Wednesday Whiskey err Beer and Cigars

 

A special Wednesday pairing post.  While I drink more whiskey than beer these days, I still enjoy a good beer and cigar pairing.  As with most things, some beers make much better pairings than others those are usually darker, barrel aged beers.  This particular beer is one of those great cigar pairing beers, but it is so much more than that. This beer celebrates Houstons own Saint Arnolds 30th Anniversary.  30 years brewing craft beer is a tremendous feat, especially when you look at how many craft breweries have either shut down recently, or sold out to a a Macro brewer, or even tried to combine forces with other smaller craft breweries.  Saint Arnold has stayed true to its roots, and has stayed independent throughout it all.  While I haven't been in Houston for all of Saint Arnolds existence, I started visiting the brewery back in 2002 when they were in an un-airconditioned warehouse. Summers were fun.  I've written about them many many times in the past on this blog, even getting the opportunity to interview the owner Brock Wagner.  I am very happy to toast Saint Arnold and their 30 successful years with this outstanding beer.

The Beer

The beer is called a Grand Cru, which has no real meaning, but for Saint Arnold it means taking their imperial stout Commitment, aging it in bourbon and whiskey barrels for 2-4 years, then finishing it in Tokaji, Madeira, or Port barrels before blending it all together to create something that is incredibly unique.  The beer pours a dark opaque brownish black with a thin quickly dissipating copper colored head.  Bourbon, booze, oak, and vanilla spice on the nose.  The mouthfeel is viscous, thick, heavy.  Rich and creamy, wine like on the palate.  Notes of port, dried fruits, slight oxidation.  Cherries, tobacco, chocolate, slight acidity.  Damn this is superb.  It's been a long time since I have had a beer this complex, and enjoyable.  Outstanding job by the Saint Arnold team.

The Cigar

When I smoke a cigar, I don't always want something that is going to last me an hour or more.  Sometimes, I want something that is a shorter smoke, I am not in the mood to have a long sit down.  When I am in that mood, I usually reach for a Nub, a small short stubby brand of cigars from Oliva Cigar company of which I have spoken about many times before.  Nub makes a fairly wide range of small stubby sticks, in various shapes, but all are thick gauged.  This particular stick is from their Nuance line, specifically their Single Roast.  This is one of the few flavored type of cigars I have smoked as it is infused with coffee flavors and has a sweet cap on the wrapper.  An Ecuadorian wrapper with Nicaragua filler, and very thick gauged this is not a harsh smoke at all. This is a creamy milk chocolate bomb, with a slight spice and cedar plank finish.  It worked well with the beer, but I could have actually used a little more robust cigar I think to play off of the beer.  Something I will have to try in the future.