- Tampa: The Cigar Capital of the USA and Home of Cigar City Brewing
- Behind the Scenes at Cigar City Brewing: From Taproom to Production
- The Art of Barrels and Spirits at Cigar City Brewing
- A Taproom Experience: Sampling Cigar City Brewing’s Finest
- The Tasting Flight
Extra Crispy Recipe – Lager / Helles, 5.1% ABV
Sexy Horse Show – West Coast Pilsner, 6.2% ABV
Maduro Brown Ale – English-Style Brown Ale, 5.5% ABV
Nitro Maduro – English-Style Brown Ale, 5.5% ABV
Jai Alai – IPA, 7.5% ABV
Space Pope – IPA, 7.3% ABV
Fancy Papers – Hazy IPA, 6.5% ABV
Florida Man – Double IPA, 9% ABV
Barb Ross – Rice Lager with Watermelon, 4.3% ABV
Brave Corporate Logo – Hazy IPA, 6.6% ABV
Forest Bath – Japanese-Style Cold Lager, 6.3% ABV
Cosmic Crown – Belgian-Style Strong Golden Ale, 9% ABV
Conspicuous Consumption of Leisure – Maple Syrup Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout with Vanilla & Cinnamon, 13.9% ABV
Good Gourd – Imperial Pumpkin Ale, 8.8% ABV - Reflecting on an Exceptional Visit to Cigar City Brewing
Tampa: The Cigar Capital of the USA and Home of Cigar City Brewing
Tampa, one of the major cities in Florida, is home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL Super Bowl Champions of 2020), the Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL), and the Tampa Bay Rays (MLB). Beyond its sports fame, Tampa is also recognized as the unofficial cigar capital of the USA, which is the inspiration behind Cigar City Brewing’s name.
If you’d like to dive deeper into Tampa’s rich heritage and its nickname, feel free to explore my other posts about Grand Cathedral Cigars and Ybor City—just click the links whenever you’re ready!
Behind the Scenes at Cigar City Brewing: From Taproom to Production
Let’s get back to Cigar City Brewing and start from the beginning. Due to traffic, we arrived a bit late, but that only made the warm welcome from our hosts—Victoria, Sean, and Reade—even more appreciated. After a quick introduction, we began our tour in the taproom, which we passed through briefly as we planned to wrap up our visit there.
Our next stop was the production area, overseen by Sean, the brewing manager at CCB. Honestly, I expected a relatively small facility, but I was amazed to see how much the brewery has grown since its founding in 2009. Over the years, CCB has not only expanded its production but also kept pace with increasing demand. Today, their craft beers are available in 50 states across the U.S., with an annual production of 170,000 barrels, equivalent to nearly 200,000 hectoliters.
Sean guided us through every corner of the brewery, from the bottling and canning lines to the keg warehouse and technical equipment. It felt like stepping into rocket science as Sean explained their advanced filtration system, which ensures consistent quality and taste for all their craft beers. Even the water used in the brewing process is filtered in-house, giving them complete control over every aspect of production.
The Art of Barrels and Spirits at Cigar City Brewing
As we continued through the production area, my heart skipped a beat when Sean showed me the barrel storage, where the magic of aging their limited expressions happens. And where there are barrels, distillation is never far behind. It was time for Reade, Cigar City Brewing’s Director of Distillation & Spirits, to take the spotlight.
Reade walked me through his distillation apparatus, where he produces whiskey and rum to be aged and sold under the CCB brand. With a wealth of experience gained from working in places like Scotland, Germany, and Canada, Reade brings a global perspective to his craft. He explained that the current setup is just the beginning of his in-house distillation project.
Right now, Reade is building a pot still and column still combination, a design historically used for rye whiskey distillation. Once the new still is operational, he plans to focus on rum distillation made from local sugarcane, sourced from across the U.S. Gulf Coast, from Louisiana to Florida.
A Taproom Experience: Sampling Cigar City Brewing’s Finest
After all the overwhelming insights shared by Sean and Reade—spanning CCB’s production of craft beers and spirits, as well as an exciting glimpse into what’s coming next—we headed back to the taproom. The plan? To sample a few beers with the team.
Did I say a few beers? Oh, how naïve I was! Naturally, the tour through the brewery and distillery took some time, and during that, we all exchanged stories about the beers and spirits we love. Picture a group of enthusiastic beer and spirit nerds in their natural habitat—it was as fun as it sounds.
Back to the tasting. Sean ordered a flight from the bar staff to kick things off. But as soon as the beers arrived, he spotted a few missing specials. Before we could even touch the first glass, another flight was promptly delivered to satisfy our curious and thirsty palates.
And Reade? Of course, he joined in! He unearthed even more expressions that he insisted we couldn’t leave without trying. By the end of the session, we had sampled an incredible 14 different beers from Cigar City Brewing.
