Brewing this today:

5 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 45.45 %
3 lbs Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 27.27 %
2 lbs Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 18.18 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 4.55 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 4.55 %

0.50 oz Magnum [13.40 %] (60 min) Hops 20.1 IBU
0.50 oz Citra [12.00 %] (15 min) Hops 8.9 IBU
0.50 oz Citra [12.00 %] (10 min) Hops 6.5 IBU
0.50 oz Citra [12.00 %] (5 min) Hops 3.6 IBU
0.50 oz Citra [12.00 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep)


I've never used citra so I thought I'd load up on them and see how I like them. Any thoughts?

Looks tasty. Malty. I've never used Citra. What's the 'Aroma Hop-Steep' mean? Is that just a flameout addition or some other method?

I bought a pound of whole leaf Citra from Hops Direct a few months ago. I really like it a lot. It is like Cascade but it has a little more spice aroma to it and slightly less fruity. But still very excellent in a Pale Ale I made. I dry hopped an ounce and a half with it and it turned out awesome.

Just that little something different that makes you go 'hmmmmm'

I have never used Citra either. I been on the cascade kick. Love to know how it turns out.

I really like the grain bill, a very malty, bready, base to work from. I am not sure how those flavors will work with Citra though.

Is this possibly an American Amber Ale?

A little bit of citra goes a long way and it is easy to over do it. A friend made a batch of all citra IPA and it turned out like grapefruit juice. Some people loved it but most thought it was a bit too powerful. Blended with other stuff really nicely.

I am interested in trying Citra as well, keep us posted on how it turns out, maybe take pics during your brewday, I would love to see that new rig in action.

SpanishCastleAle said:

Looks tasty. Malty. I've never used Citra. What's the 'Aroma Hop-Steep' mean? Is that just a flameout addition or some other method?

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Yes, flame out addition.

azscoob said:

I am interested in trying Citra as well, keep us posted on how it turns out, maybe take pics during your brewday, I would love to see that new rig in action.

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I'm not sure how'll be, but it'll definitely be all-citra! I love the smell of the hops. I didn't take pictures, once again. I'm just about ready to mash out. If Bob comes home soon, I'll have him snap a few pictures of me using the HERMS.

You are going to use Magnum hops at the 60 minute boil mark, correct? I have tried an all Citra and do not recommend it. You need a bittering hop at the start of the boil or it comes out nasty (in my opinion). And I am a total hop head! Citra for aroma is an awesome luxury since there is nothing quite like it.

BadgerBrewer said:

You are going to use Magnum hops at the 60 minute boil mark, correct? I have tried an all Citra and do not recommend it. You need a bittering hop at the start of the boil or it comes out nasty (in my opinion). And I am a total hop head! Citra for aroma is an awesome luxury since there is nothing quite like it.

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Yes, I have magnum at the 60 minute addition.

I wonder if I should sub in some simcoe for some of the citra, if all-citra isn't great?

I think that for the rest of the brew you are probably okay with the Citra, but I know that skipping a bittering hop was a mistake I made. I thought a 100% Citra brew would be awesome since I absolutely loved the aroma.

Here is what I found when I used Citra: Used in Sierra Nevada Torpedo
Very fruity, apricot flavor
Orange, Mango
Clean and fresh tropical flavors

I'd be curious to try it as you have it. That's kind of the point is to try it and see where it fits ... I've heard mixed reviews from people loving it, to not being so good beyond the aroma addition.

Well, I did it as is. I have to admit that there was a definite "cat pee" aroma to the boil during those late additions. It's in the fermenter, and I ended up using S05. It's cold in my house- in the very low 60s so I hope I can keep the fermentation around 67-68 degrees once it starts.

The Citra mellows a bit over time. Give it a week and see how it smells. I thought the same thing when I used it and after a week it was excellent (even better after 3 weeks when I kegged it)! Let us know how the final product turns out!

Yooper, have you been able to keg this yet? Interested to know your thoughts on the Citra. I polished off a keg of my Citra dry-hopped Pale Ale and absolutely loved it. Brewing it again this weekend.

Yes, how did it turn out? From what I've heard (from a pro brewer) that they only used citra as a dry hop for the aroma. Other than that, it tastes like cat pee. So how is it Yooper?

Well, it's ok. When I kegged it, it was totally mango. I mean, in your face screaming MANGO at you. Very fruity. So, I added about .75 ounce of cascade to the keg in a stainless tea ball to dryhop it. It's ok now. Not great. Not bad.

I don't think I'll use citra again, except for maybe in combination with simcoe, or for some dryhopping. I'm not sure if it's just because I'm a huge fan of those in-your-face grapefruity American hops, but I didn't think too highly of the flavor/aroma. It's not cat pee like chinook can be, though! It's more of a Juicy Fruit gum aroma.

I think it has a fruity/spicy aroma to it as compared to Cascade. I only use it for very late additions as well as dry hopping to give me that slightly different kind of brew. I have the whole leaf hop and usually use 2 ounces when I dry hop. Makes a huge mess when I rack to the keg!

I will probably keep using it (as long as I can find it) but at a 3:1 brew ratio. I also like the in-your-face-fruity hops!