Black Ash
Cigar City Brewing

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From:
Cigar City Brewing
 
Florida, United States
Style:
Schwarzbier
ABV:
6.7%
Score:
76
Avg:
3.27 | pDev: 23.55%
Reviews:
20
Ratings:
111
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Aug 14, 2015
Added:
Dec 21, 2013
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  12
Collaboration with Max Lager's Wood-Fired Grill & Brewery of Atlanta, GA.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.46 by BeccaH from Florida

Aug 14, 2015
 
Rated: 4.08 by KAF from Iowa

Aug 12, 2015
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Reviewed by M_C_Hampton from Georgia

4.28/5  rDev +30.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
A: poured from a 22 oz bottle into a pint glass, nearly black with a large tan head that dissipates leaving good lacing, clear

S: toasty bread, chocolate, coffee, smoke, very stout like

T: quite smokey, lots of sweetness, odd for a lager in that the flavor profile is quite complex, dark sweet fruits, figs, raisins, tart cherries, bitter citrus hops, there's tons going on here

M: medium bodied, slightly sticky

O: very interesting and unique, elements of stout and rauchbier
May 14, 2015
Photo of Jadjunk
Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia

3.56/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
"This beer is unique in that it features smoky characteristics despite the fact that we didn't use anything smoked in the brewing process. Prepare to venture to the dark side with this hoppy, mocha lager." Brewed in the style of a Schwarzbier, available in limited run 22 oz. bottles and limited draft. Collaboration between Cigar City Brewing and Max's Lagers in Atlanta, Georgia.

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a snifter glass. Served above 54 degrees Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a medium chocolate brown head of a frothy crisp consistency over a very dark brown, near black body. Retention is above average, and lacing is light and spotty. 3.5

(Smell) Very complex aroma, unmalted wheat, chocolate malts, German biscuit malts, some light caramel syrup, a curious note of funk with light sourness, notes of tart cherry, delicate earthy and grassy hop notes with a low bitterness. Some light impact of smokiness hints at the black ash aging. Aromatically speaking, this is one of the busiest black lagers I have laid my nose upon, neither a good nor bad thing, but not all of the components of this aroma are destined to please. It's a bit wild, a bit tart and funky, artificially smoky, very unusually out-of-style for the typically clean-drinking and straightforward Schwarzbier. 3.75

(Taste) The wood aging comes through aggressively in the flavor. Malt notes of biscuit, caramel and light chocolate are met with the drying impact of strong and bold black ash wood, very drying and very green, leaching raw vegetative and living wood notes all throughout the beer and into the finish. Light hop notes are drowned out in the flavor, and the tart funk flavors are a wild, but surprisingly fitting combination with the wood flavors of the black ash. Very unusual- I could easily see how this would be an offensive culmination of flavors to some but frankly I don't have enough beers that go this far out on a limb. I'm compelled enough to see this beer through to the last drop. 3.75

(Mouthfeel) Texture is slick, lightly oily, faintly chewy, chalky dry. Carbonation is moderate generating a light frothiness and a moderately crisp finish. Body is high for the style and medium/high overall. Balance is earthy wood bitter, tart and funky over sweet. Alcohol presence is mild and there are no off characters to mention. If this beer was infected, there would be virtually no way to tell. 3.5

(Overall) Expect the very unexpected here. I have never had a beer aged on Black Ash, but the flavor that comes from black ash is profound and comes through 110% in this beer, arguably overdone, but I appreciate the occasional aggressively-aged wood beer. I found the lighter-bodied choice of a black lager unusual for such a bold wood choice but it allows the unique characteristics of the black ash to shine uninterrupted. I personally enjoyed this beer even though it has appeared to have turned many stomachs since its release. 3.5

Cigar City Brewing's
Black Ash American Black Lager Aged On Black Ash (With Max Lager's)
3.56/5.00
Apr 23, 2015
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Rated by rudabegga9 from Georgia

2.22/5  rDev -32.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
worst beer that Ive ever had from CCB.
Dec 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by SP1_FLA from Florida

Dec 08, 2014
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Reviewed by joe1510 from Illinois

3.77/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
22oz Bomber

Bottled: 12/12/13

Thanks to Mark for passing this one along! Black Ash produces a dandy of a pour. The body is chalkboard black, no highlights make it through. A bubbly, lively, eggshell finished mocha head sits atop the body two fingers in height. The staying power of the foam is strong, settling but painfully slow. Big chunky, clumpy lacing clings to the glass. A good looking beer to be sure.

