Casa Magna Dominican Gran Toro and Kostritzer Schwarzbier: Pairing

The Beer

Kostritzer Schwarzbier

Kostritzer Schwarzbierbrauerei

Germany

4.8% abv

11.2oz bottle

Best before: 8.22.2014 clearly marked on the bottle

March Matching

Read the March Matching Set-up Posting

Another beer that I cannot believe that I have not reviewed before.  I pick up a six pack or two during the winter months to enjoy this simple Black Lager while sitting by the campfire up north.  To me this is a classic Black Lager. 

Appearance: almost black body with big cola highlights; a thin half finger tan head with a strong pour; a spot here and there of lacing – another way to say nothing much;

Aroma: very light toasted grains; otherwise very lager like

Flavors: lightly sweet malts with a touch of tart hops keeping the balance; light toasted grains that remind me of a soft-fresh loaf of pumpernickel bread; semi-sweet coffee

Mouthfeel: light-moderate carbonation; smooth; fresh; tasty for a Black Lager; light-moderate body; with the 4.8% abv it is easy to sit by the campfire and down a few

To the Point: nothing special to review but, damn this is one fine Black Lager; I don’t know how any – I mean ANY beer drinker cannot like this beer; I recommend this for any beer drinker of course

The Cigar

Casa Magna Dominican Gran Toro

Wrapper: Corojo

Fillers: Cuban-seed Dominican

Size: 6 x 60

Profile: medium-full body; dark roasted coffee; dark chocolate like bitterness; toasted caramel; fire pit smoky note; green peppercorn; earthy and peppery aftertaste

(Click here for the full cigar review)

The Pairing

I was wrong with what I envisioned for this pairing.  I thought the cigar would overpower this fairly simple Black Lager.  Not only do I enjoy the flavors of each product but, I think the dark bready notes of the beer bring out the toasted forest floor notes of the cigar.  The light-moderate green peppercorn notes of the cigar helps to perk up a little spiciness in the beer – reminding me of rye – like a Black Russian Pumpernickel Bread; I'll place this pairing right with the Wee Heavy pairing

Casa Magna Dominican Gran Toro and Cigar Box Reserve Malbec 2012: Pairing

The Wine

Cigar Box Reserve Malbec 2012

Cigarboxwine.com

$16.99 saw it at some grocery store and had to buy it

See the March Matching set-up post

Appearance: black-purple body with deep purple highlights; slow dripping leggs

Aroma: black fruit, reminding me of black currant and black plum; touch of floral and mineral; on the bottle it says violet, I got a bottle of violet vinegar out of the pantry and yep violet it is;

Flavors: fresh black berry, plum, black currant; light tart cranberry in the mix; a 70% dark chocolate like note swirls around the berries; mild cedar spice; moderate mineral earthiness;

Mouthfeel: dry; tannins are moderate and under control; nice black fruit bitterness on the back and aftertaste; a pleasing thickness to the body on the first glass – starts to get a little jammy on the second glass; I’ll give it a 6 on my strength scale – just inside the medium-full range;

To the Point: a pleasing Malbec;

The Cigar

Casa Magna Dominican Gran Toro

Wrapper: Corojo

Fillers: Cuban-seed Dominican

Size: 6 x 60

Profile: medium-full body; dark roasted coffee; dark chocolate like bitterness; toasted caramel; fire pit smoky note; green peppercorn; earthy and peppery aftertaste

Click here to read the full cigar review

The Pairing

The wine seems to control the cigar – after a sip of the wine and then a puff of the cigar the cigar seems to lose all the flavor notes I mentioned above and the cigar only comes across with some deep toasted grains - a slightly boring exchange in my opinion.
Now, when I puff the cigar and then take a sip of the wine I get the flavors of the cigar of course and then they mix with the flavors of the wine for a decent experience because nothing flavor wise stands out.  The wine does come across a little fuller in body during this experience. 

I think both the cigar and the wine are in the medium-full range which should help to make a good match but, I think the robust flavors of the cigar are a little too much for this wine to maximize my experience. It was a decent pairing but, nothing special.

I gave this pairing 3-1 odds to win this March Matching but, it will be bring up the rear next to the Double Bastard Ale.

