Polly want a cracker? I can’t say. Johnny want a cracker? Sure, as long as it’s Cigar City Florida Cracker, a tasty spicy Belgian-style witbier from Florida’s Cigar City brewery. I’ve seen this beer around for a while now, but for some reason never bothered to pick any up. When I saw it on tap at Taco Mac, I decided to correct that error.

Witbier just doesn’t seem like a style I’d expect from Cigar City, though I’m not sure why. I guess I’m so used to their bold IPAs and robust imperial stouts witbier seems almost tame by comparison. Still, they brewed up a credible example in Florida Cracker. Interestingly, fellow guru of brew Kevin Bligh was drinking a can of this same beer many miles away when I posted about my draft serving and was less impressed. I’ll have to try it in cans to see what’s up with that.

From the website:

The Cracker Cowboys of Florida were colonial-era settlers, often of Scots-Irish descent, who arrived in Florida when Spain traded their territory of La Florida to the English. The term Cracker in Florida usage relates to the whip these “cow hunters” used to herd cattle in Florida’s Palmetto Prairies. Called Quaqueros by the Spanish, these hardy and hard working Cracker Cowboys helped to shape the history of Florida, the nation’s oldest cattle raising state. We brew Florida Cracker White Ale with unmalted wheat, orange peel and coriander and then ferment it with a Belgian yeast strain to give it a spicy and dry finish. Perfect for a warm day on the Palmetto Prairie.

Cigar City Florida Cracker has an alcohol content of 5.5% by volume with 18 IBUs. I paid a hefty $6.50 for my 23-ounce mug at Taco Mac, and it runs $9.99 a six-pack in cans.

My mug of Cigar City Florida Cracker arrived a pale whitish color with a thick fluffy (but short lived) head of foam and pungent coriander and subtle citrus in the nose. Taking a sip, there is crackery wheat, spicy coriander, and bright citrus peel, all followed by tart wheat and drying spice in the finish.

Cigar City Florida Cracker tastes like a bologna sandwich with a hint of orange peel. A good witbier should taste like a bologna sandwich with a hint of orange peel. Ask me why. I dare you.

Why does a good witbier taste like a bologna sandwich with a hint of orange peel? I’m glad you asked me that question! Coriander is a major spice in bologna. And to me the crackery wheat suggests fresh sliced bread. In my early beer drinking days in the 80s I thought I was insane because I thought witbier tasted like bologna sandwiches. Who knew I was a budding beer geek putting two and two together?

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

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