Cigar City Brewing

Day 3 of Jed’s got a big birthday tomorrow and I’m down to clown around some. We were south, we were east, and today the play is south of the south, Tampa. They’ve got a few places I haven’t seen but first stop is Cigar City (revisited). We were here twice before after games at Steinbrenner Field but everything was different. Seriously...

Long ‘L’ shaped wood plank topped bar, corrugated curvy base, & foot bar. Seating for 27 on wood chairs. As they’ve ripped down the wall that used to be there and you’re just looking at a wall of tanks, there is no barback wall or counter space behind the bar. Just a pair of flats fronting the tanks, one of which is a draft board. 2 dozen logo handles on a bar row on the bar proper, and glassware shelved below.

Concrete floors, and a bar overhang here but industrial ceiling above it. Drop filament bulbs tracing the bar, wide lamps off the bar, and drop filaments caged over the far seating. White walls with house mural play, a framed jersey, a barrel stave piece, a guitar, Florida beer medals on mash rakes hung, and framed Stanley Cup team pics. Open kitchen to the rear, like right there (me, pointing), and mad merch, a cigar humidor, & 6 cooler doors forward off the entrance. 3 loooong bar counter tables off the bar, and 7 rectangular tables running the far wall on shared benching. We are occupying one of these tables as the bar is full.

Around the bend once and then again, a backside smaller 8 seat ‘L’ bar of the same with a 12 tap row tower on the bar (one of which is a Lukr). Back corner room looks to be for events, a barrel stacked wall with a logo piece and a few tables there. And then further along, the backside seating area proper; roughly 20 booths & tables, hightop, & low offering mad views of the brewery because you’re damn near sitting in it. Flatscreens above the tall vertical windows, neons, & mural play.

Okay, beer. 25 house beers up (10 year-round, 12 seasonal & specialty, and 3 barrel aged) + a CCCM cider, 2 guest taps from Oskar Blues, & 5 draft cocktails. Although 1/2 of the list are IPAs, it’s still a good spread of style range. The Untapped draft board lists beer, style, ABV, & pricing for 5oz, 10oz, 12oz, 18oz, & 20oz, + 32oz & 64oz fills. Everything is available in 5oz, most things in a 10oz but a few instead in a 12oz, and then most in a 18oz or 20oz but not all.

So, if it’s all the same to you, I’m going to get a few beers shorty and sample (Jai Alai, IPA, 7.5%, citrus, citrus, also citrus, light bitterness, good stuff; Samsa’s Dark Lager, Czech Style Dark Lager, 5.5%; toasty, creamy, malt, nice on Lukr; Flag Nor Fall, Nitro English Style Pub Ale, 4.7%, nice little malty thing, delightful; Spanish Cedar Jai Alai, Spanish Cedar rested IPA, 7.5%, interesting in a Palo Santo kind of way; Maduro Brown Ale, English Style Brown Ale, 5.5%, smooth, toasty, chocolate, yep, I do like this beer; Frost Proof, Belgian Style White Ale, 6%, coriander sure, but light citrus, pleasant; Sorry I Party, German Style Festbier, 6%, clean, nice malt backbone, late in the season but real tasty). Am thinking Jai Alai IPA, Samsa’s Dark Czech Lager, Flag Nor Fail English Style Pub Ale, & Maduro Brown Ale for the wins.

And as food was in order, yes, wings, please, dry rubbed lemon pepper, thank you, and they were delightful. And a house salad without the stupidface hard-boiled egg. It was just what I needed and not too much.

John took real good care of us after twinkie millennial gave us the no mind (thanks, man). Some very good beers here and the food did not suck. Lots of room to breathe here, and that Tampa International Airport arrivals/departure board is boss. Someone’s raking spent grain out of a tank somewhere (the nose knows), it smells lovely. Glad we got a good session in here before the place goes dark.

 

Cigar City sits like a ghost of past glory in the sunburnt sprawl of Tampa — wedged between strip malls, discount tire shops, and the kind of low-slung industrial buildings that look like they gave up before they were even built. You don’t stumble upon it so much as resign yourself to it. A temple to the old gods of craft beer, now surrounded by suburban rot and Florida humidity thick enough to chew.

