Slight oak taste from the barrel. Malt backbone is minimal. Slight sweetness. Nice dry finish.

M - Medium with average carbonation.

O - I enjoyed this oak aged version more than the standard Jai Alai. One of my favorites from this style. CCB hit the nail on the head with this one, well done!

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 02:38:25 | More by pigc

emerge077

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Drank quite a bit of this at FoBAB '12, several pours served in the festival taster glass, at least 12 oz. total. Quick review from notes.

Pours a nice deep orange color, saturated hue with a glowing haze that's visible when backlit. Sudsy foam on the surface with an initial cluster of larger bubbles resting atop a fingers width of head. Aroma is full of oak character, dry woody traces with some sweet vanilla and coconut elements that blend harmoniously with a resinous citrus oil hop character. Dry and bitter feel, with a little bit of sweetness in the middle from the pale malt and possibly the oak too. Smooth and medium bodied, hops lend a good deal of citrus peel and herbaceous bitterness in the aftertaste, though it's smoothed out a bit overall from the oak aging. Pretty drinkable considering the abv, but probably a 1-2 in a sitting type of beer. Very well done.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 16:38:39 | More by emerge077

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.41/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Received as an extra in a trade and poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Bottle was, oddly enough, a slow gusher. Thanks to this sediment was stirred up and so the brew, while a nice hazy orange is just full of sediment and yeast on the bottom. Nice half a finger head that just doesnt quit and leaves light side lacing. Quite nice head retention.

S - Wow, very un IPA like. Lots of fruit...was this new oak? Light pear and white grape skins. Light citrus hops, musty (almost like a wild). Pretty unique smelling.

T - Again, fun. Get lots of white grape skin/tanins, light malt sweetness and a lightly bitter hop finish. Lots of lingering oak on the finish along with hints of vanilla. Faint grape and pear juice on the finish as well.

M - Mouthfeel boarders on aggressively carbonated yet somehow smooth finish.

O - So yeah, I really, REALLY like barrel aged IPAs. The fun notes they bring to the table definitely freshens up the pallet. I dig it.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 01:31:12 | More by rudzud

VaTechHopHead

California

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

Instead of reviewing the beer by itself I'm just going to comment on the differences between this version and the regular Jai Alai.

A - Pretty much the same, might be a little hazier and the head might be a little more foamy in density.

S - First whiff reveals a nice aged oak aroma, very fragrant. The caramel background aroma is more hidden than the original and the hop smell is slightly masked as well, but remain the same scent. Just a tick lower in score because of the less aromatic hop aroma.

T - Again, big on the oak flavor and I would say it's the major player in this beer. The hop flavor is drowned down just a skosh but there is still plenty of resin and woody/earthy flavors coming through. The caramel background is also still a solid flavor holding the beer together. Just a tick higher in score because the original flavor is still there but the oak did nothing but help it.

M - Pretty much unchanged, maybe just a little less carbonation, maybe. Same score.

CCB took an already stellar beer and tweaked it just slightly to take it to the next level. The base beer remains unchanged but the oak aging doesn't take away or change the make-up of it at all. Bravo.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2011 01:55:28 | More by VaTechHopHead

afksports

New York

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

Cheers to a Florida trading partner for hooking up this IPA from Cigar City Brewing in Tampa called Jai Alai White Oak. It's their regular IPA - Jai Alai - aged in White Oak. In case you didn't put that together from the name.

The beer is citrus, sweet, and round. Lacing all over the glass, and a hazy orange to copper in color. It smells of a lovely citrus grapefruit, orange, and oakey sugar. You can almost taste the wood when you inhale. That's not a dick joke, either.

The taste follows through. Leading with a hops bite of grapefruit and pine, following with caramel malts and some toast, and finishing with a smooth thickness that is no doubt provided by the oak, this IPA is smooth drinking without question. Not as clean and crisp a finish as Cigar City's standard Jai Alai IPA, the white oak is for when you want to drink a little less, and enjoy the sweetness a little more. The mouthfeel fits right in with that, as it's a thick medium body.

Incidentally, that's all about like today's drinking expectations. I've eaten one egg and drank three beers. This one... this one counts as lunch. And what a good lunch it is.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2011 22:45:47 | More by afksports

sdmvd6

Oklahoma

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

Poured into a CC snifter.

A - Slightly hazy copper (similar to regular Jai Alai) but with a small head leaving little lacing.

S - Wow. Sweet vanilla, brown sugar, and some bourbon from the oak. These are underlain by a touch of caramel malt and spicy, earthy hops.

T - Sweet, rich vanilla, brown sugar, and woodiness. Definite notes of spices and bourbon-soaked bread. Undertones of caramel malt and earthy/citrusy hops linger in the finish with a peppery alcohol burn and a touch of bitterness.

M - Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. The alcohol burns a bit but not in a bad way. The finish is a tad dry.

O - This is a fantastic beer by CC. It is by far the best aged IPA I have had, as the hops are still apparent and superbly balanced by the character imparted by the oak. The complexity of the wood was something I just haven't found; I loved it!

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 03:21:23 | More by sdmvd6

datalager

Connecticut

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

I had the fortune of grabbing a four pack while in Ellenton, FL for a very quick trip there. Thanks to fellow BA members for recommending this brewery to me.

The look is a cloudy pale amber with short white head. It doesn't look like most of the IPAs I've had, and that is a good thing. Overall it has an attractive appearance.

Smell is excellent right off the bat. It is sweet, woody, and layered with a nice floral hop quality.

Taste follows the aroma nicely. Malt and hops are well balanced, with perhaps just a hint of grapefruit in the mix, leaving a touch of nectar in the finish without being overly sweet.

The tongue draws in a medium amount of sparkle, followed by a smooth swallow. Only a touch a dryness resides in the finish.

Although I enjoy good IPAs, they aren't typically my favorite style. That said, this is perhaps the best IPA I have ever had, and I'm glad I have three more to get me through until xmas (assuming they last that long).

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2011 20:30:33 | More by datalager

adkirkish

Florida

4.38/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured golden amber with a thin off white head w/ no persistance / lacing.

A: Fruity maple sweetness with piney and sweet oak aromatics. The wood really stands out and is really complimentary with the piney hops. Imaginge an oak tree, a maple tree, and a hop plant got busy one night...this is their offspring in regards to aroma.

F: Piney hops and oak stands out all the way through. The malts are sweet (maple, caramel) and give great body. The finish is lightly bitter with hints of remnant oak.

M: Medium across the board (Mouthfeel, body, and carbonation), no alcohol warmth.

O: One of the more complex and enjoyable noses of an IPA I've ever had. The taste is equally enjoyable. My only issue with this one is appearance and mouthfeel. I like my IPA's to have a creamy kick and some nice head retention. Other than that this smells and tastes great. Hopheads will enjoy a change of pace with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2010 22:19:33 | More by adkirkish

gunnerman

Florida

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

Poured into a pint glass pours a simply impressive two finger fluffy head that leaves some serious lace on the glass, pale yellow in color with heavy little carbonation bubbles, you can't make a beer look any better. Smell is pretty funky nothing like I have smelled before, possibly oak wood fragrance with a sweet undertones of perfume. Taste is just like smell, this has a bready funky earth taste to it, hops up front with a tangy earth wood taste towards the finish with a hop bitterness towards the end. Overall a simply different and strange tasting brew and I simply enjoyed it outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2010 23:07:32 | More by gunnerman

Kkottonmouthkngz

Massachusetts

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

A: peach fuzz/ amber orange, two finger off white head in perfect pint. cloudy to a point, clears up a little over time.
S: strangely enough, im reminded of the shorts anniversary i had a few nights ago, mainly because i feel like i get some kind of pepper, or peppercorn fairly up front. honeybell oranges and strong, dense citrus dominate, this is a whole different animal.
T: again i feel like i get some kind of peppercorn aspects in the flavor, maybe its the oak. theres grapefruit, blood orange, orange zest, heat, oak... a little bit of everything, except the kitchen sink. damn this thing is intense.
M: an initial moderate carbonation level tapers off to yield a creamy and smooth finish. mild bitterness all the way through, but more just open playing field for intense and solid flavor profile.
D: im finally reviewing this after having a few bottles over a months time, and id drink it again, and again.. and again. really glad i got to experience it, and hopefully theyll do it again. absolutely delicious.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2011 02:19:41 | More by Kkottonmouthkngz

Urbancaver

Ohio

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

Pours a nice crisp amber orange with a bit of nice white head. Smells very hoppy and oaky. A hint of vanilla on the nose as well. Tastes fairly sweet and hoppy. Lots of piney flavours on the tongue and a solid malt backbone. Thick and syrupy with a solid mouthfeel. Overall, just a touch nicer than regular jai alai as the oak adds some interesting complexity.

Note: let this beer warm up! S much more complex!

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2011 22:40:14 | More by Urbancaver

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured out as a murky orange color with a nice white foam on top. The retention is pretty solid here along with some sticky lacing on the glass. The smell of the beer is sweet with malt and fresh oak, the hops have mellowed out a lot, there is some faint citrus notes in there along with the malts. The oak comes through pretty strong in the flavor, the malts and oak balance out the hops quite a bit making this IPA much less pungent on the taste buds. There is still a good amount of bitterness to it still which is nice. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and nicely carbonated. Overall it's a very nice beer, I think the addition of oak to this beer makes this more like an English IPA but still very much America with the citrus it has still in there. Overall it's a very good beer and worth getting.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 17:24:11 | More by Knapp85

OBeerMeGreatOne

California

4.36/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a bottle into a Sam Smith pint. Pours out a hazed golden orang. The head starts at about a half inch, not much lace retention.

