Pairing Cigars and Beers: Balancing Your Brew

Cigars and beer make a surprisingly natural pairing. The savory and sweet notes in a cigar can complement the bitter, hoppy character. This is true for both light and dark beers.

With a little attention, you can craft the perfect combination for your palate. Just remember to match strength with strength. Bold beers work well with bold cigars, and lighter brews are perfect with milder smokes. This balance is key to making sure one doesn’t overpower the other.

Use this quick guide to discover some of the best cigar and beer pairings out there today.

Can You Pair Cigars and Beer?

You can pair cigars and beer together just like you can pair whiskey or cognac and cigars. The key is to have beers and cigars with complementary flavor profiles. Different woody, spicy, and sweet tones can work well together. But, these can also clash against each other.

Beer also offers the added benefits of carbonation. The effervescent bubbles act as a palate cleanser. You can enjoy this between puffs, so you can take in the full flavor of your cigar. This is especially beneficial if you are new to cigars. A sip of beer will refresh your palate and prevent you from being overpowered by mid to strong cigars.

But, pairing beers and cigars isn’t as simple as grabbing your favorite brew and smoke. It’s easy for stouts and porters to overwhelm mild cigars. Conversely, full-bodied cigars tend to overwhelm light pilsners.

Make sure to choose a beer that is at a similar body to your cigar, even if the flavors themselves aren’t very similar. Pay attention to bitterness levels. Avoid clashing flavors that fight each other.

Use your palate as your guide. Take your time and enjoy the experience. Experiment with different pairings to find what works best for you.

How to Pair Beer and Cigars

When pairing beer and cigars for the first time, it’s important to keep it simple. First, you must appreciate how the two tastes can blur together. Then, you can experiment with flavors. Since there are many different beers and cigars in the world, there is no universal way to pair them. You will have to determine your favorite pairings for yourself. After this, you can ask for tips from fellow connoisseurs with similar tastes.

Match Intensity: Balance Strength with Strength

One of the easiest ways to get started is to match the body or intensity of your beer and cigar. Strong, full-bodied cigars can easily overpower delicate beers, and vice versa.

• Full-bodied cigars (like those with Maduro wrappers or Nicaraguan fillers) pair better with bold beers. This includes beers like imperial stouts, barley wines, or double IPAs.
• Mild cigars (often with Connecticut wrappers or Dominican blends) work better with lighter beers. This includes pilsners, blondes, or Hefeweizens.

If you match the strength levels first, you’ll be able to taste and enjoy both elements. 

Watch for Clashing Bitterness or Overpowering Smoke

Bitterness is where a lot of pairings can go wrong. Highly hopped beers like West Coast IPAs can have a sharp bitterness. This clashes with spicy or peppery cigars. Especially if the cigar also has strong earthy or smoky notes.

Likewise, overly smoky cigars can make certain beers taste flat or metallic. Make sure to always avoid pairing bitter beers with spicy cigars. Unless you’re aiming for an intense, layered experience, of course.

You should also be careful with peaty or smoky cigars and roasty beers together. These can overwhelm your palate.

Instead, look for complementary notes like chocolate, coffee, vanilla, citrus, or caramel. These can help bridge the gap between flavors.

Use Your Palate as a Guide

Everyone experiences taste differently. What’s smooth and balanced to one person may be overpowering or dull to someone else. That’s why your own palate is the best guide.

Some questions you can ask while you’re tasting include:

• Is the pairing enhancing both the cigar and the beer?
• Is one drowning out the other?
• Are new flavors emerging between sips and puffs?

If you enjoy a certain food with a specific beer, take note. For example, chocolate often goes well with a stout, and grilled meat pairs nicely with an amber ale. You might find that cigars with similar flavor notes pair just as well.

The key is to taste intentionally. So, you’ll need to slow down, pay attention, and adjust based on what you like.

Let the Flavor Evolve

Cigar flavor changes over the course of the smoke. This is especially true in the final third. This is where intensity and richness often increase. Beer flavor can also shift as it warms. Especially with bottle-conditioned or higher ABV styles.

