Gran Habano Cabinet Selection Robusto and Red Stripe Jamaican Lager: Pairing

The Beer

Red Stripe

Jamaican Lager

4.7% abv

11.2 oz bottle

Desnoes & Geddes Limited

Kingston, Jamaica

Redstripebeer.com

Appearance: typical golden lager with a white head.  Plenty of head that leaves some lacing on the glass. 

Aroma: crisp, clean, yeasty white bread

Flavors: delicate sweet malts on the delivery with a grainy profile, minimal hops, light bittering note 

Mouthfeel: light, crisp, clean, plenty of carbonation to refresh the palate, no lingering notes of any kind.

To the Point: a decent yet worthy beer.  Nothing special.  A fine beer to session on a hot summer day.  To me it is a lager that I enjoy for a six pack or two and then get bored with.  Then, it is two years later till I remember I have not had it in a while. 

The Cigar

Gran Habano Cabinet Selection Robusto

Wrapper: Corojo

Fillers: Nicaraguan

Size: 5 x 52  box-pressed

Off the Light: good touch of cedar, sweet spice and toasted rye bread like notes.  As the smoke continues it reminds me of toasted rye bread with caraway seeds.  The cedar becomes a bit of an undertone and a light earthy style develops.  An easy, smooth, medium bodied smoke at this point.

Mid-Point: the rye bread quality has faded and the earthy style is taking hold.  Toasty grains, tobacco, light mineral rich soil notes are in the mix.  The cigar holds a nice firm salt and pepper ash and the burn is even.  Late in this third I notice a bit of sweet spice now and then.  It seemed like a light dusting of cinnamon. 

The lager is refreshing while smoking this cigar.  It is a typical lager and cigar pairing where the beer really does not have an effect on the cigar.  There is not much in flavor, from the beer, to interfere here. 

The mouthfeel is very pleasing with a leathery texture. 

Down the Stretch:  the soil note becomes a little stronger, there is forest floor earthiness, the toasted grains become a bit stronger.  I had to correct the burn a few times during this final third. 

The beer helps to refresh the palate after a few puffs of this cigar.  This is an okay pairing.  This cigar would be better paired with a quality beer and might be interesting to try it with an IPA due to its earthy profile.