Cigar City Brewing Picture Post

I recently had a chance to take a photo tour of Cigar City Brewing’s Tasting Room and Bottling Room (3924 W Spruce Street Suite A Tampa, Florida 33612). The ever-welcoming Joey Redner was my gracious tour guide.

When you hear the name Joe Redner, a lot of things probably pop into your head. A long time citizen of Tampa, a political maverick, a prominent business owner and, according to Wikipedia, the “father of the nude lapdance”. What you may not think of is beer, but Joe’s son Joey Redner is innovating Tampa-based brewing in a way that most can not imagine. That’s the heart of Cigar City Brewery, and an up-and-coming movement in beer making that will quickly sweep Tampa Bay.

Along with head brewer Wayne Wambles, Joe is crafting beer to be pungent, if not a bit crass, and intensely satisfying. You can say that he takes a bit of that from his dad, putting himself and his brewery in the public eye with odd flavor combination and a grassroots approach to marketing. While Joe himself has been a beer writer and involved in the beer industry for the last five years, Wayne brings a level of expertise and craftsmanship that over 10 years and numerous medals can bring to the table. They are truly the Dynamic Duo of the Draught.

I first tried Cigar City beers at an Oldsmar Tap House event a few months back. I was instantly hooked. The beers all have very strong tastes, with some carrying notes of cigars (and cigar boxes) and others infusing flavors like oatmeal and bourbon. To see the whole process come together in their production facility reassures me both of their first class operation and their dedication to the craft.

Joe glows as he gives me the tour, taking me from component to component, explaining me how long each process takes and the precision that goes into the process. It’s also plain to see that they’re taking big steps toward a much bigger operation. The building itself could easily hold 3 or 4 times the processing vats they currently have. Considering the demand from those in the know, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to see them outgrow this building in the next couple of years. Cigar City Brewing could very well be the next Sam Adams at the rate they are growing.

Attention to detail goes beyond the actual brew making. Take one look at their tap handles, a crafted cigar that is created by hand specifically for this brewery. It’s a class act, and a good way to throw in some marketing for those who attend parties and constantly comment, “This beer is great. What is it?”

A big part of my amazement at their brand is how little they do to promote it. They print t-shirts for the converts. They throw events and people show up, waving fists of money for their premium beers. At $5 to $8 a glass, this isn’t your daddy’s Budweiser. What it is, though, is a hand crafted take on something we all know and love. Some report the taste is strong, but to me it’s a hop fueled homage to what beer crafters have been doing all along. The beer making process brings out more than a strong taste, but a fragrant nose and mouth feel that make you feel like you’re doing more than just drinking a beer. At times, you’re sampling living art.

Here’s some more photos of the brewery. The tasting room is open 11 AM till 5PM Mondsay through Friday, so I encourage you to drop by and try a sampling. Bring your own glass to be filled to save the bottle charge.

Uncategorized Cigar City Brewing