In his latest piece, Bruce Hackmann gives us the low-down on pairing a Wittekerke Belgian Wheat & a CAO America Landmark Cigar – and more importantly, if it can even be done.

The Cigar

Wrapper: Connecticut Maduro & Shade Leaf

Filler: 100% ligero tobaccos from Dominica, Nicaragua, Italy, and America

Size: 6 x 60

My Strength Rating: 4.5/5

This stick sports a pin stripe look made from two different wrappers.  The flavor seems to have a solid woody and earthy quality.  Let’s try it with a quality wheat beer.

The Beer

See Johnny Fincioen’s video on Global Beer Network for the history of Wittekerke.  To me this 5% abv Belgian Wheat Beer should be a wheat beer lovers dream.  I love the fresh wheat taste and the delicate lemon citrus squeeze.  My strength rating for this beer is a 4.  For my summer time pleasure I am buying a 12 pack of Wittekerke for that Belgian Wheat refreshing taste.

The Pairing

My concern here is that this cigar might not work with this elegant type wheat beer with its delicate lemon citrus profile.  The strength ratings are within range but, will the flavor profiles work.  Will the wheat flavor, from the ale, that I enjoy so much work with the medium woody taste and nice earthy quality of this cigar.  Or, will that slight lemon twist in the ale interfere as the flavors mingle.

It works right from the start.  As I tried to figure out why, I think it is that the woody and earthiness of the cigar seems to come together with a dry walnut like taste when I am drinking this wheat beer.  This would make sense to me why I like this pairing then.  I usually drink this beer with a Cameroon wrapped cigar which usually has a nutty like taste.  Let us know what cigar works for you as you enjoy a Wittekerke.

You CAO cigar smokers (like me) head on out to the store and pick up a six pack of Wittekerke Belgian Wheat Beer and enjoy a beautiful summer day.  You can thank me later!

Food pairings: Seafood such as shrimp, scallops, white fish; herb spiced chicken on the grill.