The Ale
Red Hoptober Ale
Fall Seasonal
New Belgium Brewing
Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
6% abv
22 oz bottle
$3.99
Appearance: plain and simple to me … it looks like root beer
soda – a dark caramelized body in color with a tan two finger head. Holding it up to the light the mahogany
shines through.
Aroma: light citrusy hoppy nose with some toasted grains in
the mix
Flavors: white grapefruit meat (it’s under control), toasted
light rye, lightly roasted caramel, herbal? Or sea grass? From the hops on the
back,
Mouthfeel: decent carbonation; light hoppy notes tantalize
the tongue; toasted grains and a light roasted caramel help to balance things
out; a moderate aftertaste;
To the Point: I have only had one bottle so far but, I am
willing to buy more. It is tasty. Exceptional … I am not ready to go there yet …
“very good” sure. Not harsh or heavy on
the palate. Worthy of a try. Understand that it is a red amber ale with
some Cetennial, Cascade and Eldorado hops.
The light-moderate bitterness with a touch of sweetness should satisfy
most specialty beer drinkers.
The Cigar
Pinar del Rio Clasico Exclusivo Torpedo
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade from
Ecuador
Fillers: Nicaraguan and Dominican
Size:6.5 x 52
Taste Profile: this cigar sports a nice oaky profile with a
mild coffee note, lightly toasted grains and dry summer soil.
To the Point: I like stick.
The price point is right (inexpensive) and it has a taste profile that
hits my palate. I have not smoked one in
quite a while and this reminds me that I should smoke the Pinar del Rio
Classico a little more frequently.
The Pairing
After a few sips of the Ale I said to myself, let’s do a
mild-medium smoke with a little oaky profile to the taste and this looked like
a winner.
This ended up being a good pairing. The oaky profile and mild-medium body of the
cigar mixed well with the Ales light hoppy-ness. I think a cigar with a peppery profile might
bring out the bitterness in the Ale.
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