Cigar City Improv Imperial Dark Rye Ale
What you have here is an Imperial Dark Rye Ale. Isn’t that a lot to be going on in just one beer? Well yes, it is. But that is the point. Layers. Flavor elements building on and playing off of preceding elements, like a building wave; a growing crescendum of taste bud temptation; a wall of sound expressed through flavor and channeled toward your mouth. This beer isn’t for everyone. In many ways it is more than just a little weird. It certainly doesn’t fit easily into any category. In the spirit of all great things that are conceived in the moment, but perfected through passionate repetition it started life as an improvisation and grew from there. And it might not be for you. But if the thought of big spicy rye notes, a wallop of a hop punch, multitudinous layers of caramel, sweet malt and a respectable balancing gravity sound intriguing then you might want to wing it and give Improv a try.
3.7
379 reviews
Tampa, United States
Community reviews
From a 75 cl bottle shared at home. Grassy hop nose. Surprisingly light bodied with a strong malt backbone.
Bottle thanks to Drowland ! Pours a deep burnt umber color with a thick two finger eggshell foam. On the nose its rustic, with spicy rye, roasted malts and a touch of citrus poking through as well. The palate is well balanced with great notes of chocolate malt, spicy rye, orange pith and bitter coffee... all comes together into a soft surprisingly easy drinker... nice creamy mouthfeel.
750 mL bottle--pours a solid, deep ruby red color with a large beige head that leaves plenty of lacing. Aroma of bread, fruit and malt, almost like a fruitcake. Rye hits you first, followed by some malt, caramel and a touch of oats. Hops were around, but very soft and the taste stayed sweet. A lot going on with the brew. Light bitter finish. Produce place.
2013 Improv. Pours super dark brown from the bottle with some ruby edges. Very small off white head. Smell is big spicy rye, vegetal hops, and some toffee-biscut-caramel. Thick mouthfeel up front that lightens as it goes down. Low carbonation. Spicy rye takes over with a sweet malt finish. Was hoping for a bit more sweetness, given the carbonation but overall a well done rye.
Draft. Brown, tan head. Nose is spicy rye, raisins, other dark fruits. Taste is rye, dark fruits, some mill chocolate. Medium mouthfeel.
Bottle. Pours nearly opaque brown, with a beige head. Aroma of bourbon, vanilla, and slight C-hops. Taste starts with bread, caramel, and toasted/roasted malts. This is followed by C-hops and a high bitterness, with some marshmallow too. Smooth and full bodied. Unique and very enjoyable!
Old rate, 750ml bottle, this one wa messy, cocoa, bitterness, randomness, just quirky.
24th July 2011
Opaque dark brown beer. Thick head - a vibrant cream colour! Softish smooth palate. Nice malt, rich but not overly so. A little rye spice. Trace of caramel and a whisper of chocolate. Nice mild fruity undertone - cherry and orange. Rye comes to the fore again with good citrus hops. Mildly bitter aftertaste. Well joined up.
On draft at Churchkey in D.C.
The beer appears a russet brown hue with a quarter inch of tan head. Aromas include malt, light fruit, a touch of roast, breads / grains. Nice flavor. Well balanced and tasty. I like the flavor a little better than the aroma. Lightly sweet throughout. Subtle chocolate tones and a pleasant bready character. A solid brew from Cigar City.
Serving type: on-tap
Reviewed on: 07-04-2012
(bottle - STLCOB end of year tasting) medium brown with pine hops aroma. Flavor is an interesting combination of caramel malt, a bit of rye and a hint of sweetness, with a lot of pine hops bitterness.
Purchased a 750ml bottle from Total Wine in Pembroke Pines, FL for $9.99. Poured a dark hazel color with plenty of head. You can definitely taste the spicy rye and hops character initially, though it was quickly offset by the caramel and oats in the mouth-feel. Definitely got better as we progressed through the bottle.
This ASA has a ton going on. Very nice look, dark but not black. Reeks of pine and raisins and taste the same with an aftertaste that mellows as the beer warms but is a little tart when it is cold. I would say be careful about the temperature you serve this, too cold and it is restricted and tart. Overall I was hoping for a little smoother balance but it is deep!
Tap at Prohibition pig. Pours dark brown with creamy tan head and good lace. Aroma dark coffee, bread, chocolate, taste is dark strong coffee, rye, slight spice, dark chocolate. full body, smooth malt finish
Bomber. Pours a rich mahogany hue with a nice sample of off white foam head. Some great aromas on this beer. A real sweet presence, almost like sweet butter, blends well with the strong oat and rye notes. Taste is rich and full of both malt rye and oat presence, like a good slice of dark bread,, with that clinging sweetness remaining present throughout. The bottom seems to fall out of things a bit in the late palate, and the well disguised ABV comes through at the finish with a nice burn. Some roasty nuttiness is also perceptible here. Mostly, this is an interesting take on a boring style. Well done once again Cigar City. Good brew.
Bottle shared at the September 2012 Santa Cruz tasting. Dark amber with a light tan head. Malty rye aroma, citrus hops. Old hop flavor, toasted bread, nutty. Tastes exactly like the name says: a muddled assortment of kitchen-sink ingredients.
