Vuja De - Cigar City Brewing

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cigar City smokes NYC at rattle N Hum. Dark colour, tiny head. Very cherry taste. Above average mouthfeel. Nothing funky, sourish but drinkable. Liked it and would even more so with food, as a replacement for a high tannin wine.Agree its more balsamic vinegar than lemon, which gives it a secondary of vegetable.

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2011 21:24:51 | More by northyorksammy

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice tight head of a finger in height rises up and settles across the top with gorgeous swirls of lacing across the sides of the glass. First whiff seems a bit light to be honest, light funk, sour notes, pears, and hints of malts starting to come though. No alcohol present at all and the sour seems very understated at this point. The first sip totally redeems it though as the sour fruits and oak notes start to perk up. Nice touches of berries, tons of tart berries grapeskins, sour, sour grapefruit like flavors rip through the palate. Dark fruits, prunes, hints of vanilla and light notes of brown sugar can be picked up through the haze of barnyard funk. Rich medium body is more then well carbonated and really lets the flavor pop across the palate. Final sips are dy, vinegar rich and full of apple and pear back flavors.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2011 23:23:10 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

1.83/5  rDev -47.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Bottle shared by starrdogg. Served in a Bruery tulip.

Pour yields a garnet-colored brew that is almost bordering on purple. Good tan head and a bit of lacing as it goes down. Nose spells trouble, as there's quite a bit of an acetic presence right from the start. The nose also carries a bit of chocolate, raspberry, and cherry. Those are nice notes, but they're too far adrift in a see of acetone. The flavor is much, much worse, as vinegar is about all I'm able to grab out of this one--it's simply too overpowering. Yuck. Really disappointing coming from CCB. Feel is too vinegary and acetic. Just can't get past it. Don't try this.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2011 03:12:54 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a clouded, dark brown body with a moderate-sized, whitish head.

Smell: A nearby opened bottle of malt vinegar with notes of macerated fruits, skins and all, a bit of stale chocolate, and some curious florals one would find well at home in a cup of herbal tea.

Taste: A brief introduction of a brown ale malt base and then, bang, a burst of sharp tartness, no time for sweetness, Dr. Jones. Homemade jams of black cherries and a blackberries stirred up with a generous pour of acetic vinegar and dusted with a small pinch of cocoa powder and lemon seeds. One tiny drop of acetone. Notably acidic and still unforgivingly tart on the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium-high carbonation.

Overall: Though it seemed quite a few did not, I certainly enjoyed this one. A fun, interesting ride.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 16:17:40 | More by ChainGangGuy

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a deep amber brown color ale with a nice thick foamy head with good retention and some very good lacing. Aroma consists of hibiscus and tart notes with light funky ester. Taste is a complex mix of tart notes with fruity flavour courtesy of the berries and hibiscus. Sour level is bit more pronounced then I would have expected but not overly so. Body is quite full with good carbonation. Alcohol is not apparent though not sure it is required to have such ABV for this beer. Good, would love to try this one again.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 03:26:01 | More by Phyl21ca

drabmuh

Maryland

1.3/5  rDev -62.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Bottled opened by Starrdog, thanks Matt. Beer is kind of brown / red with a head of small off white bubbles, no lacing, moderate carbonation. Looks kind of like a Flanders beer.

Oops, this beer SUCKS. the aroma is entirely acetone, completely disgusting. I try to smell past it, maybe some chocolate or fruit. The acetone is overwhelming. Makes me fear drinking it.

Beer is thin and solventy. Drainpour, completely disgusting. I am very confused how this beer has a single good rating, I feared for my vision so I stopped. Gross, never again.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2011 00:07:47 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

3.58/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to ericandersnavy for sharing this bottle and for djrn for sending me a bottle of this in a trade. Always happy to try a new beer from Cigar City.

