Cigar City Jai Alai IPA
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Tasting Notes
The aroma leads with a dense wave of citrus — orange peel, grapefruit, and a hint of tangerine — layered over a resinous, piney backbone. On the palate, a firm but not harsh bitterness anchors bright tropical and citrus hop flavors, balanced by a solid caramel malt foundation that keeps it from feeling thin. The body is medium to full, with enough malt weight to support the hop load. The finish is long and dry, with lingering resin and a clean bitterness that fades slowly.
About the Brewery
Cigar City is based in Tampa, Florida, and was founded in 2009. The brewery built its early reputation on hop-forward beers and a distinctive Florida sensibility, leaning on local culture and ingredients where possible. Jai Alai became one of the most recognized American IPAs in the Southeast and helped establish Florida as a serious craft beer market. They also produce a well-regarded line of stouts, lagers, and sours alongside their flagship offerings.
Food Pairings
The sticky citrus and resin character of this IPA works well alongside jerk chicken, where the bold spice finds a complementary heat match rather than a clash. Pulled pork with a vinegar-forward sauce benefits from the malt backbone cutting through the fat while the hops amplify the tangy notes. Sharp aged cheddar is a natural pairing because the bitterness scrubs the palate clean between bites. Fish tacos with a lime crema let the citrus in the hops echo the brightness of the dish without overwhelming the delicate fish.
Style Guide
The American IPA took the English IPA template and pushed the hops much further forward, prioritizing aroma and flavor from late-addition and dry-hop additions over the earthier, more restrained English approach. Defining characteristics include prominent citrus, pine, and tropical fruit notes from American hop varieties like Centennial, Cascade, and Simcoe, with a supporting malt structure that stays secondary. ABVs typically run between 6% and 7.5%, with bitterness levels that are assertive but not aggressive in well-balanced examples. It became the defining American craft beer style through the 1990s and 2000s and remains a benchmark against which most other hop-forward styles are measured.