Take note of how the pairing feels at the beginning, middle, and end of the cigar.

See if your opinion changes as the cigar burns and the beer opens up. Sometimes the best part of a pairing isn’t the first sip, it’s the last one.

Don’t Chase Perfection

The best way to learn is by trying new combinations and staying curious. Even imperfect pairings can teach you a lot about flavor and aroma.

Try keeping a pairing journal or simply jotting down quick thoughts. Over time, you’ll develop an instinct for which cigars and beers work best together. You’ll also figure out which ones don’t.

Popular Beer Styles and Cigar Pairings

Pairing cigars with beer opens up a wide range of flavor experiences. Below are some classic combinations that balance intensity, flavor, and complexity. Use these as a starting point for your own explorations.

Stout & Maduro Cigars

Bold, roasted beers like stouts pair perfectly with dark, full-bodied cigars. This is especially true for those with Maduro wrappers. These cigars often have notes of espresso, dark chocolate, and spice that mirror the depth of a good stout.

Pairing suggestion: A rich, oily Cohiba Robusto offers dark cocoa and leather flavors. This pairs beautifully with an imperial stout like Founders Breakfast Stout. The cigar’s complexity stands up to the beer’s roasted malts and subtle sweetness.

IPA & Spicy Cigars

Hop-forward beers like IPAs feature strong citrus and bitter notes. These contrast well with peppery or spicy cigars. This pairing is intense, so it works best with cigars that can hold their own.

Pairing suggestion: The sharp black pepper and woody spice of the Montecristo No 2. This complements citrus-heavy IPA like Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. The bitterness of the beer sharpens the cigar’s flavors without clashing.

Pilsner or Lager & Connecticut Cigars

Light, crisp beers like pilsners and lagers benefit from a mild, creamy cigar. Connecticut-wrapped cigars offer a smooth draw. The subtle flavors that won’t overpower delicate beers.

Pairing suggestion: The mellow, grassy tones of the Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchills match Czech-style pilsner. A good example is Pilsner Urquell. This combination is light, refreshing, and perfect for warm weather.

Belgian Tripel & Habano Cigars

Belgian tripels are fruity, spicy, and strong, usually with notes of banana, clove, and honey. These beers pair best with medium- to full-bodied cigars. They echo or balance their richness.

Pairing suggestion: Try the Trinidad Reyes with a Belgian tripel. Chimay Cinq Cents (White) is a good example. The cigar’s creamy start and nutty finish work beautifully. Especially with this beer’s sweet, yeasty character.

Porters & Sun-Grown Cigars

Porters offer chocolate and roasted coffee notes without the heaviness of a stout. Pairing them with sun-grown cigars creates a layered tasting experience.

Pairing suggestion: The Partagás Serie D No. 4 delivers bold, spicy flavor with a smooth finish. This makes it a great match for a robust porter like Sierra Nevada Porter. The cigar’s strength complements the beer’s malt without overwhelming it.

Wheat Beer & Floral or Herbal Cigars

Wheat beers, like Hefeweizens and Belgian Wits, have light, bready flavors. They also have fruity or herbal notes. These pair well with cigars that offer floral, citrus, or herbal undertones.

Pairing suggestion: The soft aroma and balanced complexity of the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 make it a smooth partner for a wheat beer like Allagash White. Both have subtle layers that enhance rather than compete with each other.

Finding the Best Cigars

Pairing cigars with beer is as much about exploration as it is about taste. There are many ways to enjoy pairing beer and cigars. You can match intensity and flavor profiles. Or experiment with spicy, sweet, or earthy combinations. Whether you prefer rich stouts, crisp lagers, or hop-forward IPAs. Thankfully, there is a cigar that can bring out the best in your beer.

There are many good beers in the world. But good cigars are harder to find. Swiss Cuban Cigars has sourced the finest authentic Cuban cigars. We ship worldwide, so you can enjoy them wherever you are. Start with a great cigar. Then you’ll have many cigar and beer pairings to explore.