Gran Habano – Habano #3 Imperial and Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold Lager

The Cigar
Habano #3 Imperial
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Jalapa-Habano
Filler: Nic., Costa Rica, Mexico
Size: 6 x 60
My Strength Rating: 5.5
I like these bigger ring gauge sizes in this line up better than their smaller sticks. The smoke is still smooth but, there is more flavor to this size I believe. There is a good hardwood wood and earthy profile along with some good spice dancing on my palate. I think it is like a white pepper note in that spice profile. Not, strong enough to be black pepper. The white pepper will keep this cigar in that medium bodied range. A slight bitterness to the taste and a dry coffee bean like quality helps to build a little complexity for this cigar. This cigar should go well with a lot of beers. But, I remember one time in the spring when I tried it with a bold IPA and that did not work at all. The IPA brought out the bitterness in this cigar and the cigar made the IPA bitterer.

The Beer
Dortmunder Gold
5.8% abv
12 oz bottle
30 IBU
Great Lakes Brewing
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
My Strength Rating: 4 I was expecting to give it a 2 or 3.

Poured a deep golden color and most lagers will have that light bright golden color, almost straw like or a pale gold. The head color is a little off white, to use a painting term, ‘eggshell.’ Solid lacing on the glass after each sip.

This might not be that boring lager story here. This lager is not void of taste. I think for a lager it has a good hearty and earthy profile. A lot of lagers will have water and sugar as their profile story. Of course the malts are up front (30 IBU). But, it is not a 20 IBU that is all sweet like sugar water (Miller Drinkers take notes here). This Lager has a little hoppy action going on. A slight citrus bite of hops hits the back of the palate with each sip. I get the feel of a little spice to the profile here, maybe coming from the alcohol and the hops. Oh, I am sorry Miller drinkers, I probably lost you. We were talking about flavor.

Now, I find it interesting or ironic that they give it a German name and then turn around and write on the bottle, ‘Not … as malty as a Munich-style lager… .’ Good! Because, I don’t like that metallic taste in my beer. This lager does have a crisp feel to each sip but, it is not clean. Clean usually means there is no specific taste. This lager does have some taste.

Toss those boring lagers overboard and serve yourself up a flavorful lager – Dortmunder Gold by, Great Lakes Brewing.
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The Pairing
I had planned to smoke a milder cigar till I did the review on this beer. Now, a lager or a pilsner you can go stronger and bolder with your cigar because there are usually no specific flavors to compete with. Another good reason is that the lighter and watery style lager and pilsner will also refresh your palate while you are smoking that stronger cigar.

The reason I wanted to pair these two up is that there is a good herbal spice profile, that citrus bite on the back of the palate and that good earthy malty and just good overall hearty taste for a lager, how will it taste with a flavorful cigar.

This cigar helps to kick up that spice profile in the lager. The earthiness of each makes for a solid mouthfeel that I would never expect while drinking a lager and smoking a cigar. I really like these two together.

I recommend this pairing