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 beer flight Craft Beer Crosscut 8.19.17: A Flight of Citra Citrus.
Alpine Windows UP IPA
7% ABV, 41 IBU
After Green Flash Brewing’s lupulin lab grabbed the production reigns of several Alpine beers, the mad IPA scientists brewed even more amazing hopped-up masterpieces such as Hop Boxed, which was Alpine’s Duet’s malt bill, but instead of Simcoe and Amarillo hops, scientists used Citra and Mosaic. Alpine changed the name of Hop Boxed to Windows Up, but the mix of Citra and Mosaic still hold the window up for a soft and bitter room. Alpine describes it as falling squarely under the “dank” category. The dank base is complementary to the bitterness instead of balancing with a counterpunch. Windows Up is an IPA of two profiles that truly meets in the middle. With an aromatic floral and orange nose, the flavor begins soft on the mouth with a green meets papaya-citrus wash over the tongue that breaks away in a piney punch that leads to a bitter finish.
Pacific Potomac Citra Pale
6% ABV, 42 IBU
Pacific Brewing & Malting Co. co-owner and head brewer Steve Navarro never intended to brew his popular Potomac Citra Pale when the brewery opened in late 2014, but when he asked his Yakima hop supplier what they had in special, the supplier said, “Well, I’m not suppose to give this out … but we have 22 pounds of Citra hops available. Bam! Navarro’s planned four flagship craft beer repertoire became five. Potomac Citra Pale is a medium bodied single hop beer showcasing Citra hops with strong citrus and tropical tones of grapefruit, melon, lime and passionfruit.
Oakshire Citrafonix IPA
6.3% ABV, 50 IBU
Oakshire Brewing’s Citrafonix IPA drinks like a pale ale — light-bodied, plenty of hops and aged on a combination of citrus fruit zests and juice. A mash of two-row, Munich, honey malt and oats gets hopped with Citra and Amarillo in the boil, with more Citra in whirlpool and both again in the fermenter for awesome citrusy hop flavor and aroma. Then it’s flavored with a melange of citrus fruit: lemon peel, orange peel, grapefruit zest, lime zest and grapefruit juice, and fermented with a neutral American ale yeast so you can taste and smell that amazing citrus first and foremost. It finishes smooth and dry with mild hop bitterness.
Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA
6.4% ABV, 60 IBU
From one of Oregon’s most heralded breweries, Deschutes, comes Fresh Squeezed, a Citra-hopped delight. The mouthwatering, delicious Fresh Squeezed IPA receives a liberal dosing of Mosaic and Citra hops for a mango, pineapple, orange and grapefruit morning fruit cup. While the initial flavors are sweet and fruity, a good dose of hop bitterness comes through near the end, keeping it all in perfect harmony.
Double Mountain Citraf#ck
6.3% ABV, 60 IBU
“Citra is fun to work with,” says Double Mountain brewer Matt Coughlin in pre-Citraf#ck hype. “It’s diverse, and rolls well with the punches. It smells and tastes awesome. I’ve never been a part of the cool kids club, but at the end of the day, we can all sit down and have a beer.” Well, Matt, everyone in Tacoma knows you’re a cool guy (we miss you) and so is your beer. Double Mountain Citra chills with stone fruit, dank ruby red grapefruit and pineapple flavors with a nice hit of bitterness.
