Tocobaga Red Ale - Cigar City Brewing

Finatic

Florida

4.93/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Growler poured into a chilled Cigar City pint glass.

A: Pours a dark orange, red color with a lovely foamy, white head that recedes ever so slowly.

S: Lots and lots of hops with citrus and pine at the forefront, smell some malt sweetness in it as well.

T: Tastes just like it smells with the hops lingering on the palate to the end. Nice sweet malt background balances out the hops brilliantly.

M:Medium bodied and very easy to drink, alcohol masked very well.

O: My favorite amber and when fresh like this one very hard to find a better amber ale out there.

Serving type: growler

01-16-2012 23:42:13 | More by Finatic

Lerxst

Florida

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

Growler purchased yesterday at CCB poured into a pint glass.

A-Pours a hazy amber with a one finger light beige head that has fair retention and leaves quite a bit of lace.

S-Slightly sweet malt, maybe a bit of toffee, a nice waft of pine, citrus and earthy hops.

T-Bitter hop bite leads-earthy and citrusy-with slightly sweet caramel and toffee coming in the middle and staying throughout. Hops come back and bite at the back end.

M-Medium body and carbonation, slightly creamy and oily.

O-I like this one. I'd buy it again without hesitation.

Serving type: growler

12-06-2011 00:36:13 | More by Lerxst

fields336

North Carolina

4.58/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

32 oz growler served in SN snifter.

A:dark red, purplish color almost, with 2 fingers of frothy creamy, khaki/mocha colored head. this is an intense looking red ale.

S: citrusy and piney in aroma, with caramelly, malty background notes.

T:tons of pine, pineapple, grapefruit, lemon, delicious delicious red ale. truly amazing

M:cant expect much more from a red ale, medium body, really nice carbonation, not too dry of a finish.

O: I really really enjoyed this beer, truly one of CCB's most awesome style examples of how far they can take it. I think it's more of an Imperial Red but I'm not complaining. I'm going to be getting this on growler a lot more frequently.

Serving type: growler

08-30-2011 04:43:39 | More by fields336

hoptualBrew

Florida

3.98/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Growler recieved in a trade from a local BA, Gtreid.

Growler aggressively poured into pint glass a deep copper amber with a huge light khaki head. Lacing rings everywhere sticking to the sides, EVERY WHERE!

Nose is mostly spicy, floral hops, grapefruit & sweet soft caramel malts. Literally smells like candy, only this candy is 7.4% abv.

Strong fruits - grapefruit, orange, pineapple - all the way through. Malts on the tongue are rather mild & subdued a bit by the hops, but it works. Its a bit thin in the body (5/10), but carbonation is fine.

Overall, its a solid American Amber Ale. This is one of my least favorite styles, but I was really anxious to see what CCB would do with the style. They did not fail to impress here.

Serving type: growler

08-15-2011 00:09:37 | More by hoptualBrew

bernardus1212

Florida

4.35/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a growler for the holidays. Poured in to a CCB snifter.

Darker shade of Ruby Red. Fizzy white head. Stuck to glass nicely. Very clear.

Lots of Astringent citrus hops up front Then the quintsential "red" malts and a balance of sweet ness.

Taste wise its very similar to SN Celebration. Except I like this even better because of the fresh hops. Great bittersweet hop to malt ratio.

I wish this would be a year rounder for them.

Only problem was the gas from the growler filled me up quick. So I only had 2 glasses. Everyone else finished it off. IF you can get it, Get it!

Serving type: growler

12-30-2010 22:28:58 | More by bernardus1212

MasterSki

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

32oz growler. Served in a pint glass.

A - Pours with two-plus fingers of orange-tinged foam that settles to a thick cap, leaving behind sheets of lace. Slightly hazed caramel brown body.

S - The initial onslaught is big pine and citrus zest hop aroma. However, as it warms a little, the red ale character emerges with sugary malt and light toffee. The hops are delicious, but this still has sufficient balance for the style.

T - Big toffee mixed with fresh citrus, pine, dankness, and tropical fruits. Hop bitterness is intense, but not oppressive.

M - Medium sticky body that is sufficiently hefty for the ABV. Medium carbonation that is quite refreshing. Could stand to be a little bit drier.

D - This is really good - it's up there with fresh Nugget Nectar. I had multiple pours at the taproom, and bought a few growlers. It was probably for the best that the keg blew, as it prevented me from buying even more.

Serving type: growler

12-18-2010 16:51:34 | More by MasterSki

FLBeerGuy

Florida

4.68/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep red/copper color with an off white head that leaves superb lacing all the way down the pint glass.

