Great brewing is taking place in the Sunshine State and leading the charge is Cigar City Brewing out of Tampa Florida. Known for brewing beers which represent Tampa's Latin heritage and a once booming cigar industry, Cigar City has quickly become one the most interesting and flavor innovative brewery's in the craft beer community. Today's sampling is of their Tocobaga Red Ale, named after the the Tocobaga Indians who lived in small villages at the northern end of Tampa Bay from 900 to the 1500's. Tocobaga pours a deep amber red color. Murky with an almost unfiltered quality and off-white head. It's aroma is big and fruity with hints of melon and citrus. The flavor is malty with crisp hop overtones. As with most of Cigar City's beers there is an underlying woody quality to Tocobaga. It's not a wood aged beer so that flavor likely comes from the malt selection. Cigar City often chooses Spanish Cedar, commonly found in cigar humidors, as their wood of choice for aging. Tocobaga Red Ale has a very dry finish with a long lingering bitterness. I found it to be a very enjoyable beer, and yes sessionable at 7.2% ABV. Hopheads will also approve of it's 75 IBU's. Tocobaga is available year round in Florida, but if you're fortunate to find it at your local beer merchant grab a good cigar as well and take a trip back to old world Florida. Cheers! 
Monday, April 2, 2012
Cigar City Tocobaga Red Ale
Great brewing is taking place in the Sunshine State and leading the charge is Cigar City Brewing out of Tampa Florida. Known for brewing beers which represent Tampa's Latin heritage and a once booming cigar industry, Cigar City has quickly become one the most interesting and flavor innovative brewery's in the craft beer community. Today's sampling is of their Tocobaga Red Ale, named after the the Tocobaga Indians who lived in small villages at the northern end of Tampa Bay from 900 to the 1500's. Tocobaga pours a deep amber red color. Murky with an almost unfiltered quality and off-white head. It's aroma is big and fruity with hints of melon and citrus. The flavor is malty with crisp hop overtones. As with most of Cigar City's beers there is an underlying woody quality to Tocobaga. It's not a wood aged beer so that flavor likely comes from the malt selection. Cigar City often chooses Spanish Cedar, commonly found in cigar humidors, as their wood of choice for aging. Tocobaga Red Ale has a very dry finish with a long lingering bitterness. I found it to be a very enjoyable beer, and yes sessionable at 7.2% ABV. Hopheads will also approve of it's 75 IBU's. Tocobaga is available year round in Florida, but if you're fortunate to find it at your local beer merchant grab a good cigar as well and take a trip back to old world Florida. Cheers! 
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