Citra hops- Whats the Deal

[MotoGP1000]

brew peeps,

Has anyone else had varying results from citra hops? I’ve brewed many times with it and more so than none I get very grapefruit (bite/tangy) characters.
Once I was able to get the more “stanky” character I wanted out of it. I guess more so honeydew?
Any ideas?
Looking for solid input on this since I love citra but I really am not looking for a monster grapefruit drink

 

[couchsending]

Buy it from different places... Citra is the number one grown hop in the US in terms of acreage. It’s now grown in 3 states. It can be completely different depending on where it was grown, when it was picked, how it was processed, etc.

You’ll just have to find different lots of it.

 

[schematix]

Hops are an agricultural product. They vary considerably from location to location, year to year.

My experience has been that most suppliers to the home brew market are selling low grade hops. The good stuff is contract grown for the folks that ultimately keep the growers in business. I've had many good experiences buying american hops from YVH. The european stuff is iffy sometimes.

 

[couchsending]

I have lots and lots and lots of hops in my freezer... it could probably resemble a small LHBS stock and I actually can’t fit any more at the moment.

I generally buy from Farmhouse, YVH, Hops Direct, Hop Heaven (eBay seller) and occasionally homebrew shops. Also had the fortune to get 15 or so Lbs of hops from breweries with large hop contracts and most recently have bought from Bell’s when they started packaging their selected lots.

The Bell’s Select stuff is banger! Best quality hops I’ve bought from a Homebrew supplier. I got a lot of Simcoe and Citra from guys with decent contracts this summer. While they’ve all been high quality the Bells versions I preferred. It’s not cheap but their hops are worth the extra $$.

If you get packaged hops from YCH and BSG I’d go YCH any day and twice on Sunday. Especially if you can find the new branded YCH stuff. Plus you get lot numbers to look up which is nice. I’ve had some horrible BSG packaged hops as of late.

YVH is great. Fast shipping, great selection, etc. The Australian hops I get from them are always amazing. However I’ve also had more hops from them that were so horrible I just threw them away. Pounds in the trash, which sucks. I preferred the lbs of Mosaic and Citra I got through Farmhouse over the last few years. I’ll still buy from them and excited to see what their new relationship with Haas brings.

Hopsdirect is awesome. You always get really heavy bags. Had them send me bags that weigh more than 1.5lbs when you pay for 1. I’ve started using leaf more and will always but from them. I find the quality to be at least very consistent. Just got some 2019 Citra leaf that is amazing!

As homebrewers the NZ Hops we get might be the worst across the board. There is so little of it grown and it’s in such high demand that were literally left with the stems and seeds. It’s sucks. You might be lucky to find something decent but chances are incredibly low.

Soooo if you really want the pro level flavor and aroma I’d buy the Bell’s Select stuff if it’s available. Or make friends with a brewer at your local brewery that makes awesome
Hoppy beer and you know has decent contracts.

A lot of these are pretty general statements and I’m sure others will have differing opinions. I spend way too much money on hops and this basically summarizes my experience over the last few years.

 

[couchsending]

Oh yeah. For European Noble hops Id recommend Hop Head Farms in Michigan . Best quality noble hops I’ve found.

 

[MotoGP1000]

I have lots and lots and lots of hops in my freezer... it could probably resemble a small LHBS stock and I actually can’t fit any more at the moment.

I generally buy from Farmhouse, YVH, Hops Direct, Hop Heaven (eBay seller) and occasionally homebrew shops. Also had the fortune to get 15 or so Lbs of hops from breweries with large hop contracts and most recently have bought from Bell’s when they started packaging their selected lots.

The Bell’s Select stuff is banger! Best quality hops I’ve bought from a Homebrew supplier. I got a lot of Simcoe and Citra from guys with decent contracts this summer. While they’ve all been high quality the Bells versions I preferred. It’s not cheap but their hops are worth the extra $$.

If you get packaged hops from YCH and BSG I’d go YCH any day and twice on Sunday. Especially if you can find the new branded YCH stuff. Plus you get lot numbers to look up which is nice. I’ve had some horrible BSG packaged hops as of late.

YVH is great. Fast shipping, great selection, etc. The Australian hops I get from them are always amazing. However I’ve also had more hops from them that were so horrible I just threw them away. Pounds in the trash, which sucks. I preferred the lbs of Mosaic and Citra I got through Farmhouse over the last few years. I’ll still buy from them and excited to see what their new relationship with Haas brings.

