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Jai Alai IPA - Spanish Cedar (Humidor Series)
Cigar City Brewing
- From:
- Cigar City Brewing
- Florida, United States
- Style:
- American IPA
Ranked #1,273 - ABV:
- 7.5%
- Score:
- 89
Ranked #12,477 - Avg:
- 3.96 | pDev: 14.14%
- Reviews:
- 523
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Oct 29, 2023
- Added:
- May 26, 2009
- Wants:
- 195
- Gots:
- 114
This unique IPA shares all the tropical and citrus flavors of our Jai Alai IPA but with an added dimension imparted by Spanish cedar, the same wood used to make cigar humidors. Wood from the Cedrela odorata tree is added post-fermentation to impart notes of sandalwood and cracked black pepper, adding depth of flavor and accentuating the IPA’s moderate bitterness.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by nhindian:
Reviewed by nhindian from Pennsylvania
4.12/5 rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.12/5 rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750ml bottle poured into a Cigar City snifter. Bottle generously provided as an extra by thagr81us, thanks Calton!
A - Pours a dark goldenrod color with flecks of amber within the deepest parts. About a finger's worth of cream-colored head with pretty good retention and a thick cap after it's gone. Lacing is nice as well, with long, cascading curtains of foam surrounding the glass.
S - The nose is rich and complex, bringing in deep aromas of the underlying IPA mixed with wood. You can almost smell the juiciness of the citrus, grapefruit, and pine from the hops, and the cedar serves as a way to balance that by adding a big dose of vanilla and a sawdust smell that is like sticking your head into a cedar chest. The malts are no strangers as well, contributing a nice caramel aroma.
T - The depth of this beer continues well into the flavor. At first, it seems rather malty, with a bold caramel sweetness and a slight toffee flavor. The wood definitely serves as the bridge between the malts and hops, with an aggressive cedar taste that is almost like sucking on a stave, but then the vanilla returns to help cut that. As in the nose, the finish is all hops, from the ripe citrus notes to the bitter finish.
M - Mouthfeel is moderately heavy-bodied with good carbonation. A bit syrupy at times, but the carbonation helps alleviate this a bit. Finish is long and bitter.
D/O - Drinkability is moderately high. Up to this point, Dogfish Head's Burton Baton has set the bar for me in terms of wood-aged IPAs, but this definitely makes it close. I would say this beer is a bit more complex than Burton, but is more bitter and the amount of cedar is like getting a face-full for sawdust, which isn't necessarily bad. I haven't had Burton in too long, but I faintly remember it being a bit more smooth. This is still a great beer though, and definitely in the top tier for it's style.
Sep 17, 2011A - Pours a dark goldenrod color with flecks of amber within the deepest parts. About a finger's worth of cream-colored head with pretty good retention and a thick cap after it's gone. Lacing is nice as well, with long, cascading curtains of foam surrounding the glass.
S - The nose is rich and complex, bringing in deep aromas of the underlying IPA mixed with wood. You can almost smell the juiciness of the citrus, grapefruit, and pine from the hops, and the cedar serves as a way to balance that by adding a big dose of vanilla and a sawdust smell that is like sticking your head into a cedar chest. The malts are no strangers as well, contributing a nice caramel aroma.
T - The depth of this beer continues well into the flavor. At first, it seems rather malty, with a bold caramel sweetness and a slight toffee flavor. The wood definitely serves as the bridge between the malts and hops, with an aggressive cedar taste that is almost like sucking on a stave, but then the vanilla returns to help cut that. As in the nose, the finish is all hops, from the ripe citrus notes to the bitter finish.
M - Mouthfeel is moderately heavy-bodied with good carbonation. A bit syrupy at times, but the carbonation helps alleviate this a bit. Finish is long and bitter.
D/O - Drinkability is moderately high. Up to this point, Dogfish Head's Burton Baton has set the bar for me in terms of wood-aged IPAs, but this definitely makes it close. I would say this beer is a bit more complex than Burton, but is more bitter and the amount of cedar is like getting a face-full for sawdust, which isn't necessarily bad. I haven't had Burton in too long, but I faintly remember it being a bit more smooth. This is still a great beer though, and definitely in the top tier for it's style.
More User Ratings:
Rated by Rynocat from Florida
5/5 rDev +26.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +26.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Jai alai is always a go to ipa but that smoky wood Spanish cedar flavor adds a whole extra layer of amazingness, really like the taste on this one.
Oct 29, 2023Reviewed by cyclonece09 from Wisconsin
3.94/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.94/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a can into a pint glass. Pours orange red with a fluffy white head. Smells of cedar wood with citrus notes. Tastes of citrus hops with cedar afternotes. Beer is light bodied and easy drinking, good carbonation. Overall, a very good beer.
