What do you picture when I say cigar? I see a dark lounge with large chairs occupied buy contemplative people sipping on expensive spirits while enjoying their cigar. What I don’ think of is craft beer. In fact, cigars and craft beer aren’t thought of together very often at all. This is a bit odd since the vast variety of beer flavors/styles makes me believe that they can easily pair with a cigar just as well as scotch, bourbon, or any other spirit.
So, I thought it would be a good idea to do a bit of research to learn more about how cigars and craft beer can work together and make each better.
While I know craft beer really well, I am a complete novice when it comes to cigars. I’ve had a few but still have a lot to learn. Some quick research proved that cigars are a diverse and unique as the styles of craft beer. I couldn’t possibly touch on the depth of knowledge needed to explain the world of cigars. Check out this resource to learn more about cigars.
Before You Start Collecting
But I did learn that how cigars are stored is really important. Just like craft beer, storing cigars in the right environment ensures the best experience. However, unlike craft beer, you can’t just throw cigars into your refrigerator. Cigars need a bit more care from a humidor. A humidor maintains the proper humidity to keep cigars from drying out which would destroy them.
There are all types of humidors and most you’ll find are small wooden boxes designed to store just a few cigars. But there are also small appliances that can hold many more than that. The Newair Cigar Humidor can hold 250 – 1,500 depending on the model that is best for you.
Newair Cigar Humidor
For me, the 250 count (SKU NCH250SS01) was the right option as I don’t foresee myself needing any more space than that and it fits really well into my home bar.
It has Spanish cedar shelves that give an amazing aroma as well as a high end look and feel. Speaking of look and feel, Newair always delivers with sharp digital displays and quality materials. The stainless steel frame really shows off this unit nicely.
And if you want to keep your cigars out of the hands of others, the Newair Cigar Humidor comes with a lock.
This unit both heats and cools to keep your cigars protected until you are ready to enjoy them. The glass front helps display your collection and reminds you of what you have waiting to be smoked. This is a true upgrade for any cigar lover.
Bottom line, if you are going to have a cigar collection, you have to start by thinking about where you’ll store them. This will make sure your investment in cigars is worthwhile as they’ll stay fresh and ready to smoke at any time.
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Cigars & Craft Beer Pairing
When it comes to pairing beer with a cigar, there are a few things to consider but the reality is it is all about preference. Trying new pairings is the only way to discover what you like. Most cigars will last longer than one beer so there’s an opportunity to try a couple beers with each cigar. So, take notes and look for the pairings you love most.
Let Appearances Be Your Guide
Much like craft beer, often the color of the cigar can tell you a lot about the flavor profile. The lighter the color, the more mild the flavor. This is extremely helpful as you can start by pairing lighter cigars with light beers. Think lagers, pilsner, or blondes.
While mid-range cigars typically pair well with dark lagers, brown ales, or a porter. And finally, a dark cigar will be the most bold so you may want a big beer to pair with it. Heavy stouts, Quads, and even strong IPAs would be great choices.
Malts vs Hops
If you get deeper into cigars, you’ll start learning their flavor profiles and see how they can line up with beers quite well. For example, malt forward beers tend to have a sweeter profile that you can pair with a cigar of similar flavor.
The same can go for a hop forward beer. Depending on the IPA, that might mean floral, citrus, fruity, etc. Many of the same flavors can be pulled out of a cigar.
I’d be inclined to pair like flavors with each other but you could also see if opposite profiles are actually complimentary of both the beer and the cigar.
Final Thoughts On Cigars & Craft Beer
I’m not nearly as familiar with cigars as I am with craft beer. However, I find the world to be intriguing and in many ways parallel my love of craft beer. While cigars can’t be consumed in nearly as many places as craft beer, it might be just what you’ve been looking for to take craft beer to another level.
I can see how someone could fall in love with the idea of discovering new flavors and pairings. There is so much depth and complexity to the cigar itself which is only elevated when you start pairing it.
To take it to the next level, most probably haven’t learned how to pair cigars and craft beer which means we have the opportunity to share with others. So share your knowledge and use it to make conversations with friends even better with cigars and craft beer.
What’s your go-to cigar and craft beer pairing?