The beer pours a hazy amber color with a white head. The aroma is a mix of tart cherries, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar. The flavor is similar. I get a lot of apple cider and balsamic vinegar notes, as well as some brown sugar. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2011 23:23:51 | More by Mora2000

mdfb79

New York

2.28/5  rDev -34.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

From 03/27/11 notes. Had at a local DC RB tasting.

a - Pours an amber-brown color with one inch of white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of vinegar, nailpolish remover, acedic, citrus, funk, and some sugar or sweet fruits. Way too much vinegar and not enjoyable.

t - Tastes of vinegar, sweet fruit or sugar, citrus, spices and pepper. Again, very acedic and lots of vinegar, but not in a very good way.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation.

o - Overall not a very good beer at all from Cigar City. Smell and taste are just vinegar, and not much fruit or anything to it. Not sure if this is what they were going for or if something went wrong and they just decided to bottle it anyway. Would not want to have again.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2011 17:05:55 | More by mdfb79

corby112

Pennsylvania

1.65/5  rDev -52.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5

750ml picked up at the Total Wine in Ft. Lauderdale.

Pours a very cloudy, dark ruby red, almost plum, colored with slight pinkish hues when held to a light and a frothy two finger light beige head. Very good retention, only slowly fading into a lasting cap that leaves chunks of soapy lacing behind.

Slightly earthy aroma with an odd combination of dark and citrus fruit notes along with an herbal floral presence, oak and dry Brett funkiness. There also a bit of a harsh solvent, acetic character. Very unique and interestig notes with the lemon, flowers and currants but the chemical acetone presence is a bit off putting.

Medium bodied a very harsh acetic flavor that dominates the other notes and lingers into a harsh dry finish. Very dry and funky while only being slightly sweet and tart. Again, there is a very odd balance if citrus fruit, herbal flowers, candy sugar and dark fruit. Oaky with some dry brett but the acetic stomach burning chemical flavor is really abrasive and unappealing. Almost medicinal tasting and hard to drink.

Overall, this beer was a big disappointment for me. Inusually enjoy most CCB beers ecpecially the exprimental offerings. I admire the effort here but it kind of tastes like a DFH experiment went wrong and they dumped some nail polish remover into the barrel. It's a shame that his beer turned out this way considering how well the red wine barrel version is.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2011 00:01:27 | More by corby112

glid02

Georgia

3.68/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle shared by Paul – thanks!

Pours a slightly hazy dark amber color with a half-finger cream-colored head. The head recedes into a wispy layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of medium malts with good amounts of tart cherries and berries. Also present are solid amounts of sharp vinegar.

Tastes not quite as good as smells, mostly due to the distinct vinegar and astringency. Medium malt flavors kick things off and are joined quickly by moderately tart berry flavors with good amounts of sweeter apricot flavors. Midway through the sip the vinegar takes charge, overwhelming the balance that preceded it. The vinegar carries through to a moderately tart and solidly dry ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It’s got a nice thickness with smooth carbonation.

Drinkability is OK. I didn’t have a problem finishing my glass however I’m not sure about another.

Overall I’d heard horror stories about this beer but I didn’t find it to be totally disagreeable, although it certainly had some edges that could stand to be smoothed a bit. Maybe some time will help it out, if you’ve got one I’d recommend sitting on it for a while in hopes it comes along.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2011 03:22:50 | More by glid02

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to CaptinRedBeard for sharing this brew at a recent tasting. Poured into a mini snifter, this brew appears a murky dark brown color with a darkly tanned cap. The head recedes leaving leggy lacework on the glass. When held to the light, this brew displays ruby and lighter brown coloration through the body.

The aroma of this brew smells strikingly similar to balsamic vinegar that is quite tangy and pungent. There is a bold punt of alcohol that comes off smelling fusel. More whiffs of this brew start to smell more and more like nail polish remover.