I have to admit, I didn't expect much but the nose is both interesting and welcoming. This lager is roasty and sooty, bordering on acrid but never quite making it. Black coffee notes as well.The black ash really adds some interesting characteristics I can't say I've ever comes across in beer most notably a blue cheese funkiness that somehow seems to work. It's like a charred up Stilton burger. Sounds strange, I know, but I like it.

The roast is big and dense engulfing every other aspect. Highly roasted, nearly burnt black coffee comes through as well. The roast on this guy is up there, way up there, bordering on smokey even. The bleu cheese quality on the nose has softened on the palate adding just a whisper of Stilton on the backend. I'm still not fully sure where that comes from but it must be the wood. Good beer, a little challenging, but certainly unique.

The body is on the plus side of moderate with a plush creaminess. Carbonation is there but soft, allowing the weight of the body to do the work. The roast is enough that it leaves behind a decent bitterness that tends to grow with each drink. Though not dry at first it gets there eventually, even a little tannic at times.

Black Ash is an interesting beer, one I can't say is comparable to any other I've had in the past. The uniqueness is its strong suit. The roast is turned up to eleven, bringing notes of coffee and a solid bitterness. The wood is somewhat tannic and brings with it that oddly enjoyable bleu cheese note. I can't say I would buy this beer often, and it's better split amongst friends, but it is a fun beer to drink, a bit of a challenge. A thinker of sorts. Interesting.
Dec 07, 2014
Photo of SomethingClever
Reviewed by SomethingClever from Ohio

3.54/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Bottle purchase 12/13 22 oz poured into a Snifter

A: A shade of darkness that absorbs all light bottle was very cold tried getting aggressive with the pour only ended up with a small head that was a mocha color it disappeared quickly just some tiny film around the edges with bubbles

S: Smells like liquid smoke and a little big of wood chips that have been soaked in water with maybe a little maple sweetness

T: Wow smoke, burnt wood like a campfire that someone has poured water on and surprisingly very little sweetness with a sour finish

M: You almost think it's thin but it becomes so dry that it kinda makes you feel like it's coating your tongue

O: Not a big fan very smoky though and a year old!?! Yikes what was this fresh, no real underlying beer taste just campfire I think it's interesting the lack of sweetness, the more of it you drink it's really not bad it was very cold when I started it's better warm
Dec 05, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by trippnwo from Florida

Nov 29, 2014
 
Rated: 1.5 by BigPandaHunter from Texas

Nov 15, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by RavenForBeer from Georgia

Nov 12, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by LeeEvolved from Virginia

Nov 10, 2014
 
Rated: 1 by kushlash23 from Georgia

Oct 19, 2014
 
Rated: 2.5 by Dicers from California

Sep 13, 2014
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Reviewed by Alieniloquium from Florida

2.2/5  rDev -32.7%
650 mL bottle poured into a snifter.

Appearance - Black body. Big khaki head. Retains well. Thick collar.

Smell - Whoa. Weird. Gorgonzola cheese. Chocolate and licorice. Woody.

Taste - It tastes like gorgonzola cheese up front, too. Chocolate. Very woody. Bitter chocolate finish.

Mouthfeel - Medium body. Kinda bitter. Well carbonated.

Overall - Well, the cheese is remarkably odd. Odd and gross.
Aug 23, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by TypsiYpsi from Michigan

Aug 20, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by amalburg from Michigan

Aug 20, 2014
 
Rated: 2.25 by Big_Dave from Texas

Aug 07, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by KG710 from Georgia

Aug 04, 2014
 
Rated: 2 by suckaj from Florida

Aug 03, 2014
Black Ash from Cigar City Brewing
Beer rating: 76 out of 100 with 111 ratings