Cigar City "Guayabera" APA

Things have not been universally fantastic with Cigar City. But, this Florida brewery has definitely shown some spunk. Hell, they managed to make a brown ale that I actually liked. That is not a particularly easy task; generally, it is among my least favorite styles of beer. Conversely, this American Pale Ale is right up my alley. No it's not an IPA or a delicious DIPA, but it has its heart in the right place, and I'm about to enjoy this beer.

The somewhat hazy gold beer has a bit of a copper tone to it with an off-white head that leaves a seemingly appropriate amount of lacing on the sides of the glass before it boils down to an uneven yet complete pillow across the top of the beer. The aroma is suitably citrus with a malt that doesn't seem to be standing up to all of the fruit and associated acids.

First sip is strangely bland. The tangerine and grapefruit mix with lime to try and make some kind of a fruit cocktail, but the essence of the beer is particularly watery and lacks any kind of significant punch. I'm not trying to make an offhand reference to the 5.5% alcohol by volume, as this is more of a flavor deficit than it is an alcohol deficit. As an American Pale Ale, it is probably designed more for solidly drinking than it is for slowly sipping, and fortunately that is the course that I normally take.

Tip-in is mild carbonation burn with a tart lime and lemon mixing with orange and tangerine at the front. The middle does, indeed, go down very smoothly with its fruit mixtures getting slightly sweetened by a bread malt. The finish is a dry affair with tartness easing into a mist of fruit rinds for the trail off.

Bottom Line: A pretty darn good beer.

3.25/5