Casa Magna Dominican Gran Toro and Biere du Boucanier Golden Ale: Pairing

The Ale

Biere du Boucanier Golden Ale

Van Steenberge

Belgium

Globalbeer.com

March Matching
Read the March Matching Set-up

11% abv

11.2 oz stubby bottle

$21.99 a six pack (sampler pack)

Refermented in the bottle

Style: Triple Ale or Belgian Strong Pale Ale

Appearance: cloudy golden orange body with a one and a half finger white head that settles to a thin layer in about a minute or so; some lacing on the glass; get that yeast off the bottom of the bottle by swirling the bottle with the last inch of beer and then pouring it into the chalice; solid sheets of lacing hang on my second glass of this ale during the first half of the glass then, spotty lacing

Aroma: to me this has that classic Belgium Beer aroma: Belgian yeast, sweet tropical fruits like tangerine and a hint of banana (a creamy red banana) with a touch of stone fruit; nice spice; aromatic hop;

Flavors: sweet malts and nice aromatic hops show some good balance (still on the sweet side); stone fruits and gentle citrus zest swirl around some sweet grains and honey; plenty of earthy yeast, lightly tart cranberry biscuit, spice on the back that reminds me of pink peppercorn, a soft pink peppercorn; 

Mouthfeel: creamy feel; fine fizzy feel from the carbonation; sweet candied fruit up front with spice on the mid and it all comes together for a pleasing aftertaste; a mild-moderate citrus zest on the mid and finish; a pleasing bitterness underneath; medium-full body; the alcohol did not play a big role to me except for adding the light pink peppercorn spice note

To the Point: very pleasing aroma that makes the drinking experience a pleasure; the sweetness is under control and not in your face; the mild hops give it some balance and character; I do not pick up a boozy feel or a big alcohol note coming from the 11%er; I think the alcohol is giving the ale that pink peppercorn note; I am giving this ale a solid 89% for a B+ … no how about 90% for an A- … boy is grading a beer tough work; must buy – go out of your way to find this ale

The Cigar

Casa Magna Dominican Gran Toro

Wrapper: Corojo

Fillers: Cuban-seed Dominican

Size: 6 x 60

Profile: medium-full body; dark roasted coffee; dark chocolate like bitterness; toasted caramel; fire pit smoky note; green peppercorn; earthy and peppery aftertaste

(Click here for the full cigar review)

The Pairing

I gave this pairing 5-1 odds in the 2014 March Matching because I thought there just might be an issue with the robust flavors of the cigar masking some of the nice delicate flavors of this very tasty ale.  Let’s see what happens.  If I was a betting man - I would bet this pairing to show - to come in third - 'show' is horse betting language for third place.

After a few sips of the ale I am ready to light this cigar up and get on with this review.  The ale is tasting true to my notes and after a few puffs of the cigar the cigar is smoking true to my notes. 

I take a couple puffs on the cigar and then sip the ale; nice soft candied fruits on the deliver (upfront); late on the palate and on the aftertaste (on the ale) I am noticing a bit of a spike in the bitterness and a little stronger taste on the pink peppercorn; I am not picking up that lightly tart cranberry biscuit note – just drop the words ‘lightly and biscuit’ – I am getting a tart cranberry note which would coincide with the spike in the bitterness.  So, the bitterness of the cigar and the peppery notes of the cigar have an effect on the ale. 

Let’s take the other approach sip the ale first and then puff the cigar and see what I experience.  After a few sips of the ale to get my taste buds back in balance I finally puff the cigar.  I am not noticing an impact on the cigar during this exchange.  The cigar flavors are coming through – I get the dark roasted coffee, toasted caramel, the smoky and peppery notes; the mouthfeel remains the same.  Interesting, I was expecting the citrus zip of the ale, even though it is a delicate citrus, to bring out the bitterness in the cigar.  So, the sweetness of the ale isn’t even strong enough to impact the cigar.  This can be a good thing – and I have to say I like when you can experience the flavors of each product during the exchange. 

There are time when this has happened but, sometimes I like one exchange over the other.  Here I like both of these.  I like that the cigar brought out some of the hops in the ale.  This is a sweet ale after all.  I also liked it when I sipped the ale and the cigar notes were not disturbed – both products minded their own business so to say.