Cigar & Wheat Beer Pairings
Ahhh. The crisp, creamy and foamy spice you get from a wheat beer erupts from the glass the second you fill it up. It’s hard to beat the first impression many wheat beers show off with their dirty-blonde or golden sunshine color and frothy tops. Despite their looks, some wheat beers have been accused of being too malty, hazy, or banana-like in flavor. Not the case.
In order for a beer to be considered a wheat beer, it typically contains 30 to 70 percent wheat malt and the remainder is barley malt. The increased protein in wheat results in a dense, lingering head and plays a role in the hazy viscosity of wheat beers. Wheat affects the texture more than the flavor. The effervescent, light taste of wheat beers makes them excellent for summer. Here are a handful of exquisite wheat beer and cigar pairings to keep you company during your next afternoon in the backyard hammock.
#1 - Hacker-Pschorr Weisse & Ashton Cabinet
Hacker-Pschorr Weisse blossoms from a Bavarian tradition employing only the finest malted wheats and summer barley to achieve a magnificent sparkling profile of citrus and nutmeg. Hacker-Pschorr Weisse delivers a light, fruity touch and notes of honey and cloves with a frothy, bright, and aromatic texture. Its hazy, almost amber hue is dense, enticing, and luscious.
Blended by world-renowned cigar-maker Carlito Fuente, Ashton Cabinet is drawn from an impressive array of premium aged binder and filler tobaccos grown on select Fuente family estates and a glistening, golden-blond Connecticut Shade wrapper leaf. Notes of cashews, almonds, and cedar accompany a touch of sweetness around the edges in a rich top-shelf profile. Ashton Cabinet and Hacker-Pschorr converge with silky but substantial taste and just the right amount of sweetness.
#2 - Allagash White & Flor de las Antillas
A revival of the Belgian witbier style is owed to Hoegaarden and thanks to its re-emergence, Allagash White enjoys plenty of popularity. A brilliant profile of pepper, cloves, coriander, and lemon embraces the palate. First brewed in 1995, Allagash White has become a household brand. A creamy aftertaste of orange peel accompanies a bracing spice throughout its lively finish.
Flor de las Antillas amounts to an awesome companion in an all-Nicaraguan recipe with a Sun Grown wrapper leaf and a select interior of premium aged long-fillers. Notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cayenne display an enchanting creaminess in a blend awarded 96 points and the ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ title by Cigar Aficionado following its debut. Flor de las Antillas is handmade in Estelí, Nicaragua, by the award-winning Garcia family. Together, Allagash White and Flor de las Antillas present a marvelous medley of bright, peppery taste and zesty aroma.
#3 - Troegs Dream Weaver & Arturo Fuente Hemingway
A citrusy, golden-blond and cloudy shade settles under a thick, sudsy white stripe when Troegs Dream Weaver Wheat hits the glass. Notes of apple, black pepper, and cloves radiate with a touch of tartness. The classic hefeweizen has assertive hops with a hint of bitterness, bits of orange peel, and a creamy, peppery finish.
Arturo Fuente Hemingway is an iconic smoke drafted with a perfectly fermented Cameroon wrapper leaf and a vintage core of premium Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. A handful of handmade formats is drafted in an excellent series of both bigger and smaller Figurado shapes. A profile of cedar, nuts, caramel, and baking spices culminates in a chewy, rich conclusion. Hemingway and Dream Weaver meet in a cool, complex display perfect for an evening on the front porch watching the sun go down.
