New Belgium - Cigar City Collaboration Ale

This 8.5% ABV ale is a collaboration between New Belgium Brewing of Fort Collins, Colorado (and part of their Lips of Faith series) and Cigar City Brewing of Tampa, Florida. It is brewed with Anaheim and Marash chilies, citrusy hops, Belgian yeast and aged on Spanish cedar.

The beer pours an orange inflected dark honey golden. There is over an inch of off-white, thick, foamy head, that leaves some sticky lacing down the glass. The aroma has a mild note of hot peppers, citrus, particularly orange, and light cedar. The taste is dry, astringent, woody, piney cedar at the fore. There is also a low heat spiciness, with light pepper flavor, and some orange and citrus. It has a nice moderate heat, but not enough flavor of actual chilies. The cedar overpowers everything else. While an interesting beer, I would not call this a success as a chili beer.