Citra Pale ale...very bitter

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h22lude

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So I made a citra pale ale from AHS today. Everything went well, I thought. The ice bath took a littler longer probably because I didn't buy as much ice as I usually do.

The recipe:
.5lb cara pils malt
.5lb munich malt
.5lb crystal 75L Malt
6lb extra light DME
1oz citra @ 60
1oz citra @ 15
1oz citra @ 5

The grains I steeped in 1 gallon of 165 degree water for 30 minutes. I then boiled that and then added the 6lb DME and stirred until mixed. I added another gallon and boiled that 2 gallons. Then I started my 60 minutes.

My OG was 1.058 (should be around 1.054). I tasted it and it is extremely bitter. Beersmith has the IBU at 33.7. I only took a little sip and the bitterness stayed for a few minutes before going away.

Why would this be so bitter? I'm assuming the bitterness will go away after fermenting for 3 weeks and keg conditioning for another 3 weeks.

Edit: I usually steep in 1 gallon, add a second gallon, bring to a boil then add DME. I wanted to try something different this time...not really sure why. But would that have something to do with it tasting off?
 
Did you add the hops and the extract just as the recipe states?

If you did, just let it go. You will be fine. No telling how the beer will taste. You may have even inadvertently tasted a piece of hop pellet?
 
And no, your extract times shouldn't affect anything the way you did them. But I'm surprised the recipe has you add all the extract at the beginning (as opposed to half at the end) as it tends to darken the beer.
 
Did you add the hops and the extract just as the recipe states?

If you did, just let it go. You will be fine. No telling how the beer will taste. You may have even inadvertently tasted a piece of hop pellet?

Yes I added both at the same times the recipe stated.

I did filter before putting into my primary but you are right, I could still have gotten a small piece of the hop pellet...which is what I am hoping for.

Citra is used for IPAs but with IBU only at 33.7, I would think the bitterness would be low. I don't really want an IPA bitter beer so I am hoping after 3 weeks in primary and 3 weeks conditioning in the keg with CO2, the bitterness will go down a little.
 
I have also gotten a very bitter taste from the post-boil gravity sample. I remember being bummed for weeks while my overly-bitter beer fermented. Eventually it came out great. I don't know where the bitter went, but I learned not to judge too much by the taste of the sample.

Relax and look forward to having a great homebrew!
 
I figured as much but since this was my first time using citra hops, I wanted to see if others had a similar experience.
 
Never used citra hops, but every beer I make is extremely bitter when tasting the wort on it's way to the primary. They all calm down during fermentation, and again when aging.
I would be worried if it wasn't very bitter at that stage.

-a.
 
The grains I steeped in 1 gallon of 165 degree water for 30 minutes. I then boiled that and then added the 6lb DME and stirred until mixed. I added another gallon and boiled that 2 gallons. Then I started my 60 minutes.

I don't want to assume anything...but you did take out the grains at the :30 min mark...before boiling, right?
 
You are tasting a sample that came straight out of your kettle, directly after the boil. It still has hops suspended in it. Most all post boil samples you taste will be very bitter. As long as you followed your recipe and the hop schedule you will be fine.
 
My OG was 1.058 (should be around 1.054). I tasted it and it is extremely bitter. Beersmith has the IBU at 33.7. I only took a little sip and the bitterness stayed for a few minutes before going away.

Why would this be so bitter? I'm assuming the bitterness will go away after fermenting for 3 weeks and keg conditioning for another 3 weeks.



I did the SAME THING! But don't worry after it ferments and conditions its sooo good. my citra hops were at 13.4% and i put a half oz. in the beginning of the boil and man did they bitter my beer! It mellows out nicely... real nice. If i could do it again i would leave it in the primary for a few more days and i would dry hop it..
 
You'll be happy with you beer after you condition it. ust let it do it's thing.
 
Yea, without carb and conditioning, there just is no way to tell how your final beer will taste. IMO, wort and fermenting beer, especially flat, taste extra extra bitter compared to the final product. If you followed the recipe, you'll get the bitterness called for.
 
I looked at this thread and was thinking to myself "I made a similar thread a while ago"...oh this is my thread lol

Yeah that beer is long gone and I loved it. I actually want to make it again.
 
I have been told never to use citra as boil hops. I bet that is the reason.

Citra is a fine bittering hop. Its low cohumulone levels impart a smooth bitterness. People however tend to save it for late in the boil due to it massive oil content.

Unfermented wort always tastes bitter to me. Let the yeast do its magic.
 
Yeah, don't go on the hot wort sample. Citra is NOT a particularly bitter hop as far as hops goes, and remember that the hop bitterness and aroma is going to mellow out a TON between the wort stage and final beer.

You tasted it 4-6 weeks before it was complete, and right when the hops were the freshest! RDWHAHB, this batch is going to be fine!
 
I brewed up a 3 Floyds clone of Zombie Dust that used 9 oz of citra hops (3 oz Dry hop) but its not that bitter really....citra is a great hop variety and getting somewhat harder to find. give it time to ferment and carb up and the bitterness should subside.
 
chaydaw said:
You are tasting a sample that came straight out of your kettle, directly after the boil. It still has hops suspended in it. Most all post boil samples you taste will be very bitter. As long as you followed your recipe and the hop schedule you will be fine.

This. I about choked when I took a sip of my Pliny clone right out of the kettle.

I just had my first bottle of an all-Citra IPA I did about two months ago. The hop schedule looked pretty similar to yours and it turned out great. Yours will be fine after fermentation, bottling and carbing. Cheers!
 
Ha! That'll reach me to pay attention. This thread was started about 7 months ago.
 
madbird1977 said:
I brewed up a 3 Floyds clone of Zombie Dust that used 9 oz of citra hops (3 oz Dry hop) but its not that bitter really....citra is a great hop variety and getting somewhat harder to find. give it time to ferment and carb up and the bitterness should subside.

Good news! I just brewed skeezerpleezer's FFF ZD clone today and the sample was INTENSE! glad I found this thread, my fears have been eased.
 
I was looking at brewing AHS citra, but now I think I'm goung to brew zombie dust clone partial mash recipe on hopville, by cdubbaya.
 
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