The world of craft beer offers brewers exciting approaches to brewing beer. Cigar makers continuously push the envelope to develop new combinations and ideas. Similarly, craft brewers are magicians seeking new varieties and techniques. Pairing whiskey and cigars is an age-old tradition that’s still going strong. But for adventurous tasters and palates, craft beer opens more possibilities. Today we’ll go on a tasting journey to bring you some tips on pairing cigars with craft beer.
First, we’ll provide a working definition for craft beer before moving on to look at five popular types of craft beer (IPA, Lager, Stout, Wheat beer, and Porter) and their taste profiles. We’ll continue our journey to sip and smoke through recommended cigars to help you find a perfect match—each beer type will be matched with a recommended cigar to bring out the best of both.
What is Craft Beer?
Let’s start at the beginning. What is craft beer? It is a beer from a non-commercial or significant brewery. Craft brewers, those small-scale brewing enthusiasts, are synonymous with innovation. They take historic beer styles and give them exciting new twists, even inventing original brews. They usually brew craft beer using traditional ingredients like malted barley. Craft brewers love experimenting with interesting and sometimes unique elements creating exciting flavors.
What sets craft brewers apart is their individualistic approach to engaging with customers. They value authenticity and seek to maintain their independence, steering clear of substantial interests from non-craft breweries. For craft brewers, it’s all about staying true to their craft and brewing with integrity.
Popular Styles
Craft beer, like cigars, offers diverse flavors, styles, and aromas. From refreshing IPAs to rich stouts and everything in between, craft beers present an exciting palette of tastes to explore. Understanding the basic beer styles and their characteristics can help you make informed choices when pairing them with cigars.
1. Over time, India Pale Ales (IPAs) have undergone significant changes, resulting in four distinct categories, each with its unique flavor profile. The English-style IPAs have a milder hoppy taste than American IPAs, offering a refreshing and crisp finish. On the flip side, American-style IPAs are characterized by their combination of bitter and sweet flavors with a hint of fruitiness. Imperial (Double) IPAs take things up a notch by amplifying the hoppy bitterness and fruity essence alongside a higher alcohol content. The fourth category, called Session IPAs, stands out with its lower alcohol percentage, coming in at under 5% ABV, and a more delicate hoppy flavor.
Let’s summarize:
| Style | Hop Flavor | Fruit Flavor | Alcohol Content |
| English-style IPA | Less hoppy | None to mild | 4-5% ABV |
| American-style IPA | Bitter | Moderate to strong | 5-7% ABV |
| Imperial (Double) IPA | Strong | Strong | 7-10% ABV |
| Session IPA | Mild | None to mild | <5% ABV |
No matter your preference, the IPA world has something special for you. So grab a pint, kick back, and savor the incredible variety of IPAs that have become a beer lover’s dream come true!
2. Lager: known for their crispness, clarity, and refreshing taste, lagers provide a smooth drinking encounter with subtle malt notes. One helpful tip is to pair your cigar’s body with the richness of your beer. Thus, for those moderate lagers, like Pilsners, it’s worth delving into medium-bodied cigars to achieve that flawless combination. Imagine your lager’s caramel and slight maltiness, wonderfully balancing a cigar with the ideal sweetness and earthy nuances. It’s a pairing that will delight your palate!
3. Stout: stouts and porters are unpredictable yet delicious choices for pairing with cigars. Characterized by their dark and robust profiles, stouts typically boast roasted coffee and chocolate flavors complemented by a creamy texture. Visualize relishing a chocolate or oatmeal stout, in which the soft nuances of vanilla perfectly match a mild cigar creating a match made in heaven. On the flip side, the dark roasted barley and rich malt flavors in these dark beers also play excellent with an earthy, spicy cigar. It’s like a dance of flavors on your palate! So, whether you choose a mellow or a more robust cigar, you can’t go wrong with these dark beers.
4. Wheat Beer and Hefeweizen: We’re in the ale category now with light and fruity tastes. Wheat beers often have hints of banana, clove, and other spices. Hefeweizen and wheat beer are both part of the ale family. What sets them apart is their use of wheat instead of barley as the main ingredient. They also share another common feature—a moderate alcohol content, making them easy-sipping beers.
Hefeweizen has a German heritage and boasts a darker color. Wheat beer, sometimes known as ‘witbier,’ comes from Belgium and is lighter in hue. Despite their differences, both styles have a mild character that pairs well with a silky, medium-bodied cigar. So, whether you’re sipping on a Hefeweizen or a wheat beer, you’re in for a delightful experience when paired with the right cigar.
5. Porter: Porter and Stout share a similar origin, but a critical difference sets them apart. Porter gets its lighter flavor from using malted barley instead of roasted barley, typically found in stout. This gives Porter a rich and well-rounded texture without the intense flavor of the stout. Porters offer a balance of roasted malt and chocolate flavors.
Pairing Tips
There are various craft beers and cigar brands that complement or contrast with each other. Our introduction below is a small selection, but we hope to help you find some winning combinations. The key is to keep exploring—not all combinations will work for you. So make sure to jot down a note to keep track of your taste journey.
Complement or Contrast
You can complement or contrast the flavors when pairing cigars with craft beer. Complementary pairing: a beer that shares similar flavor notes with the cigar, enhancing and reinforcing those flavors. For example, a smooth (and slightly sweet) cream ale can complement a mellow and creamy Connecticut-wrapped cigar. This combination allows the mild and delicate characteristics of the cigar and beer to shine together.
