Cigar City Brewing

MarcatGSB

Michigan

5/5  rDev +10.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

A true beer destination all on it's own. They are growing, and in a good way. Expanding their production facility, canning, adding more barrel aged beers to their line up, adding new treatments to already great beers. Wow.
We spent 5 out of our 9 nights in the Tampa area at CCB. Each of which held great surprises. The first night we pulled up, we were amazed by the size of the facility. I guess they just bought a good portion of the buildings around them, and expanded the tap room...literally weeks before we arrived. I never would have known had I not asked. The initial room that you walk into (which used to be THE brew pub) is now the "growler bar". They have ten or so taps in the growler bar that you can fill 32 oz. or 128 oz. growlers, and enjoy a pint. Great idea...stops congestion at the other bar, and they sometimes slip different beers onto the growler bar without posting them on the screen in the main pub.

After walking thru the growler room/store front area, the back bar opens up into a long room with a shuffle board table on one side (awesome, love this classic game), and a long 15-20 seat bar with 8 to 10 tables varying in sizes through the area.
It's an impressive bar, really. 40 taps, with a huge 50 inch TV above with an easy to read, update the second tap list. Boom, as soon as something new is put it, it's added to the tap list on the computer, a quick refresh, and it's listed. Name, style, abv, size pour, price. How awesome is that?
Jake was behind the bar the first night, and I could tell he wasn't really a bartender, but we started talking with him, and he was a really nice guy. As it turns out, he does all the treatments for the beer...I find this out as I'm drinking White Oak Jai Alai and it was wonderful, so I made sure I gave him his due praise by going out to my hoopde and grabbing a Dark Horse BA Plead the 5th.
Over the course of the next five nights, we were able to join at least one or two, sometimes more new brews each night, each of which were great beers. I think my least favorite was a raspberry lager, but still enjoyed it more than many beers I had on my journey.
I know CCB hasn't been around long, but the overall quality of the beer they are producing, their brewing facility, their brew pub, and the general feel and atmosphere of this place puts it in the upper echelon of breweries I have visited including Founders, Three Floyds, and Bells. I can only see great things coming to them. If anyone from CCB is reading this review, thank you so much for the great times we shared there, Kelly and I will be back, hopefully soon! And thanks for letting us crash in your parking lot, weee!

12-26-2012 21:53:54 | More by MarcatGSB

ajtorres311

Florida

4.66/5  rDev +2.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5 | $$

The place looks amazing and admittedly much bigger than it looks from the outside. Large LCD screen with beer tap list are on display above the bar, which boast not only the selection, but also the styles, ABV and whether or not growlers are available for each beer. They also offer guest taps for consumption. The staff is very friendly and will recommend beers according to your tastes. They have a couple of coolers with their standard fare in them along with brewery only or limited distribution cans and bottles available for purchase along with glassware and other assorted merch. Would definitely go again and again and again... you get the point!

05-15-2013 15:58:13 | More by ajtorres311

ThreeFishes

Florida

4.87/5  rDev +7.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 5 | $$

I love going out to visit this brewery. The tasting room has been recently enlarged, with a new bar and more beers on tap. They have also added some guest taps for other local breweries. The beers are all quality stuff with some truly excellent brews. The staff is friendly and informative. I like the tour. Five dollars for a trip through the brewery, a pint of beer, and a pint glass to take home. Tuesdays they have a special beer or treatment that can be bought in a growler in addition to the regular growler fills they do. Very nice place to go and have a few beers.

05-15-2013 00:57:09 | More by ThreeFishes

ManLoveBeer

Florida

4.73/5  rDev +4.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 5 | $$

I've been there multiple times and always had a great time. Hunahpu's day this year was GREAT can't wait till next year! Always have to gat the growlers filled for the trip home. Pick up a couple special releases and a lot of drinks on draft. An maybe even a good Madero infused cigar. So I don't leave there without spending a good chunk of change

05-11-2013 00:51:29 | More by ManLoveBeer

jmwildwest

Florida

4.86/5  rDev +7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

One of my favorite road trips in the area. The tasting room is warm and welcoming. Top notch service from a very friendly knowledgeable staff that won't lead you astray. Great locals and regulars that love to talk about beer and spark up a conversation. Don't miss out on a grower of any of their special treatments. They are mad scientist. If you can make it to Hunapuh Day take advantage. Though sometimes chaotic the taplist is astounding and reaches cross country. The treasured Hunahpu is a must and an annual heavyweight to be savoured.

04-22-2013 00:27:41 | More by jmwildwest

wilfonzo

Florida

4.97/5  rDev +9.5%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

Great place, the expansion made it even better. It seems that they have new and different beers everytime i go with variations of their popular beers which are more often than not better than the original. The only thing it needs is some more/better outside seating, other than that it's perfect.

04-05-2013 21:54:32 | More by wilfonzo

Lare453

Florida

5/5  rDev +10.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $

A. Laid back, busy but not too busy to get a beer. Nice people most of the time. Good beer culture.

Q I think this answers itself. Best beer ever. By far the vest brewery I know.

S great, they always know your name, super nice, the gal bartenders are very good looking. They all know their beer, and are super nice and fun.

S awesome, they always have something new, exciting, limited and delicious available. There are usually 30 beers on tap, plus another five guest brewery taps. Several available for growlers. Bottle selection is always good too.

Good value for all things available.

This place also rocks because they leave a private room available for free booking. You can do bottle shares in it from any brewery. You can also bring any bottle not for sale into the brewery to drink. I recommend you share with the bartenders.

04-03-2013 03:08:43 | More by Lare453

Billolick

New York

4.25/5  rDev -6.4%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25 | $$

First stop in Tampa on a recent mini vacation visit...its very close to the airport, and made for a relaxing spot to unwind a bit from the usual airport stress.

Large bar and growler fill area up front, with ample options to go in a couple of refrigerators. And a larger/longer bar area towards the rear. Friendly staff, comfortable and low key athmosphere, tons of CC options on tap, bottle, cans and growler fills. Industrial area and feel to the brewery.

No real food offered. Bring some in or order for delivery when you get there. Never understand why places like this dont have at least something decent to eat or partner with a vendor/food truck.

Well worth a visit to stock up on and enjoy the tasty CC beers.

04-02-2013 22:47:41 | More by Billolick

clayrock81

Virginia

4.18/5  rDev -7.9%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 4.25 | $$

Very nice place to visit as Cigar City beers are worth going out of your way to try and even the guest beer taps are lined with great stuff and the prices are not bad at all (and they're pretty liberal with sampling/flights of beer). Outside of their brews and a few others, though, you won't find anything so don't come here if you're looking for an extensive tap or bottle collection. Also don't come here if you want to drink a beer and watch TV - they do not have a TV which irritated my friend. Then again, who needs a TV when there's great beer and lots of people up for lively conversation or you can enjoy a cigar outside and enjoy the weather.

03-25-2013 16:44:28 | More by clayrock81

goldtar

Indiana

4.88/5  rDev +7.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

A wide selection of excellent beers. I have been there several times and it can get very busy and hard on the staff to keep up. Taproom recently revamped and expanded, but still small (cozy). They have an newly added merchandise area with an expanded selection of swag. Close to Steinbrenner Field so a nice place to stop in after a game.

01-28-2013 18:20:58 | More by goldtar