Jai Alai, a game native to the Basque region of Spain, is played on a court called a fronton. Jai Alai players attempt to catch a ball using a curved mitt whilst the ball travels at speeds up to 188mph! Proving they have a sense of humor the Spanish dubbed this game, with its ball traveling at race car speeds, “the merry game.” Tampa was once home to a bustling Jai Alai fronton but sadly all that remains of Jai Alai in the Tampa Bay area is this India Pale Ale that we brew in tribute to the merry game. The India Pale Ale style of beer has its roots in the ales sent from England to thirsty British troops in India during the 18th century. Pair Jai Alai India Pale Ale with beef empanadas, deviled crabs, and other spicy dishes.

The people of Tampa Bay have fallen prey to Pirate invasion every year for well over 100 years. After more than a century of failing to repel these seafaring raiders in their anachronistic wooden ships, despite access to modern sea, land and air arsenals that ostensibly should make short work of wind powered vessels equipped with naught but cast iron cannons and raging scurvy, it occurred to the folks of Cigar City Brewing that if you can’t beat them start saying Arrrr Matey! And so we have brewed Invasion Pale Ale, a citrusy and tropical session beer brewed for those long days of marauding, pillaging and pirating. Cheers!

This Russian Imperial Stout is dedicated to Gregory Zhukov. Arguably one of World War II's finest generals and a man bold enough to appreciate the rich, complex flavors of a beer brewed to fortify a body through the Russian winter. Like military geniuses, Russian Imperial Stouts reach their peak with a little age on them, so we release Marshal Zhukov's Russian Imperial Stout in sweltering August so that it will be at peak flavor come January or February. Opaque black in color, the aroma has notes of espresso, chocolate, dark sweet toffee with hints of black strap molasses. The flavor starts with an unsweetened chocolate character and supporting notes of herbal dryness from English hop varietals. It then moves into dark toffee sweetness and closes with a slap of roasty espresso. Zhukov's Imperial Stout pairs well with Mushroom Solyanka, dark chocolate, cherries and ground wars in Russia. Enjoy, comrade.

Traditional throughout Latin America, the guayabera shirt combines style, functionality, form and tradition in it’s four-pocketed design. We at Cigar City feel the same reverence and appreciation for the guayabera that we do for the Citra hop varietal, an ingredient that imparts notes of tangerine, lime and berries to this traditional American Pale Ale. The exclusive use of Citra hops in this beer creates a flavor that’s at once unique and recognizable, while it’s dry, crisp character and moderate alcohol make it as refreshing and functional as a crisp linen guayabera.

Maduro is a Northern English-style brown ale with some American affectations. Maduro is higher in alcohol than the common English brown ale and features flaked oats in the malt bill which imparts a silky body and works to mesh the roasted, toasted and chocolate components together in Maduro’s complex malt profile. The end result is a remarkably full-flavored yet approachable and sessionable brown ale that pairs well with mild to medium cigars.

The genesis of the beer you’re holding in your hand was pretty simple.  We asked ourselves, “What if a beer tasted like an oatmeal raisin cookie?”  The answer to our rhetorical question was to add raisins, lactose and cinnamon to Maduro, our English-style Brown Ale, a beer that showcases flavors of caramel, toffee and chocolate.  The combination of the base beer and the additional ingredients resulted in a beer that tastes like it was baked in Grandma’s oven.

Florida Cracker White Ale brewed with unmalted wheat, orange peel and coriander and then fermented with a Belgian yeast strain to give it a spicy and dry finish. Perfect for a warm day on the Palmetto Prairie.

This Tampa-style Lager is inspired by the traditional German-style Helles, which translates to “light colored.” Perfect for the Florida heat, it’s a beer that’s made for drinkin’ when it’s truly hotter than helles outside.

Halos often signify enlightenment, harmony, and majesty, sentiments that all come to mind when contemplating this rich and complex beer. Crested atop this imperial stout is a radiant crown of juicy raspberries offering pronounced fruitiness and acidity to balance the beer’s formidable body. Heavy, indeed, is the head that wears the halo.

Imperial stout with raspberries aged in port barrels

We mashed up traditional English-style barley wine-style and old ale winter warmer-style ales with citrusy American hops like Simcoe, Centennial, Columbus, Chinook, Amarillo and, fittingly, Glacier, to create a Floridian Winter Ale.