Odd Side "Citra" Pale Ale

The second Odd Side beer, and the first one was really, really good. If you're not a fan of Irish red ales, then it's not going to persuade you, but it is about the best example of a good Irish red as I can remember having. I had Killian's a LOT when I was younger, and I liked the ease of that beer, but the Odd Side brought a lot more flavor. Maybe their Citra can, too!

The copper-colored beer has a bit of a haze to it. The head is not particularly voluminous, but it is certainly adequate and fades to a very thin and incomplete layer of bubbles across the top with a stronger ring around the sides and the suggestion of lacing as it grips the glass hard. For something named Citra, the citrus aroma is really deep inside it. I was virtually shoving my nose the whole way in just to try and sniff some of that citrus, and is not distinct enough for me to tell you what kind of citrus I'm smelling.

First sip has more spices and pine than I expected from a citrus heavy beer. There is still citrus in here, but it's not the insane juice flavor that so many IPAs go for. Instead, it's a fairly nice, serene look at fruits from a distance while lounging on an Adirondack chair nestled underneath some lonesome pines. What I'm trying to say is, this is a decent beer for sipping. It's not going to bowl you over, but it has enough flavor to make an impression. Still not sure about the name, though.

Tip-in is light carbonation tingle with grapefruit and lime casually lounging underneath. The middle hits the roof of the mouth pretty hard with carbonation burn as the pine needles dig in to make the center a lot more caustic than it needs to be and it overshadows the relative smoothness of the fruits that are struggling and failing to be recognized. The finish becomes dry and bitter with fruit rinds and pine afterglow.

Bottom Line: Much better sipped.

2.0/5