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Citra hops are probably my favorite kind of hops. I'm not sure that I have a favorite kind of malt, but I definitely also have a favorite kind of yeast, and anyone who has read any of these reviews knows that it is that delicious Belgian yeast. Well, I won't be getting that kind of yeast, and I don't know what kind of malt I'm going to get, but I do know that this is going to bring citra hops. Those are the hops I like, and those are the hops I'm going to get. This should work out just fine by me.
She pours a very light yellow, and she is plenty hazy. It says that it is hazy on the can, and it is not wrong. Citra hops are known for being very citrus in their character, and the aroma follows that to a T. Grapefruit and lime seem to be enjoying themselves underneath the incomplete lily pad of bubbles in the center of the beer. The bubbles around the sides are kinda big, but I won't fault them for that.
First sip explains why this is called Citra fog and is marketed as a hazy IPA instead of a juicy IPA. The citrus that exists is strong, but it isn't overwhelming. It's a nice, even distribution of citrus flavors, but it falls significantly short of excess. What does seem a bit excessive is the bitterness that comes on a little too soon, and it lingers a little too long. I'm not opposed to bitterness in my beer, per se, but I want the flavors to scale with the bitterness. For the sip, it seems a bit unbalanced.
Tip-in is slightly spiky and slightly tart citrus above a very gentle carbonation tingle. The middle sends carbonation beyond the back of the throat while the grapefruit, lime, peach, and passionfruit all mingle together nicely. The finish is that backlash of bitterness, but this time it is not unwarranted, so the result is a nicely balanced beer that leaves the mouth wanting more.
Bottom Line: It's a keeper.
4.0/5
