TAMPA, Fla. — Cigar City Brewing (CCB), one of the fastest-growing craft breweries in the U.S., has announced the year-round launch of Margarita Gose, a refreshingly tart ale brewed with lime, orange and salt. This low alcohol, effervescent beer has been brewed intermittently since 2014 and is now seeing its first distribution-wide release. Margarita Gose will now see distribution across CCB’s 40 state distribution network and in select international markets in kegs and 12 oz. cans.
Originally released in 2014 to celebrate CCB’s 5th anniversary, Margarita Gose has developed a strong cult following through several limited draft and package releases. Using a traditional kettle souring method of pitching lactobacillus to produce the beer’s characteristic acidity, early batches of Margarita Gose took upwards of three days longer to produce than most other CCB brands, restricting the ability of CCB’s brewers to brew large batches.
In early 2019, the CCB team began experimenting with a newly-developed yeast to replace lactobacillus and produce the beer’s acidity without the time-and-resource-intensive kettle souring process. After an extensive research and development period, they have arrived at a process and flavor profile that offers a soft, approachable tartness rather than a sharp sour flavor. Orange peel and sea salt are added during the whirlpool step of wort production, and lime is added post-fermentation to further accentuate the beer’s citrus complexity. The resulting beer boasts aromas of ripe limes, lemon zest and Valencia orange, matched perfectly on the palate with the same flavors complemented by a zesty, tart sourness and a soft salinity. Margarita Gose clocks in at 4.2% ABV and 5 IBU’s.
“Experimentation with this yeast strain has been a game changer for Cigar City Brewing,” says Wayne Wambles, CCB’s Brewmaster. “The clean sourness provided is a perfect complement to the vibrant citrus character of Margarita Gose, and we are pleased to offer this refreshing beer that was created by our team back in 2014.”
CCB’s Brand Manager, Neil Callaghan, says, “After years of teasing beer lovers with small, brewery-only releases, we couldn’t be more excited to bring Margarita Gose to an international audience. The work that Wayne Wambles and his team put into creating the beer’s recipe and refining its production method is beyond impressive, and the approachable, moderately tart beer that’s resulted from that work speaks for itself.”
Margarita Gose joins a dynamic and successful year-round lineup including Jai Alai IPA, one of the best selling IPA’s in the U.S., and Guayabera Citra Pale Ale, winner of a silver medal at the 2018 Great American Beer Festival. Iconic brands Florida Cracker Belgian-style White Ale, Maduro Brown Ale, Cigar City Brewing Lager and Tocobaga Red IPA round out the brewery’s perennial offerings.
Select markets around the U.S. will receive deliveries of Margarita Gose starting now, with footprint-wide distribution continuing throughout the remainder of 2019. CCB’s Margarita Gose will be available in the nation’s finest grocery stores, package stores, liquor stores and independent craft beer shops.
Visit CCB’s website for more information on Margarita Gose and the rest of their dynamic line-up of craft ales and lagers. www.cigarcitybrewing.com
About Cigar City Brewing
Cigar City Brewing, makers of Jai Alai IPA and Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout, was founded in 2009 by Joey Redner with the goal of creating world-class beer that reflected the flavors and history of the Tampa Bay region. This unique approach has resonated with local and national markets and the brewery has quickly grown to produce over 140,000 barrels of beer annually. Accolades have poured in since the brewery’s inception, including appearances on ratebeer.com’s Top 10 Breweries Worldwide seven times. Cigar City Brewing is a key partner in CANarchy, a craft brewing collective that represents the largest canned craft beer supplier in the country.