Amager Bryghus / Cigar City Brewing Game of Arms

Game of Arms is an 8.2% ABV licorice porter, brewed by Amager Bryghus in collaboration with Cigar City Brewing. It is part of Amager’s 2016 series of American collaboration beers, and like yesterday’s Swole Mole, it has also been brewed in America. It was first brewed at Cigar City Brewing in Tampa as Top Roll.

Game of Arms is a beautiful jet black beer and it has a firm and long lasting tan head. The aroma is definitely roasted and full of licorice, but it also has toffee and cocoa powder, and a hint of smoke. 

As one would expect from a Cigar City collaboration, it’s a rather sweet porter. The flavour is full of roasted malt, and has well balanced nuances of smoke, licorice, coffee and vanilla. I’m not a big fan of licorice and licorice beers, but I like Game of Arms. It’s a subtle use of licorice, just enough to make a mark, but not too much.

I tasted the American version Cigar City Top Roll at the Danish Beer Festival, and my tasting notes tell me that it was also a very good beer. Apparently Top Roll had more coffee notes than I found in Game of Arms.

The set of Amager’s 2016 American collaboration beers was sent to Beertalk by Amager Bryghus and Boxbeers.