Invasion
Cigar City Brewing

InvasionInvasion
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From:
Cigar City Brewing
 
Florida, United States
Style:
American Pale Ale
ABV:
5%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.92 | pDev: 8.42%
Reviews:
230
Ratings:
1,716
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 22, 2021
Added:
Dec 27, 2012
Wants:
  48
Gots:
  405
The people of Tampa Bay have fallen prey to Pirate invasion every year for well over 100 years. After more than a century of failing to repel these seafaring raiders in their anachronistic wooden ships, despite access to modern sea, land and air arsenals that ostensibly should make short work of wind powered vessels equipped with naught but cast iron cannons and raging scurvy, it occurred to the folks of Cigar City Brewing that if you can’t beat them start saying Arrrr Matey! And so we have brewed Invasion Pale Ale. With tropical notes of mango and tangerine imparted by Simcoe and Mosaic hops, this crisp and sessionable Pale Ale is a perfect companion for long days of marauding, pillaging, and pirating.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by chinchill:
Photo of chinchill
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina

3.59/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pink 12 oz can.

Ale is a hazy medium amber with a proportionate and durable bone-colored head.

The grassy/herbal smelling hop mix that dominates the aroma turns a bit fruity upon tasting. Lasting, mildly bitter, hoppy aftertaste that is mainly herbal.

Medium body and carbonation. Semi-dry finish.

O: on the hoppy end of the APA spectrum. Recommended.
May 29, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.24 by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota

Oct 22, 2021
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.81/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Shared 355 ml can at local tasting. Golden colour, white head. Strong aroma of zesty and citrussy American hops. Hoppy flavour, citrussy and enjoyable.
May 16, 2021
Photo of Dfeinman1
Reviewed by Dfeinman1 from Florida

4.25/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Classic cigar city brewing hop profile without all the alcohol. Great drinker and pepper and spicy hops with a lower ABV when you are looking to tone down the alcohol of an IPA. Great mouthfeel and highly carbonated.
Mar 04, 2021
 
Rated: 2.27 by bendukes86 from South Carolina

Jan 17, 2021
 
Rated: 4.37 by Johnnyc3 from Florida

Oct 30, 2020
 
Rated: 3.94 by cgrunin from Texas

Jul 11, 2020
 
Rated: 3.6 by desint from Belgium

Apr 24, 2020
Photo of defunksta
Reviewed by defunksta from Wisconsin

3.78/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Appearance: Pours a clear, medium to deep orange color with a creamy, bright white head. SRM of 9-10. (3.75)

Aroma: Moderate aromas of grapefruit, navel orange, slight pineapple, before an aroma of pine berries and spruce. Then some deep piney, navel orange aromas to finish.

Flavor: Moderate flavors of grapefruit, orange, pineapple stem and pine berry. Finishes with some pine. A piney resinous underneath. A light amount of bitterness comes through the end. Finishes balanced between sweetness and bitterness, as expected. Lots of floral citrus (3.75)

Feel: Lighter-bodied. Decent carbonation. Finishes creamy and light on the palate. Has a juicy and creamy feel, but not an overwhelming flavor and rather clean on the palate after the creaminess.

Comapred to Stone's Ripper Pale Ale 4/22/20: Pours a slightly lighter color. Milder aromas. More light grapefruit and airy pine. Less deep orange and caramely, resinous pine. Drinks softer, creamier, lighter, and cleaner.

Overall: A true to style pale ale. Not overwhelming flavors or bitterness. Nice and balanced. I don't get a whole lot of Mosaic and Simcoe. Rather, I get a lot of grapefruit, floral navel orange, and pine berries. The label says a lot of clementine, navel orange, and soursop. WTF is soursop? (between a strawberry and pineapple according to Google). I could see the floral pineapple mixed with the strawberry. I would actually say that this beer drinks like a more down to earth Pseudosue from Toppling Goliath. Nice grapefruit, navel orange, floral pineapple, and pine berry than I expected. Clean, creamy, and balanced. Easy drinking for sure. (Final Rating: 3.78)
Apr 22, 2020
 
Rated: 3.67 by bpkrippner from Missouri

Apr 06, 2020
 
Rated: 3.72 by khargro2 from Tennessee

Mar 14, 2020
 
Rated: 3.68 by MGibbons from Maryland

Mar 13, 2020
 
Rated: 4.1 by 322wingedfoot from Pennsylvania

Mar 02, 2020
Photo of SmashAdams
Reviewed by SmashAdams from New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This is the type of Pale Ale I enjoy most. More traditional than these fruit juices everyone is making these days. This beer is not quite as good as Guayabera but still really solid. Great balance of a good malt foundation with an appropriate level of hoppiness - some pine, light floral, citrus. yb
Feb 26, 2020
 
Rated: 4.09 by Justinprintz from New Jersey

Feb 12, 2020
 
Rated: 3.99 by PJCarnell from Massachusetts

Feb 03, 2020
 
Rated: 3.73 by ScottJ10 from Florida

Feb 01, 2020
 
Rated: 3.5 by JLaw55 from Missouri

Feb 01, 2020
 
Rated: 3.81 by Luckydog91 from Texas

Jan 29, 2020
Photo of Snowcrash000
Reviewed by Snowcrash000 from Germany

3.75/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a cloudy, light amber coloration with a medium, frothy head. Smell is very subdued with only quite faint biscuity, caramel malt and tropical hops coming through. Taste is not terribly expressive either, but does have a nice balance of biscuity malt and faint tropical/citrus hops going on, with notes of mango, papaya,grapefruit and tangerine, as well as some resinous pine coming through as well. Finishes with a light bitterness and some faint tropical notes and pine lingering in the aftertaste. Smooth mouthfeel with a medium body and carbonation.

While I do realize that is probably a little past its prime at 4 months old, It's really not *that* old and this just doesn't seem to keep up very well. I've had plenty of (I)PAs at the same age that where still a lot more expressive, to be honest. I mean, this is still enjoyable enough for a 5% ABV brew, don't get me wrong, but it just doesn't wow me or anything. I have adjusted my score slightly upwards to make up for the age, but I'm generally getting the impression that Cigar City brews just don't hold up very well by now.
Jan 24, 2020
Invasion from Cigar City Brewing
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 1716 ratings