Sep 18, 2023Reviewed by JohnniEMc from Pennsylvania
4.34/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.34/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Two twelve ounce cans now have their erstwhile contents resting inside a clear glass liter mug. Ample carbonation maintains a lovely off-white head. The brew's color is light and bright copper-amber. Perhaps Spanish cedar is not as aromatic as its mid-eastern cousin, because there's little here to smell. Even the hops and malt seemed subdued. But the taste is full-flavored. It's a wonderful AIPA that mostly matches the original Jai Alai. There's just a little woodsy extra that, rather than many bourbon barrel aged ones, adds a subtle taste layer, rather than becoming dominant over all. With the original already one of the great ones, this takes its place beside it as a nice alternative. There's even some nice glass lacing.
Mar 06, 2023Reviewed by Griffin2 from Virginia
3.87/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.87/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a 12 oz can dated 10/24/2022 into a Willi Becher pint glass.
L - Pours a medium amber color with 2 fingers of white head.
S - Smells of citrus.
T - Tastes of citrus and caramel malt, with some cedar on the finish.
F - Medium body and carbonation.
O - Tasty erosion of Jai Alai.
Feb 04, 2023L - Pours a medium amber color with 2 fingers of white head.
S - Smells of citrus.
T - Tastes of citrus and caramel malt, with some cedar on the finish.
F - Medium body and carbonation.
O - Tasty erosion of Jai Alai.
Reviewed by whitro17 from Florida
4/5 rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Look - golden amber with a small head
Smell - cracked pepper, woody, citrus
Taste - cracked pepper, spice, citrus pith, sweet malt and hop finish
Feel - medium mouthfeel and carbonation
Overall - Sandalwood and cracked pepper seem to dominate. Good brew that I enjoyed while listening to Spanish Caravan by The Doors.
Dec 23, 2022Smell - cracked pepper, woody, citrus
Taste - cracked pepper, spice, citrus pith, sweet malt and hop finish
Feel - medium mouthfeel and carbonation
Overall - Sandalwood and cracked pepper seem to dominate. Good brew that I enjoyed while listening to Spanish Caravan by The Doors.
Reviewed by MadMadMike from France
4.21/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Cold 12 ounce tap hit at Cigar City Brewing, in a snifter.
Presented to the beer mat golden orange, with a full inch of rich foam, lively bubbles working their way up to join in.
The aroma is Jai Alai and very obvious cedar wood.
Taste is juicy Jai Alai, sipped with a straw off a cedar deck. It’s very well balanced - the wood could have taken over if not so appropriately measured. Lingering finish of black pepper and a pleasant bitterness.
Feel is classic Jai Alai, but slightly thicker, it seems. Medium carb.
Overall, a very creative, different, and quite delicious IPA.
Oct 14, 2022Presented to the beer mat golden orange, with a full inch of rich foam, lively bubbles working their way up to join in.
The aroma is Jai Alai and very obvious cedar wood.
Taste is juicy Jai Alai, sipped with a straw off a cedar deck. It’s very well balanced - the wood could have taken over if not so appropriately measured. Lingering finish of black pepper and a pleasant bitterness.
Feel is classic Jai Alai, but slightly thicker, it seems. Medium carb.
Overall, a very creative, different, and quite delicious IPA.
Reviewed by Nass from Florida
3.89/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
3.89/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The pour is dark orange colored with some sediment floating around. The taste is tropical fruits & cracked pepper. I actually prefer this over the regular Jai Alai IPA, Cheers! B
Mar 01, 2022Reviewed by BB1313 from Ohio
4.28/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.28/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Canned on 8/4/21. 12oz can poured into a tulip. Pours a glowing burnt golden with some haze; fluffy off-white head that fades leaving solid retention and sticky lacing. The aromas have some peach and apricot. Hints of caramel. Malts are there. The flavors are very unique. The Spanish cedar really shines. The cedar really gives this one a strong woodsy vibe. More peach and apricot. Some lemon and grapefruit. Some pine. Some black pepper in the mix. Some crackers as well. Nice bitterness. Low to no sweetness. Malts do their thing while actually taking a backseat. Finishes dry. Alcohol goes unnoticed. Mouthfeel is very nice. It's medium-bodied with active carbonation. It's sharp, crisp, slick, smooth and easy to drink.
This is an extremely unique IPA, and I mean that in a great way. It has a royal and regal vibe to it. The Spanish cedar is absolutely the star. The cedar gives this one lots of complexity and depth. The hop bill is alright, but their use of cedar is eye opening. The craftsmanship and execution is very impressive. The uniqueness is why I'm rating it so high.
Sep 25, 2021This is an extremely unique IPA, and I mean that in a great way. It has a royal and regal vibe to it. The Spanish cedar is absolutely the star. The cedar gives this one lots of complexity and depth. The hop bill is alright, but their use of cedar is eye opening. The craftsmanship and execution is very impressive. The uniqueness is why I'm rating it so high.
Jai Alai IPA - Spanish Cedar (Humidor Series) from Cigar City Brewing
Beer rating:
89 out of
100 with
1346 ratings
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