Fletchers Cigar Bar

The Brew: Jai Alai IPA
The Maker:  Cigar City Brewing Co., 
Tampa, Florida
Rating: 5 out of a possible 5 bottles
ABV: 7.5 %      

India pale ale is the name given to those hoppy brews that some people turn up their noses at.  My nose follows that hops aroma and I couldn’t wait to taste this product of  Tampa, that tri-lingual jewel of a city on Florida’s west coast.    

Joe Redner Jr.’s just a young fellow but he spent most of the last 15 years or so pursuing his passion for craft beers.  It began with a trip to Portland, Oregon, a lot of beer sampling, and later a try at home brewing.  The idea to create Cigar City Brewing was born.  He says in published articles he wanted to pay tribute to his home town – its grit, its macho mix of industries, and its cigars.   

So I sampled a tiny bit of his cultural craftsmanship recently – the IPA called Jai Alai.  It’s named after a game played in the Basque country of northern Spain and southern France. Players fasten these long baskets to their wrists and fling a small hard rubber ball against a wall. Back and forth, back and forth. Pock, pick, grunt, weave, duck, catch, fling.  Makes one thirsty just thinking about it.          

Jai Alai won’t leave you dry.  It has a hint of cigars and cedar lurking in its orange-amber body.  And vanilla. Something like vanilla.    You have to like hoppy to be happy about this one.