Hop Breeding Company of Yakima, Washington released Citra in 2007. It wasn’t until Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. dry-hopped its Torpedo IPA two years later that the hop turned heads. Citra Brand HBC 394, as its officially known, is comprised of Hallertau Mittelfrüh, US Tettnang, Brewer’s Gold and East Kent Golding with a fairly high alpha acid and total oil contents, plus a low percentage of co-humulone for bittering. Bittering is cool and all, but Citra’s organoleptic profile and chemical composition lend themselves overwhelmingly to aromatic and flavor additions of citrus and tropical fruits such as grapefruit, mango, gooseberry, lychee, melon, orange rind and passionfruit. These intense citrus and tropical notes make it the perfect candidate for a single hop IPA and our to-go beer flight Peaks and Pints Pilot Program: Citra Hops On The Fly.
Peaks and Pints Pilot Program: Citra Hops On The Fly
Reuben’s Citra Crush IPA
6% ABV, 47 IBU
Beginning this year, Reuben’s Brews‘ Crush Series, previously only available in limited release, joins their calendar as a seasonal rotator. The hazy IPAs in the Reuben’s Crush Series will be available for distribution in 16-ounce cans and on draft, offering the Pacific Northwest more access to this popular line of hazy IPAs than ever before. Each beer in the series typically highlights a different hop profile and thus a different flavor profile. This month, they released Citra Cush IPA for bright aromatic citrus and balanced grapefruit and tropical fruit flavors atop a smooth hazy body from oats and wheat.
Stoup Citra IPA
5.9% ABV, 50 IBU
Team Stoup Brewing believes in building beers that unroll with a distinct start, middle, and finish. This formula works well on their IPAs, especially their flagship Citra IPA. A first sniff will elicit images of tropical fruit and citrus thanks to a healthy dose of Citra hops. Next, pale malt sweetness keeps things in check with slight bitter, citrusy fruits and grapefruit. Citra IPA finishes dry with very bright, tangerine and Meyer lemon character lingering.
Backwoods Outer My Space
6.5% ABV
The third beer in Backwood Brewing’s Venture Forth Hazy IPA series, Outer My Space Hazy IPA is a Citra single hop hazy with notes of melon and grapefruit. By the way, artist Jordan Wilson nailed the can art. He was able to play with the substrate and color overlays to give a cool sense of depth and perspective and really drive home the concept of space.
Narrows Proctor IPA
5.7% ABV, 55 IBU
A neighborhood is an area where people live and interact with one another. In Tacoma, a neighborhood is also a series of delicious craft beers brewed by Narrows Brewing. “Hey, Proctor District,” Narrows head brewer Matt Rhodes, “won’t you be my Neighbor?” Indeed. Rhodes brewed the hop-forward Proctor Pale featuring a double dry hopping of Citra and a pale malt base. Proctor Pale has been reformulated into the easy-drinking Proctor IPA. Still brewed with spelt and dry-hopped with loads of Citra, Proctor IPA is similar to what you remember, just a bit more bitter and a bit more vibrant.
