Gurkha Empire V and Sierra Nevada Summerfest

The Cigar

Wrapper: Ecudaor Connecticut
Filler:
Size: 5.5 x 52
My Strength Rating: 3.5

This cigar sports an attractive natural wrapper. The feel of the cigar is nice and firm. The smoke has a good cedar and fine white pepper quality. There is a smoothness to the texture that helps to maintain that mild to medium strength. It is a rather simple cigar. The mouthfeel and the overall strength rating does not change much at all during the smoking experience.

I selected this cigar to match with the Summerfest Lager because of its mild nature.

The Beer

5% abv
12 oz bottle
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Chico, California, USA
My Strength Rating: 2.5

The description on the bottle covers it pretty well: “Summerfest is a Pilsner-style lager brewed for enjoyment on warm summer days – featuring a slight malt sweetness, delicate spice and floral hop flavor, and a crisp, refreshing finish.”

This crisp summer lager has a clear bright yellow appearance. The white head did not stay around long and left no lacing on the glass. The moderate carbonation helps with that crispness to the mouthfeel. Overall a pretty clean tasting lager that is pleasing to drink. This would be a good step above your average lager. It is worthy of a try.

The Pairing

These two were meant for each other. They both have a smooth texture to the mouthfeel that makes a refreshing pairing. That mild-medium cedar flavor with a touch of white pepper from the cigar mixes well with the slight spice and sweet malts of the lager. If you are looking for a mild or mild-medium pairing this would be a good choice.