Cigar City Brew a Favorite at Local Cigar Lounge

This week, the "Cheers, Westchase!" crew headed down Countryway Boulevard to check out  located in the Country Chase Plaza.

Given the location when selecting our pick of the week, there seemed to be no other choice -- we went with Cigar City Brewery's Maduro Brown Ale, an English-style brown ale, 5.5% alcohol by volume.

Cigar City is an up-and-coming Tampa brewery located in Ybor City. According to the Cigar City website, the Maduro Brown Ale features "roasted, toasted and chocolate components," which means it pairs well with mild to medium cigars. (In this column, we typically include food pairings, but we'll make an exception this one time!)

"We offer a wide variety of domestic and imported beers, wines and ports," says manager John Lossing. "What many of our customers come in for is our Cafe Con Leche and our espresso."

The owner of C & G Cigar Lounge is Ybor City native Angelo Guida. Guida, both a cigar and coffee aficionado, installed an elaborate espresso machine in the back of the bar area, which is decorated with lots of mahogany tones and leather-bound chairs. 

A large walk-in humidor lines the wall and sports plays on the two big screen televisions. Upon our first visit, the lounge appeared to be quite the "man cave" -- but we're told it's also a spot for Saturday date nights where couples and groups can relax while playing cards or dominos, or just enjoying a glass of wine or beer.

Whether you're a cigar aficionado or would like to try your first stogie, this is your neighborhood place. The service is friendly; the staff knowledgeable and best of all, your designated driver can stay extra alert with a jolt of caffeine.

Cheers, Westchase!