I was presented with a great sample recently from the Beer of the Month Club. I had no idea that they offered something called The Rare Beer Club. I was given two bombers of beer that I had never had before and that is always a treat in itself, but the both these beers out of this world.

The first of the two beers I tried with some close friend (and beer lovers) was the Jai Alai Cedar Aged Humidor Series India Pale Ale from Cigar City Brewing in Tampa Florida. It is a west coast style IPA aged in cedar and is a GABF Gold winner.

This beautiful beer poured a light rusty orange-red with a big sticky head. The aromas coming off this beer were huge, both spicy and citrus. On the palette, my friends and I all immediately said “grapefruit!” As I kept drinking I also noted some sweetness behind the spice, I called it banana and butterscotch. The spice was hard to describe – maybe cedar’y.  We all thought it was a treat.

The Rare Beer Club is a great find… Just look at what they offer on any given month. One of the things I like so much about The Beer of the Month Club is the newsletter they provide each time. It is a well written article about the beer and details about the brewer, the style… you name it.

For instance, in this case they point out that excellent craft beer from Florida is quite rare in itself, which I never really thought about. They also mention some of the other wonderful brews at Cigar City, like their Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout which is aged with Peruvian cacao nibs, Ancho and Pasilla chilies, cinnamon , and Madagascar vanilla beans. (Yumm!)

Cigar City obviously knows what they are doing and I love that they are out there on the fringe trying things like cedar barrels to age in. I hope you try some.

(Serafijn review coming soon)