Citra DIPA - Kern River Brewing Company

tectactoe

Michigan

4.83/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Big thanks to karink for this one - a huge one from my wanted list finally gets crossed off. Pours a deep copper color near the top that cascades through a gradient, finishing at a shade of amber near the bottom. Hazy and cloudy everywhere but the very edges, topped off with a thick fingered, foamy white head that leaves behind some huge pieces of chunky lace. This beer is simply beautiful. Maybe I'm swooning a bit too much because this was such a huge want on my list, but this is spot on for a DIPA... Looks good enough to drink.

The aroma on this beer is simply one of the best in the business. This is how DIPAs should smell. An orgy of fruit plows through your nostrils like a hobo rummaging through a deli; intense bouts of pineapple, mango, guava, grapefruit, citrus, apricot, peach, tangerine... Just name a goddamn fruit and you can probably pick it out of the aroma here. So much fruit, it's insane to think a profile like this comes from the use of only TWO hops (Citra and Armarillo, though most of it is probably from the Citra).

The hop aromas are raw and vibrant also; piney, resinous, oily, floral, and pungently juicy. A light onion-like aroma adds to the complexity as well. Despite the massive hop bomb, the malt backbone does not go unnoticed... It provides a strong and sweet bready aroma alongside the hops, like buttered crackers and lightly toasted buttered bread. This aroma is simply sublime, in every sense of the word.

Couldn't have been more excited to bring this one to my lips after smelling it... the malt underbody gets laid out right from the start; it begins with a highly drinkable malty sweetness, again, in the form of buttery biscuits, lighty toasted, hand-in-hand with a mild onion and salty flavor. It doesn't get too comfortable on your palate, however, because the hop bum-rush quickly asserts itself - heavy, heavy citrus peel, pineapple, mangos, grapefruits, tangerines, and honeydew. Just an insane collage of fruits that bounce of the sides of the mouth like crazy.

A piney bitterness washes over everything about halfway through, followed by a decrescendo of floral, herbal, and oily resins. The aftertaste dies out with this bitterness that couples with a light malt sweetness and a heap of bittersweet citrus flavors. 8% ABV goes completely under the radar, this beer is drinkable as shit. Medium bodied with somewhat high carbonation, ever-so-slightly sticky on the palate.

This was one of my biggest wants (thanks again to karink for the hook-up) and I am so glad that it not only lived up to the hype, but it surpassed my expectations by quite a bit. So goddamn tasty, aromatic, and drinkable. Everything a DIPA could hope to be. If you're a lover of citrusy based D/IPAs, do yourself a solid and get your hands on this beer. All hail the motherfuckin' Citra hop, baby!

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 14:20:11 | More by tectactoe

aleman39

California

4.75/5  rDev +3%

05-21-2013 21:19:03 | More by aleman39

PlinyBeMiney

California

4/5  rDev -13.2%

05-21-2013 07:06:00 | More by PlinyBeMiney

CosmoHopHead

Kansas

4.75/5  rDev +3%

05-21-2013 04:05:18 | More by CosmoHopHead

ShawnMH

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -7.8%

05-19-2013 15:50:01 | More by ShawnMH

eyeenjoybeer

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev -2.4%

05-18-2013 16:44:10 | More by eyeenjoybeer

Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +3%

05-18-2013 06:07:58 | More by Deuane

jwk7324

California

5/5  rDev +8.5%

05-15-2013 18:38:35 | More by jwk7324

Csimmons

California

4.25/5  rDev -7.8%

05-13-2013 00:16:34 | More by Csimmons

WhatdaHec

California

4.5/5  rDev -2.4%

05-10-2013 21:05:59 | More by WhatdaHec

woodchopper

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev -2.4%

05-09-2013 19:31:57 | More by woodchopper

BMart

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +8.5%

05-08-2013 13:35:37 | More by BMart

Thirsty_Rob

California

5/5  rDev +8.5%

05-08-2013 07:05:30 | More by Thirsty_Rob

IPAyForHops

California

4.5/5  rDev -2.4%

05-02-2013 23:32:53 | More by IPAyForHops

jakecattleco

California

4.75/5  rDev +3%

05-02-2013 06:25:43 | More by jakecattleco

Dowlers

California

4.5/5  rDev -2.4%

04-29-2013 01:38:52 | More by Dowlers

Clem319

California

5/5  rDev +8.5%

04-29-2013 00:17:24 | More by Clem319

caguiar

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev -2.4%

04-28-2013 19:22:26 | More by caguiar

Skunkdrool

California

5/5  rDev +8.5%

04-25-2013 22:32:14 | More by Skunkdrool

willhans8

California

4.75/5  rDev +3%

04-24-2013 07:53:37 | More by willhans8

gueuzegossage

California

4.5/5  rDev -2.4%

04-21-2013 21:28:47 | More by gueuzegossage

afallon86

California

4.5/5  rDev -2.4%

04-13-2013 10:42:27 | More by afallon86

roblund

California

4.25/5  rDev -7.8%

04-12-2013 18:37:50 | More by roblund

BigGreenMonster

California

4.9/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Was able to try this during San Diego Beer Week and San Francisco Beer Week. Both times served from tap in a pint and in 12 oz tulip. The appearance is murky with a slight green-yellow color. The smell and taste is amazing. Citrusy pineapple and mango flavors last from the sniff to the swallow. The mouthfeel is the most amazing part of it, 8% and unfiltered gives it the perfect consistency. It's juicy! Each swallow only makes you crave more. My favorite IIPA. HF Double Galaxy and Heady Topper are a close second and thrid.

Serving type: on-tap

04-12-2013 06:59:46 | More by BigGreenMonster

HopHeadCnK

Virginia

4.75/5  rDev +3%

04-10-2013 06:21:14 | More by HopHeadCnK