Style: IPA

ABV: 7.5 IBU: 70.0

87/100

Aroma:	8
Appearance:	3
Flavor:	14
Mouthfeel:	4

Cigar City Brewing White Oak Jai Alai

What the brewers say

“Vanilla, coconut, tangerine, and a hint of dill all vie for attention on the nose of this unique oak-aged IPA. Jai Alai’s caramel malt character and Clementine-like hops flavors are both complemented by drying, oaky tannins and a pronounced vanillin quality with each sip.”

What our panel thought

Aroma: “Pine and orange with a touch of peach. Spicy clove. A bit of mint a bit of honey, and a bit of vanilla. Alcohol evident, but not overly hot. There’s also a subtle malt sweetness with a toasted quality and very slight touch of caramel. Low intensity overall on the aroma.”

Flavor: “Hints of sweetness and some orange with an earthy spice character. A little mint and slight caramel sweetness. The malt carries the hops and is cut by their significant bitterness. Potent stuff—alcohol evident. Moderate carbonic acid bite that dances on top of the bitterness in the finish.”

Overall: “Interesting flavor profile with a complexity of some fruity and caramel sweetness with some earthy spice notes from the hops. Pretty solid, but also pretty in your face for bitterness and carbonation.”

What our editors thought

Review printed in: IPA Today (August-September 2017) (View All Issues)

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Slice Beer Company Megablaster

“Significant diesel and dank aroma initially, then light lime notes. Very simple malt flavor dominated by hop flavors of pine, diesel, pithy citrus peel, black pepper, hints of anise and grass. Firm bitterness. Finish is a touch fruity sweet.”

Firestone Walker Brewing Co Mind Haze

“Cotton-candy and grape notes in the nose, with hints of perfume and light floral. Flavor profile is light but fleeting. A wash of chalkiness strips away much of the nuance. As the finish lingers, hints of pine and citrus emerge. APA body encased in hops.”

Cigar City Brewing Jai Alai IPA

**Aroma:** “Sweet citrus and grassy notes. Complex hop profile that develops as it warms. Cattiness, fruitiness (almost grape-like). Subdued hop aroma with more dank, resiny, pine than citrus. Subtle caramel sweetness and slight apple/pear-like esters.” **Flavor:** “Some great juicy hop flavors, almost gooseberry or white-wine like. There’s a prominent malty sweetness that’s balanced out by the bitterness, though bitterness lingers at the end. Grassy notes present. Malt sweetness comes through and finish is almost too sweet.” **Overall:** “A little too sweet for a straightforward AIPA, but the hop profile is unique and complex and quite enjoyable. Balance should be more toward hops and bitterness and should not finish as sweet. Very high bitterness to hop flavor ratio.”

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