Liberty Street Red Glare Amber Ale and CAO America Potomac Cigar: Review

The Cigar

CAO America Potomac

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro and Connecticut Shade Leaf

The wrapper is pin striped with the maduro wrapper layered over the shade leaf.

Binder: Brazil

Fillers: 100% legero; Dominican, Nicaraguan, Italian, and American

Size: 5 x 56

My Strength Rating: 5

$8.00 in Michigan

Off the light: medium earthy notes of portabella mushroom and hardwood.  

During the first half I liked the walnut like nut taste and the mushroom earthiness.  Beyond that there is not much to offer.  The overall mouthfeel is smooth yet dry.  I always feel uninspired by this line-up. 

Half-way: an oaky hardwood note started to build to add some character.  The flavors are becoming a little more robust with roasted grains and that oak coming through.   A little inspiration here. 

On the finish: The robust style, while still present, did not continue to build.  The earthy notes returned to sooth the oaky taste that built in the mid-section. 

Of course I could not smoke one of these Americas without a wrapper problem.  Upon removing the band the glue took a chunk of the wrapper off.  Then as the burn got closer to this point the binder popped. 

But, I do know that the CAO America’s are good with a nice IPA.  But, today I’m pairing it with an amber ale from a local brewery. 

The Ale

Liberty Street Red Glare Amber Ale

5.2% abv

Growler – take home

IBU: under 25

libertystreetbeer.com

My Strength Rating: 4

The ale pours a dark burnt amber color with a thin beige head. The nose is grainy with a bit of caramel malt.

This ale is similar to the cigar in that it is pretty straight forward and simple. (I like this ale better than the cigar) I like the sweet touch of caramel followed by slightly toasted grains and a hint of grassy hoppiness.  The overall mouthfeel maybe a bit thin but, it is tasty and very easy to drink.   It leaves a soft and pleasing aftertaste on the palate.  This ale should have a good range for food and cigar. 

The Pairing

This is a decent pairing.  As the robust style started to build in the cigar the ale with its fine carbonation helped to keep the palate clean.  The sweet caramel mixed well with the oak and the toasted notes of the cigar.  The earthy notes of the cigar also mingled well with the slight grassy hoppy character of the ale.   The refreshing style of this ale made this an enjoyable pairing.