Hopsdirect is awesome. You always get really heavy bags. Had them send me bags that weigh more than 1.5lbs when you pay for 1. I’ve started using leaf more and will always but from them. I find the quality to be at least very consistent. Just got some 2019 Citra leaf that is amazing!

As homebrewers the NZ Hops we get might be the worst across the board. There is so little of it grown and it’s in such high demand that were literally left with the stems and seeds. It’s sucks. You might be lucky to find something decent but chances are incredibly low.

Soooo if you really want the pro level flavor and aroma I’d buy the Bell’s Select stuff if it’s available. Or make friends with a brewer at your local brewery that makes awesome
Hoppy beer and you know has decent contracts.

A lot of these are pretty general statements and I’m sure others will have differing opinions. I spend way too much money on hops and this basically summarizes my experience over the last few years.

So is the tangy grapefruit the good hops? I actually like the more skunky characteristic lol. If anyone’s had Burley Oak 100 that’s kind of what I’m talking about. Not so much citrus but maybe more.... honeydew?

 

[dmtaylor]

If you like "stanky", Mosaic and Simcoe are "better" than Citra. I like Citra but HATE Mosaic and Simcoe, if that means anything to anybody.

Cheers.

 

[couchsending]

So is the tangy grapefruit the good hops? I actually like the more skunky characteristic lol. If anyone’s had Burley Oak 100 that’s kind of what I’m talking about. Not so much citrus but maybe more.... honeydew?

If you like that stanky/catty character then yeah you should be able to find that Citra everywhere... and Mosaic for that matter.

I haven’t had much Simcoe with that character as of late but it’s almost impossible to find Mosaic without it.

I don’t mind a bit of it but I’d rather add a little bit of that stank with Columbus or Apollo than have good hops reek of that.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

While picking time and terroir can make a big difference, the other thing to be aware of is the effect of different yeast on hop flavour. For instance T-58 will convert the grapefruit of Chinook into something more limey.

But Citra does seem prone to harvest variation, and also the vast expansion of acreage means that there's a lot of farmers now growing it who don't have so much experience of it. 2017 seemed to be a bad year for oniony Citra for instance.

 

[brewbama]

I have lots and lots and lots of hops in my freezer... it could probably resemble a small LHBS stock and I actually can’t fit any more at the moment.

I generally buy from Farmhouse, YVH, Hops Direct, Hop Heaven (eBay seller) and occasionally homebrew shops. Also had the fortune to get 15 or so Lbs of hops from breweries with large hop contracts and most recently have bought from Bell’s when they started packaging their selected lots.

The Bell’s Select stuff is banger! Best quality hops I’ve bought from a Homebrew supplier. I got a lot of Simcoe and Citra from guys with decent contracts this summer. While they’ve all been high quality the Bells versions I preferred. It’s not cheap but their hops are worth the extra $$.

If you get packaged hops from YCH and BSG I’d go YCH any day and twice on Sunday. Especially if you can find the new branded YCH stuff. Plus you get lot numbers to look up which is nice. I’ve had some horrible BSG packaged hops as of late.

YVH is great. Fast shipping, great selection, etc. The Australian hops I get from them are always amazing. However I’ve also had more hops from them that were so horrible I just threw them away. Pounds in the trash, which sucks. I preferred the lbs of Mosaic and Citra I got through Farmhouse over the last few years. I’ll still buy from them and excited to see what their new relationship with Haas brings.

Hopsdirect is awesome. You always get really heavy bags. Had them send me bags that weigh more than 1.5lbs when you pay for 1. I’ve started using leaf more and will always but from them. I find the quality to be at least very consistent. Just got some 2019 Citra leaf that is amazing!

As homebrewers the NZ Hops we get might be the worst across the board. There is so little of it grown and it’s in such high demand that were literally left with the stems and seeds. It’s sucks. You might be lucky to find something decent but chances are incredibly low.

Soooo if you really want the pro level flavor and aroma I’d buy the Bell’s Select stuff if it’s available. Or make friends with a brewer at your local brewery that makes awesome
Hoppy beer and you know has decent contracts.

A lot of these are pretty general statements and I’m sure others will have differing opinions. I spend way too much money on hops and this basically summarizes my experience over the last few years.

Great hop sources

 

[Jsmith2154]

I have lots and lots and lots of hops in my freezer... it could probably resemble a small LHBS stock and I actually can’t fit any more at the moment.

