Cigars and Beer

[RhiannonBW]

I'm treating hubby to a fine dining and beer evening at our local posh restaurant in a couple of weeks. Does anyone have any recommendations for cigars (cuban or otherwise) which suit beer?

Thanks.

Rhiannon x

[Habana-Habanos]

Well look at what he likes, the strengths of the cigar, size, time he has for him to smoke it. Cuban cigars have different tastes to other regions so thats something to consider. Basically you could choose any cigar but choosing one he will enjoy depends purely on his opinion.

Hope I helped.

[RhiannonBW]

Sorry, I should have been more specific. He has time for a long smoke, loves big cigars, and he likes medium strength and flavour.

Rhiannon x

[Olls]

I'd be interested to hear a few opinions on this.

I love beer but when I first started smoking cigars I decided that cigars and beer just didn't go. After a bit more experimenting I've decided they definitely do but it is very dependent on the combination of both. So I don't think there's specifically a cigar that goes with "beer," because it depends a lot on the type of beer.

If you're drinking something very light and flowery or fruity you'll easily overpower it with a cigar. Maybe a Hoyo Epicure would be good here?

If you've got something with a bit more bite like a very hoppy American-style IPA or a rich, dark ale, then your choices are a bit more varied. I've actually found some extremely hoppy beers do the exact opposite and overpower the cigar.

In my experience you can get some really interesting combinations with beer and cigars but it's tricky to get it right compared to, say, whisky or rum, where it's hard to go wrong.

What does anyone else think?

[daverave999]

What kind of beer? Real ale or otherwise?

[bigbarneyhotdog]

I drink mainly Belgie beers and quite a few UK Ales, I think they all go well with any type of cigar

[Stevieboy]

Hoegaarden tastes great with cigars....and everything else in the world....I'd put the stuff on my cornflakes if I could

[deltawhisky]

To be honest, chaps and chapettes, beer is not my favourite pairing for a good stick. But Stevieboy, I'll second Hoegaarden - it's light as air itself!

[Simon-JG-hr]

I've found certain beers to be excellent partners with a cigar.

As Olls suggests, a good, hoppy IPA would be a solid choice. With some of the sweeter cigars, a strong bitter would be an excellent accompaniment - contrasting with the cigar, which really draws out the sweet flavours which define the stick.

Something quite malty, like a good mild, will go well with a light cigar which has the drier, slightly bitter flavours (such as wood and coffee).

With very, very few exceptions I'd not pair anything more than medium flavoured with a beer.

[Olls]

Here's a great article about matching beer with food by Garrett Oliver. He has a book on the subject that is supposed to be very good and I've been meaning to pick-up for ages. I think you could apply many of the same principles to cigars.

http://www.allaboutbeer.com/features/243beerandfood.html

I'd love to try a smoked beer like Schenkerla Rauchbier (not sure on the spelling) with a cigar - bet that would go beautifully.

[jimmy_g32]

As much as I love both a good cigar and a good beer (and peaty scotch) I can't stand rauchbier. There is something a bit stale about it - more like an ashtray than a cigar, for me. Having said that, my father makes the same accusation at Laphroaig...there's no accountint for taste.

[Olls]

Haha! Very true - taste is a funny thing.

It's definitely a "marmite" type-of beer. I find it has an almost medicinal taste, if you know what I mean. Wouldn't want much of it but I quite like it.

[Lascaux]

i often pair a trappist with a cigar,
also hefe/dunkelweissens, wiehennstephan franziskaner paulaner etc, nicely rich and sweet

i quite like light lagers especially at the end of a cigar just to lighten it a bit

[snooky]

I drink real ale every friday with a smoke luv it ,given the choice a nice single malt x

[cohibaIV]

I LOVE a bottle of cold Miller with a cigar...

Love it...