Nose has tons of citrus hop goodness with some caramel malts, very nice.

Taste is citrus, grassy, pine, nice malty backbone with a little sweetness and a nice hop finish, outstanding.

Very easy to drink, even with the 7+ ABV, which is pretty well hidden

This is a great example of a hopped up red ale, well done. This is one of my favorite CCB beers, they need to bottle this one.

Serving type: growler

11-19-2010 23:25:28 | More by FLBeerGuy

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.83/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

huge thanks for sending this one up to me, i was simply not expecting it to be as good as it was, but damn i was suprised as hell by what i got. growler poured into a pint glass and enjoyed on 10/29/2010.

pour is a medium amber color with a light cloudiness that settles out quickly. a big head of white foam then towers over the top of the glass and quickly coats the sides and leaves a ton of lace all around it.

aroma again is classic ccb. loads of hops and cedar notes right up front. takes a while to get any caramel malts to come through but they are there, albeit in lesser quantity then you would expect in a normal red ale, but this is simply an amazing beer on all other accounts. smooth hops and a rich and creamy feel are just what is needed as the flavor simply cannot be beat. clean hops, resin, notes of cedar, light malts and a light dry finish seal the deal.

overall an excellent beer on all accounts. i would love to try this again.

Serving type: growler

10-31-2010 15:32:17 | More by mikesgroove

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.83/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

First off, let me say that this brew is like Jai Alai part II. Which is not to say that it is an IPA, but instead that it is a phenomenally robust and hugely hop-centric brew in the same vein as Jai Alai.

A - Big reddish-amber hue, capped with a voluminous ecru head, it deposits rocky boulders of lace all over the glass.

S - Huge everything is apparent in the nose. The malt is big, even aromatically, and it is slightly toasty as well. Hop contribution is significant, centered in the pine-y and cannabis-dank range at least as much as grapefruit-citrus.

T - This is the best example of the American Red Ale style that I have ever had. Suggestions of green pine cones, cypress, cannabis, and cut-grass are tempered by a toasty and dryly caramelized malt backing.The hop bouquet is huge, the bitter dankness is so palpable, and the body is just big enough to support it all.

M - Just like a big IPA, this brew is a weighty medium-bodied brew, well-carbonated and smooth yet substantial.

Serving type: growler

10-31-2010 14:58:08 | More by ktrillionaire

womencantsail

California

3.9/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Mike for this beer.

A: The pour is a really nice bright ruby color with a thin layer of off-white head.

S: Plenty of hops on the nose. They're primarily of the oily pine variety, which is always welcomed. There's some toffee and bread, along with a bit of citrus.

T: The hops are again the dominant characteristic. Quite bitter, which is always nice, with some earth, pine, and citrus notes. The caramel, toffee, and bread are still there as well. There's also a hint of roast at times.

M: The body is medium as is the carbonation.

D: I really had no idea what this beer was until I came on here to review it (though I sort of figured it was some sort of red ale). Pretty nice, actually.

Serving type: growler

09-25-2010 06:14:37 | More by womencantsail

67couple

South Carolina

4.9/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a nice honey colored red with fluffy head that fades slowly leaving nice heavy lacing on the glass.
Smell of pine and citrus, with a touch of sweetness to back it up.
Nice balance of maltiness to hoppiness. Love the way the hops stay with it to finish strong.
Nice mouthfeel, not too thin or too thick.
Very dangerous drinkability. The alcohol content is masked well with the great flavors. You will want to be careful if trying to session this one.
Over all another great offering from CCB.

Serving type: growler

09-19-2010 13:09:55 | More by 67couple

Bosoxfan20

Missouri

3.61/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Aggressive pour leads to a barely 1 finger, light tan head. Hazy amber with lots of sediment. Clearly looks to be bottle conditioned. Don't mind the yeasties, just a little surprised. Avg lacing and retention

S- Citrus and pine hops, dark fruits- dates or raisins, slightest touch of caramel malts. Bready biscuits. Quite hoppy for an amber. Nice aroma, but a pretty timid nose.

T- Hop forward with the citrus and pine. Grapefruit pith, herbal woodsy notes followed by a toasted bread malt. Nice esters fruity notes. Bitter finish that borders on astringency. Certainly a hop take on the style.

M- Mid body near full. Dry as can be in the finish. Some alcohol present. A littel heavy, so not the most drinkable.

