Citra question

[MagicRat]

What is a good pale ale or IPA to try to get a feel for citra before I start using it in recipes?

 

[bobbrews]

What's your location?

Unlike the name implies, Citra is not particularly citrusy. Rather, it is juicy, tropical, and highly aromatic... Think mango & lychee fruit. It is typically used as a late addition or a dryhop and a little bit goes a long way. Too much early Citra gives the sense of gooseberries, sharp grapefruit (or cat pee). If your recipe is too heavy with late Citra, the strong tropical fruit character will overtake all of the other pleasant and subtle piney, citrusy, floral notes and it will taste very juice-like.

 

[MagicRat]

Tampa

 

[SnakeRidge]

My simple house Pale Ale recipe for trying out new hops is 90% 2-Row, 5% Wheat Malt, and 5% Crystal 40 or 60. Then hop at 60', 10, and flame out to ~40 IBUs. Or you could always try a SMaSH with a single base malt like US 2-Row and a similar hopping schedule.

Edit: Sorry, didn't realize you were looking for commercial examples!!

 

[slym2none]

My simple house Pale Ale recipe for trying out new hops is 90% 2-Row, 5% Wheat Malt, and 5% Crystal 40 or 60. Then hop at 60', 10, and flame out to ~40 IBUs. Or you could always try a SMaSH with a single base malt like US 2-Row and a similar hopping schedule.

I read it as he was looking for a commercial example to taste before using it in a recipe.

OP, Green Flash has a Citra session ale that uses Citra exclusively, but it is a fall seasonal beer unfortunately. I know of a few others but 1) can't think of the name of them right now & 2) they aren't on a widely-distributed net. I am sure Google could help you out.

 

[sablesurfer]

What is a good pale ale or IPA to try to get a feel for citra before I start using it in recipes?

I just had the Citra ale from Hermitage brewing. They do single hop ales of all different kinds. That beer really highlighted (highlit?) the cat pee side of Citra.

 

[bobbrews]

Tampa

I can't think of any local examples that would beat you over the head with Citra character, but definitely not Jai Alai.

More like 3 Floyd's Zombie Dust, Kern Citra, and I think Surly uses Citra hops for more than a few of their beers.

 

[TWAL]

Pale 2 row 70%,
Vienna 22%,
c-45 8 %,
magnum 60 min 20-25 IBU (or less Maybe)
Load up the rest w/ citra in late additions 30/15/0 and dry hop w/ a good ammount.
total IBU between 43-50
I really like combining citra w/ Cenntenial staggered in the later additions or at least in one.Personally I wouldn't go any higher than c-45,keep the beer light.
I also like to mash lower 149-150 to get a dry clean beer.

 

[MagicRat]

Just to clarify, as slym pointed out, I'm really looking for a commercial representation of citra so I can get a feel for the aroma/flavor.

 

[ktblunden]

Citra paired with Amarillo is pretty awesome. I stagger half-ounce additions of Amarillo and Citra for the last 15 min, toss in an ounce each at flameout, and dry hop with one-to-two ounces of each plus an ounce of Columbus. Makes for a delicious IPA, or scale back the hops a bit and add a little crystal for a pale.

 

[pointcity-homebrew]

Terrapin Hopzilla uses citra hops, I believe.

 

[SnakeRidge]

Just to clarify, as slym pointed out, I'm really looking for a commercial representation of citra so I can get a feel for the aroma/flavor.

Ha! Sorry if I detoured your thread.

Guys! We need commercial examples of a Citra focused Beer to help him taste what it's all about before he tries brewing with Citra.

 

[sablesurfer]

Just checked my beer review notes.

Against the Grain - Citra Ass Down: Aroma was more grapefruity and dank note, and the catty bit was low. Taste was, "a harsh dank cat basement bitterness". LOL.

Pretty sure citra tastes a certain way to me.

 

[ktblunden]

Apparently Victory Headwaters uses a lot of Citra, you may be able to find that locally.

 

[bobbrews]

Taste was, "a harsh dank cat basement bitterness". LOL.

Pretty sure citra tastes a certain way to me.

It's not that your taste perception is vastly different than others. Rather, the use of Citra in a recipe dictates its flavor/aroma. Too much, too early and you get harsh sharp grapefruit, gooseberries, or "cat pee". However, if you only use it very late in the boil and/or the dryhop, you are blasted with tropical fruit.

It also has a lot to do with whether it is a single hop beer, if another dank hop is used to supplement the Citra, or if the Citra is paired with something that allows it to shine. Like a previous poster said, Citra & Amarillo are really a classic pairing. The Amarillo elevates it to a better level than it would be on its own. There are a bunch of great IPAs mentioned in this thread that focus on this late combo. However, realize that you're probably not going to brew a piney or floral IPA with heavy use of Citra. 9/10 times, you're left with a tropical fruit bomb.

 

[MagicRat]

Supposedly my neighborhood ABC has Green Flash's Citra Session - probably the most ideal way to taste test. I'll stop and see on the way home.

 

[dpatrickv]

Zombie Dust from Three Floyds,
Psuedo Sue from Toppling Goliath,
Citra Ass Down from against the grain,
Headweater Pale Ale from Victory

Heres a good site with others as well.

http://www.craftedpours.com/citra-hops-and-craft-beers-brewed-with-citra-hops/10094

 

[BrotherBock]

For what it's worth, Deschutes' Fresh Squeezed uses Citra and Mosaic

 

[hanuswalrus]

I was gonna say Fresh Squeezed. It's delicious.

 

[MagicRat]

Struck out at ABC. I might just wing it and brew a simple pale mixing it with Amarillo as someone suggested above. I have tried SN Torpedo, which I liked but didn't love, but the Citra is so mixed there, I'm not sure I'm really getting the full effect. Oh well.

 

[marvinsjunk]

I haven't seen Thirsty Dog Citra Dog suggested yet. Not sure if it's distributed in Florida. I had it recently and really liked it. Their description says single hop with citra. I definitely picked up the citra but it didn't taste like the citra-only beers I've brewed before. A lot more dank and less of the tropical fruit. I'm pretty sure they're at least bittering with something else.

My bad - doesn't look like it's in FL yet, but it will be soon:
http://http://floridabeernews.com/2015/04/15/thirsty-dog-brewing-company-is-coming-to-florida/

 

[njviking]

While not a citra only/smash beer. Knee deep brewing offers Simtra. Possibly one of the top 10 beers ive ever had.

beautiful balance between simcoe and citra. Check it out.

 

[Calichusetts]

Zombie dust is really your best bet. One of the best examples I have tried of a citra only brew