I generally buy from Farmhouse, YVH, Hops Direct, Hop Heaven (eBay seller) and occasionally homebrew shops. Also had the fortune to get 15 or so Lbs of hops from breweries with large hop contracts and most recently have bought from Bell’s when they started packaging their selected lots.

The Bell’s Select stuff is banger! Best quality hops I’ve bought from a Homebrew supplier. I got a lot of Simcoe and Citra from guys with decent contracts this summer. While they’ve all been high quality the Bells versions I preferred. It’s not cheap but their hops are worth the extra $$.

If you get packaged hops from YCH and BSG I’d go YCH any day and twice on Sunday. Especially if you can find the new branded YCH stuff. Plus you get lot numbers to look up which is nice. I’ve had some horrible BSG packaged hops as of late.

YVH is great. Fast shipping, great selection, etc. The Australian hops I get from them are always amazing. However I’ve also had more hops from them that were so horrible I just threw them away. Pounds in the trash, which sucks. I preferred the lbs of Mosaic and Citra I got through Farmhouse over the last few years. I’ll still buy from them and excited to see what their new relationship with Haas brings.

Hopsdirect is awesome. You always get really heavy bags. Had them send me bags that weigh more than 1.5lbs when you pay for 1. I’ve started using leaf more and will always but from them. I find the quality to be at least very consistent. Just got some 2019 Citra leaf that is amazing!

As homebrewers the NZ Hops we get might be the worst across the board. There is so little of it grown and it’s in such high demand that were literally left with the stems and seeds. It’s sucks. You might be lucky to find something decent but chances are incredibly low.

Soooo if you really want the pro level flavor and aroma I’d buy the Bell’s Select stuff if it’s available. Or make friends with a brewer at your local brewery that makes awesome
Hoppy beer and you know has decent contracts.

A lot of these are pretty general statements and I’m sure others will have differing opinions. I spend way too much money on hops and this basically summarizes my experience over the last few years.

Thanks for sharing this! I’ve used YVH almost exclusively the last 2ish years. I like them for a lot of reasons. I’ve never had hops so bad as to throw them out but I haven’t been very good at really testing packs when I get them or even before brewing with them. This is something I want to improve on with my brewing. I can say I’ve opened a lot of packs that have not lined up with what I was expecting.

So with this being a new harvest season seems like a great chance to potentially find a new source for my hops.
I have a couple of questions for you;
Farmhouse has great pricing on cryo hops. I’ve only gotten a couple of ounces from more beer and want to use more but pricing gets a little high for me. Have you used much cryo? Do all cryo hops only come from one main farm supplier? Have you tried farmhouse cryo?

 

[Qhrumphf]

Oh yeah. For European Noble hops Id recommend Hop Head Farms in Michigan . Best quality noble hops I’ve found.

Hop Head Farms is fantastic.

I despise body odor/onion/garlic Citra. Mosaic too. And Galaxy seems so bad of late I simply won't use it.

 

[couchsending]

I have a couple of questions for you;
Farmhouse has great pricing on cryo hops. I’ve only gotten a couple of ounces from more beer and want to use more but pricing gets a little high for me. Have you used much cryo? Do all cryo hops only come from one main farm supplier? Have you tried farmhouse cryo?

I haven’t used a ton of Cryo. I got a bunch from a brewery that was testing it for YCH when it was just available in powder so I’ve really only used the powder form which is a PITA to use. I’ve used pellets a few times and I just buy those 1oz packages from the LHBS when I do. I don’t like using it that much. I’ll add some of it for layers in the dry hop or a bit in a lower temp WP stand but I don’t love using it in large quantities. It definitely adds a different element.

 

[Bassman2003]

Oh yeah. For European Noble hops Id recommend Hop Head Farms in Michigan . Best quality noble hops I’ve found.

I went to their site but I am not crazy about the lack of information about year and if it is pellet or whole. Seems they mainly deal in pellet but it is not stated.

 

[couchsending]

I went to their site but I am not crazy about the lack of information about year and if it is pellet or whole. Seems they mainly deal in pellet but it is not stated.

They’re all pellets...

Everything that isn’t current year is listed in the drop down menu when selecting amount.

Or you could call someone and ask, not that hard.

 

[Bassman2003]

Thanks. I thought they only were selling pellets. About me calling, yes, not that hard but neither is clearly stating the year on the website Just does not look transparent to me as the only bad hops I have purchased over the years have been old ones.

 

[MotoGP1000]

Wow. This is all great information. Thanks to everyone replying!