O- A beer that seems to taste a litte different with each sip I take. While the hop level tends to overshadow the malt some, it is still a nice beer. Of the 5 or 6 I have had from CCB, this is one of my least favorite....which says a lot about a brewery when one of my least favorite is still pretty good.

$11.49 for a 6 pk

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 18:39:54 | More by Bosoxfan20

RaulMondesi

California

4.18/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Well hit Raul on the head with a shovel and call him stupid! Raul was never a fan of Red Ales - he may have despised them even. Well, he probably despised them because the only ones that he had were hoopties! But Tocobaga Red? More like Tocobaga yellow brick road paved with gold!

This lil sucker is just money. Straight money! There's not all kinds of depth and it isn't technically complicated like an ex; it's Just straight smooth, smooth, smooth.

Yep!

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 05:48:15 | More by RaulMondesi

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.51/5  rDev -16%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First had: bottle, throw in on a trade from...er, I don't remember

A pretty typical red ale all over. Reddish amber pour, with a foamy cap of off-white bubbles. Malty aroma with some piney hops coming through. Taste of caramel malt and toffee, piney hops, citrus pith, somewhat metallic in the finish. Pretty average even for the style, but still a good brew. Probably overrated just because it's CC. Medium body, and decently drinkable, aside from that off-flavor, which could just be a freshness issue (didn't check for a bottle date).

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 20:18:22 | More by Rifugium

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the brewpub. From notes.

A - Dark gold/copper sorta colour with a one finger beige head. Bright. Great long drapes of lace and a one finger retention.

S - Bready, lot's of citrus, juicy, nice.

T - Lot's of citrus, good malt backbone, juicy, pineapple.

M - Good carbonation, full body, nice bitterness.

O/D - A nice strong, hoppy red. Drinkable and flavourful. Enjoyed the amped up balance. Good stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

04-21-2013 11:23:01 | More by tbeckett

CAMRAhardliner

Ontario (Canada)

4.34/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Had a pint on tap at the brewpub.

Pours a fiery orange shade with a patchy eggshell head. Big caramel malts and citrusy, white grapefruit hops make up the aroma. The taste is of huge piney, critrusy passionfruit hops mixing flawlessly with a toasty, toffee malt profile and some clean, bready cracker notes. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a fantastic, creamy carbonation level. A chewy maltiness quickly gives way to a strong, resiny bitterness in the finish. Bitterness lasts a long while. Alcohol is impeccably well hidden throughout.

This is a stellar Red Ale. It could easily be considered an American IPA. Very hop forward with excellent malt balance. If in Florida, seek this out.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2013 01:58:57 | More by CAMRAhardliner

ZDub

Illinois

3.4/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured from the bottle into a snifter-tulip hybrid. Nice reddish hue with 1/4inch of cream head that lingers. Upon pouring I immediately smelled some sweet lightly toasted malts. After taking a stronger whiff the piney hops came into play with perhaps some floral/grassy notes. This red ale has a smooth light mouthfeel with a good but not overwhelming malt backbone. What surprised me was the significant hop presence in the finish that hung around for a bit. For me this threw off the overall balance and was a bit disappointing. For the style, I think the hops were too much. This one would be best described as a Red/Amber Ale trying to be an IPA. I'd have it again, but only because we don't get Cigar City in IL. If it was available in IL, I wouldn't hesitate to leave in on the shelf and grab a Bell's Amber Ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 01:46:13 | More by ZDub

CloudStrife

New York

4.3/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a CCB shaker.

A: Pours a clear copper amber with a 1 finger white head. After a minute or two the head dissipates to a thin covering. Nice lacing on the glass.

S: Hops, hops and more hops. This brew is fresh. A grapefruit citrus aroma. Minimal malt, focus is on the hops.

T: As anticipated from the aroma this is a pleasantly hoppy beer. Very balanced though it isn't too bitter. Lots of floral and fruity tones going on here. ABV is lost in the flavor.

M: Smooth medium to full body. A tad sticky from the hops but expected. Fairly low carbonation.

Overall I can see why this is one of the higher rated CCB brews. It kills the competiton in the amber ale category. Certainly not an IPA but a great hoppiness nonetheless.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2013 18:37:21 | More by CloudStrife

mnphish

Minnesota

4.26/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Thanks to Swampsquash for this! It pours a red amber body with a two finger vanilla colored head. Nice lacing. Another beauty from CCB.

This brew reeks of tropical fruits, hops, and slight caramel malt, smelling very close to an IPA. The taste is very citrus forward with lots of juicyfruit, but not overly hoppy. It's balanced nicely by a bready malt background. Very juicy and mildly bitter.

