5 Vegas Cask Strength Firkin and Hofbrau Maibock: Pairing

The Beer

Hofbrau Maibock

7.2% abv

330ml bottle

Staatliches Hofbrauhaus

Munchen, Germany

Appearance: shiny copper with plenty of head that is slightly off-white in color.

Aroma: very faint, slight sweet

Flavors: the grainy sweet malts are up front, kinda tasty, a nice grassy hop note in the middle, slightly peppery finish.  After a few more sips I notice a slightly toasted caramel note with a nice nutty style.  This bottle is much different than the one I had 2 or 3 years ago.  All I remember is that euro metallic taste with a flat Oktoberfest profile.  Today, this one is very nice.    

Mouthfeel: surprisingly the carbonation seems on the low side, semi-dry finish with that slight peppery finish to boot.  A light dry grassy note lingers on the palate. 

My Strength Rating: 4.5 -

The Cigar

5 Vegas Cask Strength Firkin

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Filler: Ligeros leafs are use from: Nicaragua, Honduras, and beyond – where is beyond?
Size: 6 x 60 box-pressed – I don’t think I have had a 60 ring box-pressed cigar before.

Freebie with purchase.  I just figured something out here.  The freebie Firkin is a rectangular box-pressed and the ones I bought back in February are squared box-press.  I looked at my order from then and it is called a Firkin.  So, which is its true shape?

I am smoking the freebie.  The rectangular shaped one. 

Off the Light: (11:22pm) very smooth and mellow with a soft earthy tone on the first few puffs.  For the next inch the notes are of soft earth; white mushroom and moss like.  My strength rating for the opening is 3.  I am wondering if they put the wrong cigar bands on this cigar. 

The draw on this cigar seems weak at times.  It is not tight.  It just seems like the smoke is just not coming through. 

This is not the pairing I was expecting.  The cigar profile is throwing me a curve ball here.  I was expecting a much stronger smoke with some good oak, solid earth, and maybe some spice.  But, the beer is matching the strength level at this point.  The soft earthy tones of the cigar are mingling just fine with the toasted caramel and grassy hops of this Maibock. 

Mid-Point: Someone is messing with me.  Now, I am not a big 5 Vegas fan nor have I smoked a ton of the Cask Strength style.  Last year I bought a 5 pack of the Toro (which I think that was the only size at the time) and I enjoyed them.  They were hearty and meaty overall.  Not this one. 

Some mild roasted coffee notes are coming into play.  There is still a decent soft earthy style but some woody notes are starting to develop.  I am at the mid-point of the cigar and the best I can describe the earthy notes is ‘forest floor.’  Mushroom, moss, wet leaves, some damp wood, and some mineral soil tones. 

As the experience passed the mid-point a touch of spice starts to inter the picture. (12:00am) The texture is super smooth and seems damp.  I guess that is consistent with the earthy style.  

The Hofbrau Maibock is mixing it up well with this stick.  I think the Maibock seems a little spicier paired with this cigar at this point.  The beer is also a little earthier in profile during this pairing.  It is clearly reminding me of a good Oktoberfest beer at this point. 

Late in the second third of the cigar, the spice has not really developed into much, the spice seems soft and mellow.  All of a sudden some oak comes on to the scene.  The coffee note is more medium roast in style and the body seems more medium.  It is like the cigar went from a three strength rating to a five in a puff.  Don’t get me wrong on the first half.  I think I liked the flavor profile.  I just was not expecting what I experienced. 

Down the Stretch: the amount of smoke coming from the cigar has increased and I guess the flavors will follow.  Let’s see. 

The oaky note has strengthened along with some fine grind black pepper.  The earthy notes are more solid and firm and the toasted notes seem heartier at this point.  The strength rating kicked it up a notch to a six. 

The Maibock seems fuller in body during this exchange.  There seems to be some toasty grains and a nice spiciness to the beer. 

My Strength Rating: 4.5 overall – started off mild-medium.  Then, the body moved to medium at the mid-point.  Then, medium-full on the finish.  The cigar never became bitter or harsh. 

This was one crazy review (with the cigar).  I never had this size before and now I want to try another to see if it is the same but, I only had this one. 

At 12:50 am I have about an inch to go on the cigar.  Overall, this was an interesting ride.  I did not expect the flavor profile at the start of this cigar.  What I got ‘down the stretch’ is what I thought I was in for.