Best Ways for Pairing Beer with Cigars
Beer and cigars are notorious for being one of the most loved and popular combinations out there. This is mainly because the taste of the beer is very popular among most of the people but also because it has a great variety of aromas that manage to complement all types of cigars. There are many ways in which you can pair beer with cigars and it is a matter of personal taste. But even so, there are some ground rules that should be followed in order to make sure that you fully enjoy this great duo.
1. The color
It is well-known in the cigar world that the color of the wrapper usually matches the overall strength of the cigar. This means that a sand-colored cigar is usually a light-bodied one and the darker ones are on the stronger side. The same principle can also be applied for beer.
In general terms, the light-colored beers have a rather crisp and fresh taste without many bursts of aroma. Such beers are best paired with light-bodied cigars because the aromas will not overlap. The amber-colored beers are in the middle of the taste range and they go very well with medium-bodied cigar like a Vegas Robaina.
The dark lagers are excellent for those who like strong tastes. These beers usually have a richer taste and they often display a bitter undertone and bursts of flavor. They are the perfect match for the cigars that have a darker color, especially the Maduros. These cigars usually had a longer aging time, meaning that their aroma is much more concentrated, making them very strong.
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2. The base ingredients
As a base recipe, beer is made from hops, malt, yeast, and water. The taste variations come from different combinations of these four ingredients and this is why the taste of the beer is so interesting and complex.
The malt beers tend to have a more sweet aroma in comparison with the ones that have as a dominant ingredient hops. They are very popular during the summer because they have a very playful taste and slight variations of taste. These beers can go perfectly with basically any type of cigar but the best ones are those who also feature sweet aromas like fruit, licorice, cocoa, and vanilla.
The hops beers are on the more bitter side and they are some of the most popular in the world. They are very versatile and they work very well with any cigar, especially with the medium-bodied ones like H.Upmann No.2. Being on the rather bitter side, sweet or spicy cigars are better avoided because the taste will not complement each other and you will have a rather funny after taste.
There are some special types of beer that also feature rye or rice. These are rather rare but they can be used in beer and cigar pairings if you like them. They work the best with medium-bodied cigars because their base aroma is very balanced.
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3. The alcohol percentage
Even though beers are known as some of the lightest alcoholic drinks out there, some of them have a rather high percentage of alcohol. Just like in the case of the color, the amount of alcohol should complement the strength of the cigar. The light-bodied cigars work very well with regular beer and as the color of the wrapper goes darker, you can choose beers that have higher amounts of alcohol.
The strongest beers have an alcohol percentage compared to that of wine and they are the perfect match for strong cigars like the full-bodied ones.
4. The aromatic beers
There are many taste variations out there and some of the most interesting ones can be found in aromatic beers. Fruits, vanilla, herbs, and even leather can be found in the flavor palettes of some beers. As a tip, these complex beers should be paired with cigars that feature complimentary aromas or even the same palette.
Pairing these types of beers is not very difficult but you have to be careful when choosing the flavor palettes.
As a pro tip, beer should be served cold when enjoyed next to a cigar but the temperature should be hot enough to feel all the aromas of the beer.
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beers