Brewery: Cigar City Brewing
Country: USA
Size: 35.5cl
Alcohol: 5.5%
Price: 24kr
Systembolaget: 12314
So at the start of 2020 if someone had told me one of my favourite beers of the year would have been a pale ale made with citra I would have probably disagreed. Although I like the style, pale ales don’t usually end up on my “best of year” list. This beer from Cigar City however is rather excellent. I can’t remember exactly how many beers I’ve had from this Florida based brewery but it is quite a few and this for me is the best of the lot. Of course, I had to slip it into a tasting somewhere this year and the USA craft beer night seemed like the perfect place!
This beer was light apricot hued with a significant cloud. This felt like it had a rather heavy body for a pale ale. The aroma was rather intricate, with a mixture of different components coming together beautifully. Of course the citrus hops came through strongly but also the malt side was also easy to discern as well. There were also hints of biscuit, honey and lime noted in the aroma. The smell was simply lovely, light and so fragrant. The taste continued the trend, with the biscuit and bread complimenting the big citrus bitterness. It felt very fresh and crisp in the mouth. The bitterness was there but didn’t over stay its welcome. After a while the dryness crept over the tongue but it never suced the mouth dry, merely leaving it crisp and refreshed.
What a beer this is. Clean citrus bitterness coupled with a light malt backbone made this beer feel extremely balanced and drinkable. This is the kind of beer I could enjoy over a whole session and not get bored with it. If you want something well crafted and fruity, then look no further. Excellent.