Beer in Tampa Bay: Humidor Series Ale from Cigar City

Living in the Tampa Bay area has recently gotten a whole lot better with the addition of Cigar City Brewing and their numerous unique ales. A bit hard to find, and only available in large bottles (and on tap at some area bars), Cigar City's brews have been well worth the search. While picking up some lunch at an Italian market in St Petersburg, I spotted a variety I have yet to see or try: the Humidor Series Ale. This is the first bottled edition of what is to be a rotating series of beer that will be aged in special (and rare) cedar-wood tanks. From Cigar City's website:

Cedar has a more subtle effect on beer than more traditional woods like oak. But, we think that once you taste it you'll agree that cedar deserves a place along side oak in the brewer's wood-aging toolbox. Humidor series beers will vary due to style, but are always a good option for pairing with a fine cigar.

This first edition to the series takes their Jai Alai India Pale Ale (7.5% ABV) and puts it in that special cedar tank. What can I say but yummmm!
The beer poured to a nice big head that was easily resurrected with a simple swirl of my glass once I began drinking. The Jai Alai is a hoppy IPA with notes of citrus that mixed and mingled surprisingly well with the hints of cedar culled from the tank. The floral aroma and initial mouth feel bring on the taste of an IPA, and then the cedar slides in and mellows it all out. This is a really nice beer made unique by the cedar casking - highly recommended!