If you fancy yourself a South Tampa beer aficionado, Cigar City Brewing’s probably left its impression on your memory, and taste buds, in the two years it’s been since they’ve opened their doors. If not, that’s cool too, maybe even better since many probably yearn to re-sip that first pint they had at Cigar City.
The alcohol-filled baby of Tampa entrepeneur, Joey Redner, Cigar City Brewing began commercially producing Tampa area-inspired brews in early 2009. And this is no, gimmicky attraction to bring in tourism or give Tampa yuppies something new to fawn over. This is a real, dare we say, gourmet brewery, very much focused on the quality of their beloved beers.
Users on BeerAdvocate.com, the online source for beer brewers and drinkers alike, graded both of Cigar City’s year round brews – The Maduro Brown Ale and the Jai-Alai IPA – with A’s. For comparison’s sake, Bud Light has a D-, Heineken has a C, and Blue Moon’s got a B-.
The Jai Alai IPA is a sharp and deliciously hoppy brew with a hint of citrus, apricot surely a million other flavors someone at Cigar City would probably love to tell you about. The Maduro is a good yin to the Jai Alai yang; an English-style brown ale (think Newcastle) with caramel and chocolates notes throughout.
Other seasonal beers are brewed throughout the year at Cigar City as well. These include a “Humidor Series” of varying beers brewed in special barrels made of cedar and the Marshall Zhukov Imperial Stout boasting an 11.5 alcohol percentage.
So where can you try some of these beers? Well, a number of bars and restaurants throughout Tampa offer a number of Cigar City brews and if yours doesn’t, it couldn’t hurt to ask for it. Various liquor and grocery stores offer the Jai Alai and Maduro in 6-packs as well.
But, the crème de la crème of all these places is the tasting room Cigar City Brewing. Here you can try the Jai Alai, Maduro, and a dizzying number of other Cigar City-crafted brews fresh from the tap. The current on-tap list is as follows…
• Jai Alai IPA
• Maduro Brown Ale
• Hillsborough River Dry Stout
• El Lector Dark Mild
• Jose Marti Porter
• Peach IPA
• Oatmeal Raisin Cookie
• Criterium Ale
• Marron Acidifie
The tasting room is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Cigar City Brewing also offers tours. If you’ve never seen how beer gets made on a mass-produced level, it’s quite awesome. Who else can say they’ve seen enough beer in a single vessel that a small child, or very inebriated man, would need floaties to swim in? Exactly.
Tours are available Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and can be scheduled by contacting info@cigarcitybrewing.com.
So, grab some friends, head down to Cigar City Brewing, and get to drinking. You’ve got some uh, research to do. Cheers mate!