Just another top shelf beer from CCB. I Would buy this stuff regularly if I had access to it.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 22:21:30 | More by mnphish

clayrock81

Virginia

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

Poured a auburn colored body with good head on top of a classic amber ale smell of sharp, citric hops and some distinct caramel malt with some breadiness even. Hops are very prevelant in the taste and balance well with the sweet caramel malt. A hoppy, dry, crisp beer in a light-to-medium body that then picks up a little sweetness and finishes with a snappy finish that leaves you wanting for more. A great example of a red ale that is not too sweet or watery and overhopped and quite enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2013 18:33:32 | More by clayrock81

NoleDoc

Florida

4.63/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this beer on tap at Tap 42's Cigar City event. Good beer with a pretty dark red amber color. Really likin the color. Not too heavy and very well balance taste with hops and citrus notes. Feel the nice caramel taste, very smooth finish. Hops feel lingers in he mouth, great complexity. Very refreshing.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2013 16:53:50 | More by NoleDoc

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

4.48/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The Lost Spring Break 2012 Beer Reviews - Chapter Seven

Dense whipped off-white foam tops a dark amber body with shiny copper highlights.

Big powerful and inviting citrus aroma assaults the nose.

Deep caramel foundation. Breadliness. Juicy fruit follows. Good bitterness that carries through a long aftertaste.

Smooth, creamy medium-plus mouthfeel.

A surprise to find on the shelf on vacation, and I hope to find it again someday.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 02:19:32 | More by RonfromJersey

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

4.06/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12oz Bottle from Total Wine Tampa FL for 2$

Appearance - Slightly hazy copper colour with a large size fizzy beige coloured head. There is a low amount of carbonation showing and there is some decent lacing. The head lasted for over 5 minutes.

Smell - Hops, malts, grapefruit, apricots/guava

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste caramel and malts mixed with hops. There is also some grapefruit/guava/raspberry flavours. It ends with a fruity sweet aftertaste and a bit of lingering hop bitterness.

Overall – Maybe just a touch too sweet to drink a whole lot of, but a great american amber. It reminds me a bit of a Ithaca Cascazilla.. but better. Cigar city makes some fine brews.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 02:59:05 | More by spinrsx

BEERchitect

Kentucky

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

As a tribute to the Tocobaga establishment in early florida, the taste of citrus, grain, and earth culminate in a taste that's every bit IPA as it is an amber ale.

Obvious amber overtones set the pace with the beer's brightly hazed pour. As the beer relaxes, it releases a mildly tan-ish foam that rests sturdily above the beer. With solid foam stance, the beer laces intricately as the beer fades. The beer is every bit as impressive as it is inviting.

Resinous citrusy hops spring to the nose with quite a zesty surprise. Grapefruit and pine gently make way for more malty elements to rise to balance. Crusted bread, toasted grain, lightly scorched caramel, and dry biscuit aromas come close to matching that of the hops before leveling out in support.

Hoppy flavors also strike first- citrusy grapefruit and dried oranges early, and then the more woody pine and resin notes follow shortly. As the hops settle onto the tongue, the malty middle palate is dry yet lightly sweet. The taste of caramel, savory bread crust, and sun kissed grain present themselves but without much of the sweetness that is normally associated with those flavors. It's malty dry taste provides an even-keel richness before a return of deeply resinous hops to finish.

Malty-dry in texture too, the early embedded carbonated creaminess slowly recedes and allows the dryness from hops to dictate the late palate. Alcohol warmth and a light grainy-sweet texture is all that's left in its terse aftertaste.

With the bitterness and hop profile of IPA, the beer is tampered by a balancing malt sweetness, starchiness, and body- it both appeases hop heads and those who prefer balance alike.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 01:14:44 | More by BEERchitect

chanokokoro

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Cigar City Brewing branded shaker pint glass

Pours a hazy amber with heavy rusty highlights. A one a half finger cream colored caps the brew, average retention, scattered splotchy lacing. Caramel notes, citrus blossoms, and orange rind on the nose. Opens with flora and citrus specifically tangerine, mandarin orange, and pineapple. Light toffee and caramel malt midpalate. Finishes pleasantly dry with mild mandarin orange rind bitteress with more caramel accents. Abundant but gentle carbonation. Smooth, silky, fairly large malt bill and on the lighter side of medium bodied. Amber/Red Ales are certainly not one of my favored styles, but this is certainly one of the better ones I've had. Yet another winner, among many, from Cigar City Brewing.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 03:21:43 | More by chanokokoro