Cigar City Capricho Oscuro (Batch 2)

Formerly brewed at Cigar City Brewing
Style: American Strong Ale
Tampa, Florida USA

Serve in Snifter, Trappist glass

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A: The pour is a muddled brown color with with very little in terms of head. S: There is a surprising amount of fruitiness to the nose, mostly of the stone variety. I also pick up plenty of barrel character in the form of vanilla, oak, and leather. T: A nice balance of the whiskey component and caramel, vanilla, and the subtle, underlying fruit flavors (a lot of cherries). On top of all that, a bit of roast and perhaps even chocolate. A really complex flavor profile. M: A medium bodied beer with a somewhat subtle carbonation that does prick the tongue a bit. D: A really interesting beer from CCB and one that I enjoyed quite a bit. Lots of different flavors going on here and not too much in terms of detectable booze.

Bottle 15/450 shared by someone at DLD 2k10. The beer pours to a black body with a light brown head. The aroma is sour cherry-like mash and light chocolate. The flavor is chocolate and tobacco. Some strange woody thing too. The palate is tart and has a long lingering flavor. I wasn’t impressed.

Terrific aroma of bourbon barrel vanilla and the super rich nuttiness of the Bolita and Big Sound. Deceptively dark roasted flavor is not something you see coming - testifying to the presence of 110K#2. A bit better than the sum of it’s parts - the barrel aging isn’t too heavy handed.

From deep murky brown-black depths emerge a thin cappuccino film ending along the sides of my glass for an equally sporty collar. She swirls with no lace, but considering how thick and heavy her pour was I’m not particularly surprised. A good head is as good as it is relative to the beer in question. Instead, I get bourbon, and lots of it. Oh sweet Gambrinus, how did CCB know my other weakness is bourbon. Rich bourbon sweetness is equally matched by fall fruits, spice, and a hit of heat in the back. Peach and apricot fruitiness intermingles with bakers’ chocolate, espresso beans covered in chocolate, burnt marshmallows, and wood. Tasty! But wait, I haven’t even tasted it yet; this is just the nose. Dry brown spices sprinkle about while her ABV warmth and bourbon continue to tickle the back of my nose. Red apple skins lay peeled before me even as toffee crunchies and caramel crunchies await that perfect apply marriage. Flavor in beer is one thing, but aroma is easily as important, if not maybe just a wee bit more. Already smitten, I perform the ultimate sacrifice of taste evaluation, I drink the beer. Ahh… bourbon. Lighter in body than her nose implied, my mouth dries almost immediately. As the top of my tongue dries, bourbon soaked wood barrels, nutmeg, and cinnamon sticks come to the forefront of my attentions. Rich and full, her warm touch is already working its magic while red apple, peach, and apricot skins refresh. Awaiting each turn of flavor is bourbon in all its vanillin, toffee, caramel, and chocolate concentrate glory. Hershey’s anyone? Vanilla bean forgoes subtlety, drowning instead its entirety into the bourbon beery mash currently seducing my palate. A final lick of dry roastiness and she is all about quaff and repeat. That’s ok; there is more than enough going on in her nose and palate to keep me more than happily occupied. But enough talking, there’s drinking to be done.

Once more, Cigar City Brewing doesn’t disappoint. Out of the three Capricho Obscuro batches, I have so far tasted the 2nd and 3rd, both equally delightful in their own unique and exciting way. Some may say one is better than the other, and having preferences is ok, but for me, both stand tall on their own. Now, to get my hands on the first batch, if I can. They are limited releases, after all…

355ml Bottle brought to Amsterdam by GodOfThunder, thanks Jay! Deep dark brown to black colour, thin creamy beige head that lasts. Aroma of light tart vinous notes, vanilla, roasted malts, berries, a bit of coffee, some chocolate. Flavour is light sweet, lots of roasted malts, light tart vinous notes, chocolate, vanilla, coffee and roasted malts with a hint of tartness in the finish. Creamy mouthfeel, fullbodied. Lots going on, but the barrel ageing made this beer a whole lot less I think. I just don’t dig it.

Thanks to Kevin for the bottle, #15/450. Poured dark brown with a dusting of deep beige head. The aroma picked up sour bourbon over dark chocolate and graham cracker sweetness.. some coffee too.. quite tart. The flavor found sour bourbon throughout with metallic character to it.. chocolate and coffee support plus increasing nutty notes as the drink progressed.. some smoke on the finish.. just OK. Tart and spicy overall on the palate.. kind of messy.

12 oz bottle shared at RBWG 2010. Pours a deep woody amber brown with a thin yet lasting fizzy head. Aroma is sour notes up front with red wine barrels oak, vanilla, some old and hairy dog earthy funkiness, mineral licorice, caramel, toast, molasses, nuts chocolate and roast. Flavor is funky with earthy tones light wine and astringent earthy woody wine-like brett, hints of char vanilla and bourbon, some fruity notes, toast, and roasted malts with some grassy and piney hops in the backbone for decent bitterness. lots going on here, but still pretty tasty.

Dark slightly viscous pour with a small head. Aroma has vanilla, molasses, wood, and is sweet, sweet bourbon. Flavor is mellow, nice and sweet, very well balanced. Sweet bourbon and vanilla with a touch of nuts and caramel. Nice.

Sampled at RBWG 2010. This is awesome! Full of dark fruits, malt, bourbon, and so much more. Amazing!

Black color with a dark brown sheen. Big wet wood, red wine, vanilla, tart cherry, chocolate aromas. Rich, smooth mouthfeel. Great flavors of bourbon soaked chocolate cherry bon bons, toasted oak, dark roasted malts. Best CC barrel brew to date for me.