Contrasting is choosing a beer with different flavor profiles, creating a harmonious balance by contrast. For instance, a hoppy IPA can determine a bold and spicy cigar. In this case, the bitterness of the IPA acts as a counterpoint to the cigar’s spiciness, resulting in a dynamic interplay of flavors.
Balance Strength
It’s essential to consider the strength of the cigar and the craft beer when pairing. A full-bodied cigar may overpower a light beer, leading to a less enjoyable experience. Similarly, a robust beer can easily overshadow a delicate cigar. Strive for balance. Where neither the cigar nor the beer dominates, you’ll have a perfect match.
Pairing a robust and peppery cigar with a heavy Imperial Stout might create an overwhelming combination. Instead, pair that same cigar with a more balanced Lager or a smoother Porter. Why, you ask? It allows the flavors to complement each other without overwhelming the palate.
Personal Preference
Pairing cigars and craft beer to achieve unique taste combinations come down to personal preference. The key is to keep experimenting until you’ve found a combination that suits your taste the best. Sometimes an unlikely combination may surprise you—the journey is as important as the destination. So, keep on exploring!
Popular Cigar and Craft Beer Pairings
To get you started on your cigar and craft beer pairing journey, here are some classic combinations loved by enthusiasts worldwide.
1. IPA
Pairing IPAs and cigars can be tricky because they tilt the scales to the bitter side. Founders All Day IPA features a mellow taste intertwined with a complex mix of hops, grains, and malts. The clean finish won’t overwhelm your palate. At 4.7% ABV, you have an approachable IPA featuring fruity flavors like mango, tangerine, and grapefruit with notes of pine resin and citrus on the nose.
Recommendation # 1: Ashton Classic.
Why? A Connecticut Shade wrapper houses a blend of premium, aged Dominican leaves blended by Carlito Fuente—a legend in his own right. The cigar’s taste profile of cedar, toasted cashews, and coffee-and-cream tastes perfectly match the IPA’s taste profile. This is the perfect all-day combination, whether on the golf course, at the beach, or chilling at home during the big game.
Part of craft beer’s charm is how brewers always look for innovative ways to bring customers distinguished beers. Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA is no different. The beer is brewed through a continuous hopping process. Hops are continuously added for 60 minutes during the boiling process. So, instead of just boiling everything together, hops are continually added to impart flavors of pine and orange peel. The taste culminates in a spicy yet crisp and bubbly finish.
Recommendation #2: San Christobal Elegancia
Why? Nicaraguan leaves are wrapped up in an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper to produce an elegant handmade cigar with notes of almonds and cedar. The white pepper finish matches this IPA’s bright yet slightly bitter taste without one overwhelming the other.
2. Lager
Lagers, often called ‘bottom fermenting’ beers, are famous for their crisp and refreshing taste. Depending on how much of a beer nerd you are, you may (or may not) know that sometimes spruce tips are used instead of hops. While they can deliver a sweet flavor, their refreshing profile sets them apart. Pairing with an Ecuadorian Habano-wrapped cigar results in a balanced and enjoyable combination.
Suggestion: Oliva Serie V
Why? The earthy, hearty, and intense spices of Serie V find a beautiful balance when enjoyed with a cold lager. The clean and seamless swig from the lager complements the cigar’s flavors splendidly. Whether you opt for accessible and budget-friendly beers like Bud Light or prefer to explore locally brewed crafts like Eliot Ness from Great Lakes Brewing Co. or Grupo Modelo Negra Modelo, you’ll have plenty of options.
3. Stout
Stout Porter was a strong, dark beer brewed in London before Queen Victoria’s time. Today, we associate stouts with creamy and potent brews like Guinness. The roasted barley in stout gives it a toasty flavor. Stout has come a long way from its origins, evolving into a rich, dark drink that packs a punch.
Recommendation: San Cristobal Ovation
Why? Top-notch Nicaraguan filler tobaccos deliver cocoa, leather, and wood notes which complement the stout’s rich creaminess. This full-bodied cigar’s creamy flavor blends like a dream with the stout’s flavors.
4. Wheat Beer and Hefeweizen
On warm summer evenings, you can’t go wrong with pairing a mellow and creamy Connecticut Shade-wrapped cigar with a light and slightly fruity wheat beer. The beer’s smoothness complements the cigar’s Connecticut wrapper blend beautifully, creating a relaxing and refreshing experience for your taste buds. It’s a perfect match for those laid-back, sunny days!
Suggestion: Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne
Why? The cigar offers a silky, medium-bodied smoke where coffee beans, white pepper, and dried fruit notes complement Hefeweizen or wheat beer’s creaminess.
5. Porter
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The rich, chocolaty flavors of a Maduro cigar harmonize beautifully with a robust porter’s roasted malt and coffee notes—the perfect match for cool fall evenings. The dark and robust nature of the Maduro cigar complements the depth of flavor in the Porter.
Suggestion: La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor
Why? The cigar is known for its full-bodied profile with a mix of dark cocoa, spices, almonds, black cherries, and spices—a Porter’s earthy and coffee-like nuances pairs well with the cigar’s taste.
Conclusion
Pairing craft beers and cigars involves finding complementary or contrasting flavors. The key to a successful pairing is to match similar flavor notes. Or use opposite pairings to highlight other flavors while canceling similar ones. Ultimately, the idea is to pair like with like—for example, a Maduro wrapper will overwhelm a light-bodied lager. The reverse is true: a strong IPA overshadows a gentle Connecticut shade cigar. Experimentation based on personal preference is vital. Don’t hesitate to try unexpected combinations, as the journey of exploration is as important as finding the right pairing. Keep exploring to discover your ideal blend. Happy smoking and pairing!