Pours a dark mahogany deep brown with a small head. Nose is full of herbal spices and malt. Alcohol is well hidden, taste is chocolate with cloves and other herbal spices. Finish is short and dry. Very drinkable and enjoyable ASA. Quaff Score 8 / 10
Pours a muddy brown with a tan head and aroma of fruit and alcohol. Taste is toasty, of roasted malt, chocolate, fruits, hops, and caramel with medium, fruit finish, complex throughout. Alcohol is well hidden at 9% abv, very drinkable, tasty, and well balanced.
Raisin, nut and spice aromas. Pours black with a small tan head. Raisin, toffee, slight chocolate and rye flavors. Overall one of the best brown ales I’ve tasted.
Bottle. The pour was a rich dark brown with a large (2-3 finger) light brown frothy head that lasted a little while, eventually receding down to a heavy film with a large collar and excellent sticky spotty lacing.
The aroma was of a toasted cereal malt, pine hops and an earthy yeast with notes of rye, oats, coffee, dark chocolate, caramel and a slight nutty presence.
The taste was very malty with a slight caramel sweetness and a hint of chocolate and oats early on, progressing into a nice hoppy flavor with notes of coffee and rye towards the end. The flavor lasted an average time proceeding the swallow with a pronounced piney rye taste left lying on the taste buds.
Mouthfeel was medium in body with a dry creamy texture and a medium carbonation.
Overall a great job on the blending of flavors that created a smooth, bold taste and an awesome drinkability, which did a fantastic job of hiding the high ABV...
Bottle at Redlight Redlight. This brew pours a deep dark brown color with a medium thick beige head that dissipates slowly. Small patches of lacing. The aroma is bready malts, chocolate and oak. Full, smooth body with flavors that change sip to sip. Notes of cocoa, earthy malt, caramel and tart fruit throughout. The finish is rich and malty with a fruity aftertaste. Pretty good all around.
50 ml to snifter (thanks PhillyBeer2112). Looks good; brown with good carbonation. Smells and tastes hoppy. Average on the palate. Good beer.
High hopes for this and the flavor was the only thing that fell short. Great rich roasty aroma with a nice nuttyness and some citrus elements. Taste is very bitter and ashy and not that smooth or drinkable.
Bottle shared at Tkrjukoff’s CCB-day in Sätila 12-07-07. Dark amber/brown beer with a small disapering head. Vanilla, roasted, chocolate, malty aroma. Malty, carbonated, ashy, roasted, a bit metallic flavour. Nice beer,maybe to much alcoholtaste...
This was an interesting brew - the nose was hoppy and fruity, like old grapes and some astringent. The taste was herbal and hoppy as well, but with a light caramel body leading to almost a chalky, dry finish. The alcohol is pretty well hidden, and I’m assuming aging would do this brew wonders.
Bottle shared at Tkrjukoff’s CCB-day in Sätila. Pours dark brown/red, almost clear with a medium light brown head. Hoppy citrus in the aroma, alcohol. Dry hoppy citrus in the taste, bitter finish, fruits. Tastes like a CDA, nice.
(Bottle) Pours reddish brown with a small head. The aroma holds roasted dark bread, spicy/minty rye, roasted nuts, chocolate and mild floral hops alongside hints of fruits, melted butter (not diacetyl) and wood. The flavour is light to medium sweet, heavily bitter and light acidic with notes of roasted bread, nutshell, grapefruity/resinous hops, spicy/minty rye and a whisper of fruits. The mouthfeel is round, light sticky and light astringent with a light to medium carbonation. Wood, aggressive hops and caramel on the finish. Medium to full bodied.
Bomber @ CCC Day. Pours beautiful orange mahogany with a small beige head leaving some laces. Aroma is sweet raisins rye malty toasted slightly fruity. Flavor is sweet acidy and crisp fruity in front then the bitter rye and hops kick in with nice round oaty touch. Longlived dry bitter hoppy and rye finish.
750 ml bottle shared @ tkrjukoffs CCB Day tasting. Pours hazy wooden brown with a small bubbly offwhite head that quickly dissipates while leaving some small lacing on the glass. Smell is sweet and malty with oatmeal, rye bread, wood, brazil nuts, vanilla essence, golden syrup, orange zest, wet soil and hints of rubber. Taste is slightly sweet and bitter with caramel, sweet dark rye bread, grass, pine, burnt wood, wet soil, resin, plums, brown sugar, roasted nuts, orange peal and hints of moss and wet soil. Mouthfeel is slightly oily bitter and medium bodied. Finish is slightly sweet and slightly bitter with dark bread, resinous wood, roasted oatmeal flakes, grass, orange peal and grape zest.
Bottle at CCB Day, Sätila 2012-07-07. Dark amber/brown beer with a nice beige head. Vanilla aroma, milk, roasted, bready, malty, chocolate. Bitter flavor, ash, soot, roasted, metal, rye. Bitter metal finish with rye and chocolate.
750 bottle pours deep brown with a big fluffy tan head. Nose is slight chocolate, maltiness, and a little grainy. Taste is first hoppiness then a slight chocolate aftertaste. Thick but smooth body. Alcohol present but not over the top. Decent beer.