A Comprehensive Tasting: 14 Cigar City Brewing Beers You Need to Try
- Extra Crispy Recipe – Lager / Helles, 5.1% ABV
I’m not kidding—this might be the best “Helles” I’ve ever tasted. Slim, light, and true to its style, but with an unexpected depth of flavor and subtle malt sweetness. CCB proved to me that “Helles” can be more than just a hoppy substitute for cold water on a sunny day. Outstanding job—100 points! - Sexy Horse Show – West Coast Pilsner, 6.2% ABV
A Pilsner with over 6% ABV? Shut up and take my money! It’s hoppy but not overpowering, light, refreshing, and dangerously good at hiding its alcohol punch. - Maduro Brown Ale – English-Style Brown Ale, 5.5% ABV
While it shares a style with the well-known Newcastle Brown Ale, that’s where the comparison ends. This beer is in a league of its own—a five-star brown ale with a full body and subtle sweetness. Perfect in every way! - Nitro Maduro – English-Style Brown Ale, 5.5% ABV
Imagine the classic Maduro with a little extra nitrogen magic. The result? A velvety beer that tastes like a fine cappuccino from your favorite barista. If you love beer and coffee, don’t wait another second to try this! - Jai Alai – IPA, 7.5% ABV
CCB’s flagship beer and a staple on taps across the region. Named after the fast-paced game Jai Alai (pronounced “haɪlaɪ”), this IPA is solid and balanced—tasty without being over the top. It’s a beer for drinkers, not just for beer nerds, and an excellent gateway into the IPA style. Try it, and you can thank me later. - Space Pope – IPA, 7.3% ABV
Bold and citrusy, this IPA offers a punch of flavor with a clean finish. Definitely one for the IPA fans. - Fancy Papers – Hazy IPA, 6.5% ABV
Hazy and delicious, this one even won me over—and I’m not typically a fan of hazy beers. Coco, a self-proclaimed Hazy IPA junkie, summed it up perfectly: “Oh wow—this is great! I love everything about it.” - Florida Man – Double IPA, 9% ABV
Now we’re talking! This DIPA is my favorite style: smooth, hoppy, and with a bold slap of alcohol at 9%. Sean revamped the original recipe, adding his brewmaster magic to create this masterpiece. And for those wondering about the name, search “Florida Man” with your birthday for a fun surprise! - Barb Ross – Rice Lager with Watermelon, 4.3% ABV
Light, crisp, and refreshing with a subtle watermelon note. A perfect beer for a hot summer day. - Brave Corporate Logo – Hazy IPA, 6.6% ABV
Approved, stamped, and certified by Coco! This one also features a fun label design inspired by The Simpsons—definitely worth checking out. - Forest Bath – Japanese-Style Cold Lager, 6.3% ABV
A complex and refreshing lager with a unique twist. I’d love to give this another try on its own since it came late in the tasting lineup after so many excellent beers. - Cosmic Crown – Belgian-Style Strong Golden Ale, 9% ABV
Belgian-style beers can be polarizing, but this one is an exception. Sweet malt notes with a gingerbread-like finish make it a great introduction to the style, even for skeptics. - Conspicuous Consumption of Leisure – Maple Syrup Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout with Vanilla & Cinnamon, 13.9% ABV
The name says it all—this beer is pure indulgence. It tastes like a Belgian waffle topped with vanilla ice cream. Reade’s process of aging the beer in maple syrup-soaked bourbon barrels, with a touch of vanilla and cinnamon, creates a flavor bomb that’s nothing short of magical. - Good Gourd – Imperial Pumpkin Ale, 8.8% ABV
Just when I thought I couldn’t drink another beer, Reade brought out this seasonal gem. Pumpkin perfectly rounds out this beer, making it the best liquid apple pie I’ve ever tasted—a true dessert in a glass.
Reflecting on an Exceptional Visit to Cigar City Brewing
Oh lord, what an experience—what an outstanding afternoon, what a great brewery, and what an amazing team! It’s truly rare for me to find a brewery where I genuinely enjoy and appreciate so many of their beers. Don’t get me wrong—a beer can be technically perfect for its style, yet still not align with my personal taste. But at Cigar City Brewing, it was a completely different story.
After a few days of reflection and sampling CCB beers again in bars, restaurants, and even our hotel room (straight from the can), it felt like I had found “my brewery.” Their ability to craft beers across a variety of styles, all somehow aligning with my personal preferences, is remarkable.
Last but not least: after drinking our way through almost the entire tap list, we were served fantastic dishes. We left Cigar City Brewery & Taproom feeling satisfied, a bit tipsy, and with a little bit of “fear of missing out” until we can return to this incredible place!
Beyond the beer and food, what left an equally lasting impression was the hospitality. Victoria, Sean, Reade, and everyone else we had the pleasure of meeting made us feel like regulars—like we had been part of their community for years. Their genuine warmth and attention to detail were truly outstanding and hard to replicate.
Thank you, Cigar City Brewing, for an unforgettable experience. I’ll be counting down the days until I can return!