The taste of the brew is piercingly tangy and bitter that is similar to balsamic vinegar. Underneath the tangy is some roasty malt indications and a light aftertaste that is somewhat smokey. More sips clash together with the alcohol to form a very sharp brew that is hard to put down.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. This is not a brew that you can throw back a few pints of. It's an interesting mix and original effort but I don't think it totally came together. The alcohol is a bit out of whack and could be tuned down a bit to make it more enjoyable. After trying this brew and then hearing about the different ingredients, I certainly didn't pick up on most if not all of the additives. I enjoy most of Cigar City's offerings but this one was a miss. It's worth a try though if you get a chance. Thanks again Corey.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2011 18:32:12 | More by stakem

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.45/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had this one during the 'We Want The Funk!' tasting that was graciously hosted by beermeX2! Big thanks goes out to beermeX2 for sharing this one with the group! Served from bottle into a Mikkeller flute. Poured a deep reddish brown with a minimal off-white head. Maintained decent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, vinegar, acetone, and sour. The flavor was of sweet malt, caramel, vinegar, earth, sour, and wood. It had a light feel on the palate with high carbonation. Overall this was a decent brew. The acetone on the aroma was quite off-putting as it was the first time I had smelled it in a beer. I know the smell well as I am a chemist and we use it A LOT to clean glassware. Definitely not one of my favorite chemical smells. Despite this I opted to take a sip anyways. The vinegar aspect was really dominent in this one. The earthy note was a nice touch mixed with the woody character. Worth trying this one at least once so you can be the judge for yourself.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2011 19:53:26 | More by thagr81us

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.4/5  rDev +27.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 mL bottle courtesy of fthomasl, thanks bud. Pours a cloudy brown color with an ample tan head. Retention and lacing are average at best.

Nose is great! Lots of berry aromas and acetic vinegar. Smells like an aged Rodenbach mixed with a nice lambic. Me likey.

Pithy, lemon zest flavors play nicely with the acetic sourness. Damn, this is a tasty beverage! The sourness is plenty there for extreme sourheads and also displays some ancillary flavors of hops and berry fruitiness. Wine-like at times with a grape-esque tannin aspect. I think this is a well balanced sour that hits some high notes at times but has some pithy bitterness that I could see turning some folk off. I really like it though, and would be more than happy to have a few more of these. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2011 01:45:13 | More by twiggamortis420

nickfl

Florida

4.4/5  rDev +27.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours with one and a half figers of light brown foam on top of a dark brown body with very little light showing through. The head settles slowly and leaves virtually no lace on the glass.

S - Strong acidic aroma with dark fruity notes. Some plum and sour black cherry as well as a lightly funky note. Very reminiscent of a Flemish red ale.

T - Caramel malt with vinegary acidity and some dry, pie cherry flavor. More of the dry fruity flavor in the middle with some brown sugar. The beer finishes with a tart, berry like fruity character and more round, sweet caramel.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation, and a somewhat dry finish.

D - Very nicely done! This is more or less a flemmish brown/red ale with a tart fruity character and some balancing sweet caramel. The label description implies that, like some St. Somewhere beers, it has some exotic spices but it has too much yeast and malt character for me to pick anything specific out. Hybiscus and elderberry would blend right in here. A very enjoyable wild ale, exactly what I would expect from two of my favorite breweries.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2011 07:03:28 | More by nickfl

FosterJM

California

4.03/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

770th Review on BA
Bottle to Goblet
750 ML

@Woodshop Classix
Thanks to Eric and Sam for sharing!

App- Interesting mix of brown/ambers and reds. A huge puffy two finger head with a good amount of cling to it. A nice wild ale.

Smell- Brighter medium dark fruits with a little yeast behind it. Very bubbly and bright on the nose. No trace of the infection some are smelling on her. Get a little bit of the lemon but not much hidden behind the other fruit.

Taste- Taste really follows the nose although with a little twist. Had a little bit of sour to it but not all that much and more of the lemony notes come in with currants to give it a twang on the taste.

Mouth- Medium bodied and medium carbonated. A little bit of bubbly fruits remain and smooths out on the finish.

Drink- This was a nice beer. I have been pretty happy with all the CCB beers I have had and this was nice as well with some unique flavors melding seeminly well.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 19:48:54 | More by FosterJM

AgentZero

Illinois

1.45/5  rDev -58.1%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

A - Not a particularly attractive beer, somewhat reddish brown, with a thin off-white head that didn't leave much stick on the sides. At the ABV it has, I guess that is acceptable.