Cumquat and oak rock the start of the smell, adds a very interesting twist to this IPA. Also notice caramel and orange.

Orange, fresh cut oak, caramel and grass start this one off well. A bit of vanilla and lemon rind around the middle. Spicy sappy wood at the finish. Very smooth, moderate body. Goes down very well.

I'm enjoying these Cigar City brews quite a bit. I preferred this to my four month old can of Jai Alai. When I finally make it back to FL, this brewery will be on my must visit list!

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 03:20:52 | More by OBeerMeGreatOne

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served from bottle into a Stone nonic. Poured yellow-orange with a four finger bone white fluffy head that subsided to two fingers very slowly. Maintained decent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt and massive citrus hop. The flavor was of slightly sweet malt and citrus hop. It had a medium feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Overall a nice IPA. To be honest there really isn't a whole lot missing in this one as far as flavor and aroma. I definitely enjoyed this one more than the regular version I had a few weeks ago. This one is a definite must try for any IPA fan.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 11:38:30 | More by thagr81us

Wasatch

Utah

4.35/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks goes out to cyrusthepup for this brew.

Pours a nice cloudy dark amber color, nice carbonation, HUGE thick foamy/creamy off-white head, with tons of very nice thick sticky lacing left behind. The nose is hoppy with some nice malt notes, citrus, oaky. The taste is sweet, hoppy, malty, with some nice oak notes, and citrus. Medium Body. This is one very tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2011 23:20:52 | More by Wasatch

kpanter

Florida

4.35/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I am lucky enough to get this fresh from the brewery and at my local beer shops. I can never seem to have enough. Pours a hazy amber / burnt orange color with a nice 2 finger head w/ some lacing. Initial taste is smooth citrus & tropical, mainly orange & grapefruit notes. Finishes crisply with a hoppy / oaky flavor. Light and creamy mouthfeel. The white oak pretty much dominates the complex flavor of this beer, but this is quite the drinkable brew. I bring this to friends' and it always gets finished, too drinkable in those instances. This might just top their Humidor IPA for me, and I that is no easy feat. The latest batch was the freshest I have enjoyed, and it definitely has been my favorite to date.

I haven't had many (if any) aged IPA's, but this is one of my favorite IPA's in general.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 23:19:31 | More by kpanter

suntrinesun

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

A really good beer. Pretty heady, perhaps too much, but quite tasty. The website reads "The white oak adds smoothing notes of vanilla and slight hints of dill to the aroma and flavor profile." I couldn't quite get the dill (probably b/c of an underdeveloped palette) but the oakiness and vanilla flavor very much came through. Definitely a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 19:23:44 | More by suntrinesun

Treyliff

West Virginia

4.34/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 2.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- pours a dark copper color with a one-finger foamy white head. Sediment and floaties all over the place make it look quite viscous. A bit if dark sediment from the end if the bottle permanently floats on the head. Not the most appealing to look at.

S- huge fresh oaky notes with some vanilla, lots of tropical mango & pineapple, sweet caramel on the finish. Very complex nose.

T- this version is much maltier than the original and the oak adds a whole new dimension of flavor. Woodsy oak notes up front with a touch of vanilla, the tropical fruit notes are actually more noticeable as the regular version. Notes of mango, pineapple and papaya. The finish is slightly tart with just a bit if citrus hop and a long oaky linger.

M- medium body with a super foamy mouthfeel and moderate carbonation, smooth finish with just a trace of alcohol.

O- unlike any IPA I've had, and I like it. I'm a big fan of barrel aging and it really brought out the fruity tropical notes in the flavor, perhaps the most authentic mango flavor I've experienced. I wish I could get this regularly.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 01:53:06 | More by Treyliff

BigBlacke

Florida

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

White oak aged Jai Alai is a nice little twist to the already delicious Jai Alai. Pours a dark amber color with a .75 in head that leaves a stubborn lace as it goes. Pungent floral hops with a little sweetness and a fair amount of oak. Taste is of fresh floral hops with a tiny hint of wine, and tons of smooth oak. Mouthfeel is fresh, crisp and astringent. Hops give you a smack upfront, and in the aftertaste. I find drinkability to be fairly high cause, for lack of better words, it fuckin rocks!!!

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2011 20:52:14 | More by BigBlacke