The parking lot could be anywhere in America — a graveyard of SUVs, cracked asphalt, and lost dreams. Inside, the air is cool, still carrying the faint echo of what this place once was — the mecca for hop zealots before the haze craze broke the world in half. The brewery still hums with life, but it’s the kind that lives off inertia. The bones are there: a solid taplist, the familiar smell of malt and ambition. The staff are friendly, genuine even, the kind who still believe in what they’re serving. But there’s a melancholy undercurrent, the kind that comes when titans start to stoop.

The menu stretches wide, the way a band’s setlist does when they’re trying to prove they still matter — the classics like Jai Alai anchoring an army of variations and experiments. The beer is still good — damned good, even — but you can taste the ghosts in it. The spark that once made this place the heartbeat of Florida craft now flickers like an old neon sign.

In the end, Cigar City is both a monument and a memorial — a reminder of what craft beer once meant before it was swallowed by distribution deals and grocery store coolers. It’s still worth the pilgrimage, if only to pay respects to a fallen giant. But when you leave, you can’t help but feel like you just toasted at a wake.

 

Such a cool space with lots of seating and a GREAT bar. The bartenders are very knowledgeable about the beers, especially given the extensive offering across multiple styles. Delicious beers, and the food is solid, too. This is a must visit spot for any beer nerd visiting Tampa, IMHO.

If I were to judge by the large road sign pointing towards which street to turn on to reach the original taproom of Cigar City, I would say that the brewery and taproom has been a roaring success. While this was my first time seeing Cigar City in real life, there was a time many years back where I got a livestream of the taproom, when Cigar City and The Bruery collaborated to make a memorable Marrón Acidifie and Skyped each others taprooms on release day. Back to today, this taproom is very large and made to accommodate perhaps over 200 people. Beer merch for sale as you walk through the door, a line of coolers of their beer for sale, a long bar which can be accessed from two different side, and tables spotted throughout.

Cigar City makes great beer; on the menu are thirty different taps and a cask mixing year round options like Maduro Brown and Guayabera with seasonals such as Samsa’s Dark Lager, Marshal Zhukov, and 1,000 Pickleball Courts with a few barrel aged options including a delicious Rye Whiskey Aged Outskirts. While small in pour, it was given a massive wine glass to swirl around. The one minor criticism was that it was served much cooler than expected. However, I got a taste of fresh Guayabera and it blew me away from what I remembered.

You just want to stay here and keep drinking, and the bar staff is plentiful to help you keep tasting and talk beerinese. Unfortunately, my visit was short, however now that I have family in Tampa, I feel that I will get a longer shot in the future.

I stopped in here for dinner and drinks while in town on business. I have enjoyed Cigar City beers for a while, but this was my first chance to get to one of their taprooms. I believe this is their main location and brewhouse. The taproom was in a long, industrial-looking building, with other larger structures behind it that seemed to be the actual brewing operation. The interior of the taproom was also simple and utilitarian, but comfortable. There were several large dining areas and a merchandise area.

I went on a weekday evening and it was busy but not overrun. The food menu was not very extensive, but was fresh and well-made and I enjoyed my entree. The service was good. The taplist was extensive (30 taps, including 2 guests) and I found many delicious offerings to try. The beers included some cask, nitro and barrel aged specialties that I really appreciated. I was not disappointed with Cigar City and I hope to go back again.

Plenty of parking. The beer selection is super because the beer is super. Many options, including rare treats, are available on tap. Floor service kinda stinx, but the bartenders are quick, knowledgeable and patient. Cuban-themed food menu is really good. Music vibe changes, but is never overbearing. Lots of fresh options in the beer coolers, including brewery exclusives. Great little merch area too.,
Excellent experience every time I come here!

I am a big fan of Jai Alai and Fancy Papers so decided to stop by to try some of their other selections. I was a bit disappointed with the beers on tap at the brewery.

