“Brown ale has never been the most popular beer, but there always seem to be customers for a beer that is a little toastier and less hoppy than pale ale.”
- Randy Mosher’s Tasting Beer
Some beers are made to simply not offend and that’s OK. Some beers offer an array of smells and tastes, but nothing remarkable.
Sometimes that’s the point.
Cigar City’s Maduro brown ale is an expected malt-forward entry into the brown ale style, leading with a base of bittersweet chocolate malt aromas, brown sugar and molasses. It’s simplistic, straight-forward and easy. On the tongue, Maduro brings forth tastes of hazelnut, caramel, toffee and more of that chocolate malt. Light carbonation keeps mouthfeel smooth. Cigar City insists espresso is part of the package, but only as the beer warmed considerably could I get a sense of that.
This brown ale is easy-drinking and sessionable, although at 5.5 percent ABV, it technically isn’t British “Sessionable.” With it’s unoffending characteristics, it does, however, have potential to please a wide array of palates.
By Bryan Roth
Bryan Roth
I really love this review and the style. I have not had this beer but I wish people would realize sometimes a beer is just that. It doesn’t have to be the biggest, baddest, or hoppiest. Just able to be enjoyed.
Cheers!
I’ve also got a bottle of Cigar City’s Bolita double nut brown, which I’m curious to compare to this one. None of Cigar City’s brews have disappointed yet!
Reblogged this on Good Beer Better Hats.
Bryan ,
How about giving locations for these beers as well as the brewery . That would help me . I’m enjoying your great descriptions .
Dan,
Thanks very much for pointing this out. Great feedback! It’s something I’m going to try and do from now on.
Cigar City is based out of Tampa, Florida and for the most part, can be found in that state. I have been told their cans/bottles have shown up in Georgia and Vermont, however I found them on LetsPour.com. That website has several of their brews if you feel so inclined to order through the mail.
Maybe I was imagining this because of the name, but I felt like, in addition to the usual brown ale suspects, there was a slight but distinct tobacco character. Or maybe like a roasted nut thing going on. I don’t know, but there was something I could not otherwise put my thumb on.
Yeah, I felt like there was hazelnut or something of the sort hiding out, but definitely not as distinct as other brews of the style. Good, all the same.
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