S - What in God's name is this? Nail-polish remover? A massive amount of acetone hits the nose. Wow, that is just gross. There's also some smell of vinegar, and some sort of sickly fruit sweetness. I think all the hair in my nostrils just disintigrated along with my desire to put this beer in my mouth.

T - This is an abomination, the bastard child of nail-polish remover and bad apple cider. Somehow it actually manages to taste worse than it smells. Solvent heavy, bad vinegar, who knows what else at this point because I don't care enough to figure out anything more with this beer as there can't possibly be any qualities redeeming enough to keep this from going down the drain.

M - Somewhat thin, softer carbonation.

O - Shame on Cigar City for putting this in bottles.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 22:10:21 | More by AgentZero

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to FooFaa for sharing a 705ml bottle on 4/18/11.

A - Emerged from the bottle as a murky brown liquid with a finger's worth of frothy tan head that reduced to leave behind a bit of swirly lacing.

S - Aroma is unusual but intriguing, with a pkethora of floral, herbal and fruity attributes. Dark fruit, raisins and juicy berries come to mind, as well as citrus fruit. There is also a faint cocoa and molasses character in the background that surprised me.

T - Juicy berry character paired with tangy dark fruit and a hint of cocoa in the middle through the backend. While there is indeed quite a bit of tartness, Vuja De finishes on the bitter side with an abundance of herbal and floral notes. Reminds me of dissolving Sweet Tarts candy in prune juice when I was a kid... OK, I never did that.

M - Medium bodied with a syrupy texture and bristly carbonation. Acidic and tart on the tonuge, then finishes with moderate bitterness across the palate.

D - I enjoyed my small pour quite a bit, actually. Could I drink an entire pint of this? Probably not, but this was quite tasty overall and really unique. Extra points for pushing the boundaries here.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2011 16:38:12 | More by ffejherb

billab914

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Another bottle shared by Rhettroactive. Poured from a 750ml bottle into a tasting glass. It poured a murky dark brown color with a thick foamy head to it.

The aroma is slightly funky with a lot of fruitiness coming through. A little bit of a malty, slightly caramel like flavor is there. I liked the light funk to it. Not bad overall, but not great either.

The taste shows a little more funk and sourness to it but the tart fruits show through as well. Pretty big malty base to it as well. Pretty decent flavors to it.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with high carbonation. Overall I thought it was pretty good. It had a nice mix of funky, tart fruits and some decent supporting malt flavors. It was pretty drinkable as well.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 16:29:14 | More by billab914

maximum12

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +28%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Thanks again to master traders moose3285 & beerisheaven for shooting me bottles of this brew within days of one another. Funny thing is, they both sent me emails shortly after almost apologizing for the low score it rec'd & hoping I didn't think it sucked. Well, it doesn't. Cracked the first one in line for Great Taste tickets around midnight & it stood up to The Bruery sour we had just before...good stuff!

So here I'm splitting the second bottle with my lovely wife, & this wild should be right up her alley. Poured into a couple of goblets, this is a dull, matte red infused with a brown clay. Healthy carbonation. Smells like good quality vinegar, nail polish remover, spring flowers, mild sourness, & grass. Somehow, that unappetizing description is much nicer in the nose than to the eyes.

Vuja De is a lighter sour, which is my preference to those that make your brown eye seize up. The sour pucker is certainly astride this brew, but there are several flavors cutting the acidic bite. First & foremost are the light flowery notes, & a healthy shot of lemon. Nice fleeing lash of sweetness in the middle of a mouthful, before the thigh-bone-dry quality takes over. I'm almost out of saliva. Perhaps one of the most drinkable sours I've ever had; this is a straight-up sipping sour.

This is a collaboration that hits on all cylinders, really dig this excellent brew. The brilliant addition of a mild flowering components tames the wild critters & makes this oh-so-palatable.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2011 02:15:49 | More by maximum12

ehammond1

California

4.2/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle

Acquired via trade
Thanks sendsilk!

