Tis the season to be jolly, and nothing makes the team at Cigars.com more joyful than having a few beers and pairing them with our favorite cigars. We love the change of seasons, especially around the holidays, because that is when many companyies release some of their limited, seasonal lines – although there are some great beers available year round that would be perfect for this time of year. As with every pairing, this was an arduous task that took many man hours and a lot of research but in the end it was worth it and we all had to Uber home. Lets take a look at this year’s Seasonal Beer and Cigar pairings...

Dogfish Head Noble Rot & Sobremesa Corona Grande

 

This may be one of the most unique beers we have ever done for these articles. First of all, the word Rot is right in the name, which typically would be a turnoff. Not with Dogfish Head. The Noble Rot is Belgian Saison style beer that not only uses Belgian but also unfermented juice from wine grapes that have been affected with a fungus. I know, but honestly it tastes amazing. It is a perfect meshing of a beer and white wine, with a spicy body and a nice tart finish. For its unique profile and complexity I went with Steve Saka's original Sobremesa. The Corona Grande size is a solid medium-to-full with a great amount of spice, a touch of a sour sweetness that makes this pairing one for the books.

Weyerbacher Brewing Co. Quad & Joya de Nicaragua Clasico

This pairing is one of the few "opposites attract" style ones that we have done. Let's start with the beer, the Quad from Weyerbacher Brewing. This rich ale is dark and bold with a lot of flavor, making it perfect for this time of year. After you enjoy your Christmas goose and sit by the fire, pour one of these in a big wine glass to enjoy the bold aroma. For a cigar, I went with the mellow, yet flavorful Joya de Nicaragua Clasico. While this is a smooth, more mellow smoke, the notes of nuts, cream, and dash of spice are a great Christmastime treat. So when It’s a Wonderful Life comes on the TV, you know which pairing you should go for.

Mocha Porter & Rocky Patel Java Maduro

A pairing made in coffee heaven, you couldn’t find a cigar and beer made for each other more than the Rogue Mocha Porter and the Rocky Patel Java. The Mocha Porter is an American-style porter that is medium brown in color and comes with heavy malt notes. Its rich, mocha flavor and slight creamy finish make it a great late morning or late evening choice. The Rocky Patel Java Maduro is the cigar of choice for fans of rich, coffee-infused cigars and is one of the best-selling premium smokes in the country. Put these bad boys together and you are for a rich dessert pairing that is great for the holidays.

Mayflower Thanksgiving Ale & AVO XO Legato

This beer coming from this company makes complete sense. Mayflower Brewing has made the historical tale of the Pilgrims' coming to the US and sharing a meal with the Native Americans a modern craft classic with their Thanksgiving Ale. It goes even deeper by being a combination of the American Strong Ale and English Old Ale, combining what they brought with them from England to what they found in the New World. It is a full-bodied Ale with notes of caramel, vanilla, and nuts. The balanced and flavorful Avo XO combines a rich, and nutty Dominican center with a creamy Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper with tremendous notes of cocoa and sweet coffee. This is a great pairing for the entire holiday season, but Thanksgiving morning seems the most appropriate.

Cigar City Maduro Brown & Jacob's Ladder

For the maduro lover, look no further than this rich and bold pairing. First up, we have the Maduro Brown Ale from fan favorite Cigar City Brewing. This Northern English style Brown Ale is silky and rich, with dark malts to create a tremendous profile of rich chocolate coffee, nuts, and sweetness. For the Maduro beer, I went with the most Maduro cigar I could find, which of course was the Jacob's Ladder from Southern Draw. The dark broadleaf wrapper adds in huge notes of cocoa, espresso, dark chocolate and coffee, making it the perfect match for the beer. This is a great Christmas even pairing for fans of maduro cigars.