Jai Alai IPA from Cigar City Brewing

Man, it has been too long that I have posted a review. My original intent was to post a review twice a week but it has been almost two weeks since I have posted one. I have had some great (and not so great) beer in that time. This is the time of year for stouts and porters. When it starts to get a bit chilly out and the holidays are near, you pour yourself (or have one poured) a glass of a dark ale. This time though, I am reviewing an IPA from a world-class brewery. Cigar City Brewing Company is located in Tampa, FL. They only distribute to FL, GA, AL, VA, NY and PA. While I was down in Florida, I picked up some of their beer.

Jai Alai is named after a Spanish game that was extremely popular in Florida. It is called the fastest sport in the world. The ball that they use was once clocked at 188 mph. That is crazy. When I lived in Florida, I watched a few games. It was neat to watch but I did not understand it at all. People used to bet on the game a ton. There are still places in Florida where you can watch it and amateurs can play.

The beer Jai Alai is an IPA with 7.5% ABV. It pours an orangish color with a white head. The aroma is absolutely amazing. There are so many tropical and citrus smells. If they made a Jai Alai IPA scented candle, I would actually have candles.

The taste of this is just like the smell, tropical and citrusy. There is some malty taste to give it some balance. As you continue to drink it, you get some of that IPA bitterness. It is not too much, just enough to let you know that you are drinking a hoppy beer. The finish is slight bitterness but dry. If you didn't know that it was 7.5% ABV, you could sit and drink it all day. I did say YOU could drink it all day if you didn't know the ABV. I DO know the ABV and would still drink it all day.

It is too bad that it is difficult to get Cigar City beers here in St. Louis but fortunately, I have family in Florida and will be asking for care packages. Also, there is a company called Brew Hub that contract brews beer for local craft brewers and out-of-state brewers. They are in talks to have some of their beers brewed at a Chesterfield, MO location that should open in 2016.

This is an amazing beer and I give it 4.5 hop flowers.

Cigar City Brewing