Hazy and murky auburn brown with a rapidly growing khaki colored head. Dots and specks of lace down the glass.

Bright aromas of cherries, currants, and lemon, along with some mild tang and sourness, and a bit of wood.

Bright, popping flavors: currants and cherries, a little bit of lemon, tart sourness and some underlying funk--a really lovely combination. I had no idea what to expect from this beer, though I really enjoyed it.

Light to medium mouthfeel with plenty of carbonation. A joy to drink.

A great surprise, as I didn't have any idea what to expect from this beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2011 17:10:03 | More by ehammond1

Overlord

California

1.55/5  rDev -55.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

Whoa ... this is one epic misfire.

Pours an almost grape-y purplish red with a large off-white head. The smell gives warning that something is terribly, horribly amiss. There are some vague spicy notes, a bit of unidentifiable sweet fruit-i-ness, and an overpowering miasma of cleaning solvent/nail polish remover. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

It was all I could do to get through four or five oz. I like flavor bombs. I seek them out. I crave them. This beer has too much flavor. Needs to have the spices and nail polish dialed down by a factor of 90%. The sad part is the vinegar/tannin/leather notes are almost pleasant, and the fruit-y/sugar-y/lemon-y spiciness might have been good ... if not for that horrible god awful paint removal flavor that throttles everything it touches.

A truly epically awful beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 06:10:09 | More by Overlord

cjgator3

Florida

3.73/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

750ml bottle

A- Poured into a Cigar City tulip. Pours a dark brownish color with a nice off-white head. 

S- The aroma is sour with a lot of floral and fruity notes, citrus and Belgian yeast.

T- The taste like the aroma immediately hits the back of the tongue that controls the sour tastebuds. Vuja De really packs a punch in the sour category.

M- The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation.

D- Overall, Vuja De is another fine beer from Cigar City. If you are a fan of Cigar City and sours particularly, this beer is for you.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2011 04:06:38 | More by cjgator3

atsprings

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap to wrap up Flying Saucer's 11th anniversary, served in a Cigar City pint glass a deep brown with a thin khaki head. Aroma is loads of tart fruits. The taste is a nice punch in the mouth of tart fruits, both berries and citrus, alongside a nice malt backbone. The beer is medium bodied with decent carbonation. This is a very enjoyable Wild Ale, one I am glad that I got to try, and would certainly have again.

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2011 04:10:26 | More by atsprings

claspada

New Jersey

2.45/5  rDev -29.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Pours a garnet color that is almost bordering on purple with a good tan head and a bit of lacing as it goes down.

Aromas begin with quite a bit of an acetic presence right from the start. The nose also carries a bit of chocolate, raspberry and cherry.

The tastes begin much, much worse, as vinegar is about all I'm able to grab out of this one, with a distinct metallic twang that is quite off-putting. The acidic flavors are simply too overpowering.

The mouthfeel is too vinegary and acetic. Just can't get past it. It lingers on the palate and if qay too dry and unpleasant throughout the finish.

Overall a disaster from a normally reputable brewer. Not sure if this is just past it's prime or was just rubbish from the start, regardless avoid going forward.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 14:24:01 | More by claspada

sweemzander

Illinois

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

750mL bottle poured into a tasting glass. Thanks Matt for sharing!

(A)- Pours a deep and cloudy mahogany color. Some tan/transparent lace.

(S)- A big sour acidity. Can definitely see the black currants and lemon leaves.

(T)- High acidity, but rather floral too. Bits of spice and lemon with an overall good sour character throughout.

(M)- A good carbonation level and balance. Again, high acidity, but it has a good backbone of rich fruit and citrus. Subtle chalky finish to it.

(D)- Uniquely acidic with a fun profile of rich fruits and citrus while being a tad dry and chalky. Enjoyable. Based upon some of the reviews I see, there must be off bottles out there or extreme bottle variation going on.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 18:08:34 | More by sweemzander