Why does Cigar City not have a regular stout?

Oh and how I love MZ. My favorite stout by far and such a b!tch to find even in SFL.

 

I would be surprised if it's that they just don't have enough space in the brewery. Since it doesn't sell as well as Jai Alai, they need to prioritize.

 

It takes a shitload of malt and a lot of time to condition MZ. It's a big beer.

Isn't Ten Fidy a seasonal beer anyway? it just sits on shelves for a while.

 

It is probably because they have a really solid and really popular stout and they don't want to make a version that isn't as top notch as Zhukov. I imagine all the malt and conditioning that goes into zhukov make it too difficult to maintain as a regular beer (at least for now).

You know that if they made anything that wasn't zhukov everyone would complain that it wasn't as good and that CCB sucks.

 

For all intents and purposes CCB is a small brewery. Even calling it regional would be a stretch. They barely get out of FL. Hell, half the time they cant even keep supply up to stock FL. I cant even count how many times Ive been to Atlantic Coast FL and have only seen Maduro Brown on the shelves with everything else sold out.

Also, I think the vast majority of breweries release their stouts (especially imperial stouts) on a seasonal schedule. Even big time craft players like Oskar Blues (TenFIDY is definitely seasonal) and Sierra Nevada (Narwhal) only release their imperial stouts on a rotating schedule.

 

Zhukov is an expensive beer to make. The margin on it probably isn't where it needs to be for a year round beer. I'd love to have an unlimited supply of it, but it'd probably be even more expensive than it is now if it took capacity away from Jai Alai or other regulars.

 

it wouldn't be worth the trouble, and people want hoppy beers year-round anyway.

 

Remember, Foothills (where some of the CCB guys got their start) only does 2 stouts (SC and Total Eclipse/Foothills Stout), and both are seasonal and keg only respectively.

 

Get Founder's Imperial Stout, it's just as good as Zhukov IMHO.

 

I'm not gonna crack a MZ in the middle of summer after cutting the lawn. I would like to see more of it available in the future when it's release seasonally.

 

Now that is something we can all agree on!

 

Wish I could get zhukov year round. Id be happy pay up for four packs of it all the time.

 

imo... they aren't even close. zhukov is far, far superior. but people like different things! luckily i'm still *****ding three bottles of zhukov.

 

My understanding is that they're made in August because they begin hitting their stride around Winter, which is when to drink heavy Russian Impy Stouts.

 

They hit the market around October IIRC.
This year I'm not screwing around though, I've got a work day and cash set aside to head up there for two reasons:
1. El Catador
2. Case of Zhukov

 

Here's their full release calendar for this year. Zhukov's release will be in August.

 

^^ That American Sour Ale next month is intriguing....