 

Finally made it here after many years of wondering if I’d ever be in Tampa. A work trip made it happen. Went two days in a row, actually. Both weekend days and both times I was surprised how steady yet not packed it was. Don’t know if that’s good or bad. Solid industrial brewery feel as you pull into the parking lot. Inside is roomy and has a ton of seating. A small merch section and a few to-go coolers. Draft list is extensive and provides a good variety of styles. Food is outstanding. Service is meh….they’re just working there, they don’t seem to care much about the beers. I wish I made it here before the Oskar Blues acquisition. Seems like that may have tarnished the original appeal.

 

 

 

 

10/7/21 In Tampa on our way to stay at Sanibel island. Bar tender was helpful and acerbic. Great selection of beers. Had the rice bowl, which was fabulous.

 

 

Really enjoyed speaking with Ryan and the two selected beers I had. Awesome tap list. Music was a little too jarring (rap) for the relaxed mood I was in. Will visit again.

Outstanding beer, nuff said.

First time there and it was very good especially since it was pretty busy. Bar was attentive, helpful and my beer and food came in a very reasonable time. Beer choices were spectacular and the comraderie with others really was fun. I walked out with some cams and bottles that I could only get there. Yay.

Was a little disappointed that Hunahpu wasn't available outside of the event (which we didn't have tickets for), and I had already tried the Marshal Zhukov, but I enjoyed almost every beer that I sampled.

I didn't realize how well-rounded CCB is until visiting the taproom - they nail a wide breadth of styles that I never associated their brewery with. I always perceived them as excelling in brown ales/porters/stouts on the one hand, and hoppy pales/IPAs/DIPAs on the other, but it's clear that their range is much broader than that.

Tried the following beers over the course of two visits:

CCB Chinook Dry-Hopped Invasion Pale Ale (cask)
CCB Blackberry Pineapple Session Sour Ale (sample)
CCB This Won't Be Popular In The Tasting Room English Dark Mild (draft)
CCB Hotter Than Helles Munich Lager (sample)
CCB & Coronado Azimuth Session IPA (draft)
CCB Florida Cracker Belgian-Style White Ale (sample)
CCB Maduro Brown Ale (draft)
CCB Tony Jannus American Pale Ale (sample)
CCB Hoppier Than Helles Hoppy Session Lager (draft)
CCB Florida Man Double IPA (sample)
CCB & DuClaw Impey Barbicane’s Moongun Session Amber Ale (draft)
CCB You Never Know Imperial IPA (sample)
CCB Jai Alai India Pale Ale (draft)

Service was quick and competent and the "Who's Your Dumpling?" food truck provided some much-needed nourishment (we went for the Korean-style "mandu" dumplings). Overall, Cigar City is one of the best breweries in North America and I'm glad we made the pilgrimage here. Recommended.

Admired this place for awhile so had to stop in during a quick day trip to the Tampa area. Everything they make seems to be solid at worst.

As I understand they finished renovations on the main taproom about a week ago so things were still a bit fluid. Selection was above average with a lot of the heavy hitters and some specialty barrel aged beers that people would be excited to see.

Took the tour which was lasted about an hour and was a good deal for the money. Not much to set it apart from your typical brewery tour though.

Overall I respect the beers these guys are putting out and was happy to have seen where it comes from.

 

Excellent pub brewery knowledgeable staff!

The BEST!! You'll look like silly city carpet baggers if you dont stop hear Yankee blue jeans

You feel like you’re in the swamp when you’re in this place, and I mean that in a positive sense.
Diverse selection of brews and I was able to negotiate with one of the managers on a price for a bottle of BA Zhukov ‘16. Boom!
You can feel the humidity, the dankness, the moisture in the air and you want more of it. So you stay all day, get loaded and enjoy the swamp!

 

 

I think CC falls in the category of somewhat out of people's minds. But it should not be. Beers were outstanding. Tried sours, imperial stouts, and a few other stouts. Selection was amazing. Favorite was the cinnamon raisin cookie brown ale. If I had a designated driver it would have gotten ugly. A must visit brewery