Citra Bomb - Sprecher Brewing Company

emerge077

Illinois

3.13/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Bottle dated: 12/15/12
Not sure why it's taken so long (7 weeks) for this to show up locally when MKE is so close to Chicago. Apparently this was "aged on Citra" for 6 weeks prior to release, an unusual approach...

It pours a dark reddish orange into a tulip glass, a billowing head of foam that leaves behind drippy lacing. Good head retention, some coverage still after the first few sips.

Aroma is a little confusing, sweet caramel malt at first, with some floral sandalwood, and some canned pineapple sweetness. Doesn't smell much like a DIPA, caramel sweet like an English Barleywine or Strong Ale.

Taste is also a bit of a letdown, it's not a hop bomb as advertised. Some mild mannered green vegetation and indistinct fruit sweetness, like the leftover syrup from a fruit cocktail can. Astringent and bitter, vegetal leafy greens. Thin bodied, with a mild alcohol bite. Not terrible, just meh. Something seems to be missing here...

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 02:00:19 | More by emerge077

eliz108

Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +52%

05-17-2013 15:28:08 | More by eliz108

TheQuest300

California

3/5  rDev -8.8%

05-14-2013 04:34:44 | More by TheQuest300

dvmin98

North Carolina

2.75/5  rDev -16.4%

05-05-2013 19:08:01 | More by dvmin98

BYOFB

Wisconsin

3.25/5  rDev -1.2%

05-04-2013 18:21:08 | More by BYOFB

JOrtt

California

3/5  rDev -8.8%

04-26-2013 21:21:53 | More by JOrtt

Zachtheporter

Wisconsin

3.25/5  rDev -1.2%

04-20-2013 14:55:42 | More by Zachtheporter

Localdrinklax

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev +14%

04-12-2013 05:21:43 | More by Localdrinklax

atomicskier1889

Minnesota

3/5  rDev -8.8%

04-05-2013 15:02:37 | More by atomicskier1889

Zorro

California

3.19/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3

Clear amber colored ale nearing brown. Small white colored head.

Smells strongly of hops and malt. Scents of honeysuckle and cherry cough syrup with a strong tea scent. Cherry and grapefruit scents, the cherry is a surprise.

Starts out sweet with a savory taste and a stout amount of bitterness. Bittersweet flavor and not much else. Little bit of toffee and butterscotch in this. Taste isn't as complex as the smell.

Mouthfeel is OK.

Overall no really worth comparing to a good example of the style. I can't recommend you buy this.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 00:57:26 | More by Zorro

GilGarp

Colorado

3.69/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Bomber served cold into a pint glass.

Citra Bomb is a slightly hazy amber orange color with white head and some sticky lace.

Aroma is hoppy and fresh with nice citrusy notes.

Flavor is hoppy but too but has a bit of an aspirin bitterness.

Mouthfeel is medium light in body and nicely carbonated. Not very bitter for an imperial IPA.

Overall it's an ok DIPA but not one worth getting again.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 01:15:49 | More by GilGarp

Listers

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev +6.4%

03-04-2013 20:02:59 | More by Listers

Beaver13

Colorado

2.95/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

22 oz bottle. Pours slightly hazy copper orange with a small white head that quickly goes to a thin film that leaves some lacing.

The aroma is sweet bready caramel malts and peppery minty hops.

The flavor is sweet bready malts with some tropical fruits and minty peppery hops. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with low prickly carbonation.

Overall, an OK but not too exciting DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 06:02:05 | More by Beaver13

timc100

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -1.2%

03-02-2013 18:13:46 | More by timc100

zonker17

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +14%

01-20-2013 16:18:12 | More by zonker17

Stoutfan23DJ

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +14%

01-09-2013 20:16:31 | More by Stoutfan23DJ

guityler83

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A: Orange marmalade to copper colored, mostly clear maybe a slight haze. Some large bubbles that rest on top of the off white head.

S: Tropical fruit paradise! think gummy lifesavers. strawberry, melon, pineapple, pine with a slight bit of alcohol. This is the highlight of this beer and this hop variety.

T: Very harsh on the first sip. Bitterness has the candy like flavor, but like the candy was 2 years old. As its sipped more it becomes more drinkable. Musty, dank and cat pee flavors from the Citra come through heavily. I detect a little bit of carmel also.

M: Sticky, dry and hop astringent

O: While I thoroughly enjoy'd the rad thrash metal label of this beer and there attempt to step outside their traditional german beir repertuar, the beer fell short... I think Citra might just be suited for Aroma and dry hopping additions instead of bittering & flavoring. If you'd like to see what a full citra beer taste like check this out otherwise id check out one of sprecher's other awesome beers (Black Bavarian!!)

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 00:32:18 | More by guityler83

HaveUSeenMyCellar

California

1/5  rDev -69.6%

01-04-2013 03:06:20 | More by HaveUSeenMyCellar

gir02021

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +14%

01-01-2013 05:17:08 | More by gir02021

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

3.63/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz on tap poured into a nonic pint glass

Appearance- A hazy orange yellowish color with a half finger of bright white head that stays with it and leaves imense lacing.

Smell- Lots of Juicy citrus with definite pine notes.

Taste- Earthy hops at the front of the tongue with a mellow citrus and pine finish. With a name like Citra Bomb, I was wanting and expecting a lot more citrus in the flavor profile.

Mouthfeel- Medium body with very little carbonation. For what you would expect this should be a little more carbonated to give a much crisper finish.

Overall- The Citra Bomb just misses the mark in a few key areas. Definitly needs more citrus hop to balance the earthy hops and more carbonation to create an easier drinking DIPA.

Serving type: on-tap

12-29-2012 19:07:33 | More by BrownAleMale

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.45/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

22 oz bottle poured into a Sprecher nonic.
7.8% ABV, numbers on shoulder.

A - Deep amber in color, Citra Bomb pours rather heavy, suggesting it will be a fuller-bodied beer. Ivory foam rises like a mushroom cloud, blanketing the sides of the pint with globular lace.

S - Intense bold hop aroma explodes out of this beer but it's on the verge of being too much when the hops' volume changes to an unpleasant burnt rubber nose. Citra Bomb is resin and pine rich but has plenty of juicy tropical fruits as well. Deep mango and pineapple meet a green sun tea-like scent which is incredibly reminiscent of their recent release, Hopfuzion. Strong caramel malt falls behind providing a pleasing base.

T - Caramel malt and toasted Vienna notes coat the tongue rapidly but dissolve away to reveal the hoppiness which, again, reminds me of Hopfuzion with it's strong amount of tea-like characteristics of herbs and floral notes more than anything. Pine resin and tropical fruits are present, but seem fairly overshadowed.

M - Dry citrus tickles the back of the tongue with nice bitterness as this balanced, medium bodied and smooth double IPA finishes. Herbal tea notes linger on the palate moments after the beer is swallowed while a fair carbonation level keeps it a little more crisp.

O - I'd be lying if I said I didn't think this was a beefier version of Sprecher's wet-hopped Hopfuzion. There's plenty of power behind the hops but they aren't showcased in a such a way that makes their abundant fruity nuances (especially with the Citra variety) shine with vibrancy. Citra Bomb is much more herbal, suggesting a tea blend with a mound of honey dribbled in. It's bitter but not quite the bitter one might expect from a double IPA. At nearly 8%, this beer rides a fine line between what one might expect from a "standard" American IPA and what people are looking for in a double. Certainly not a poor beer but it doesn't stand up to the name "Citra Bomb" either.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 16:56:28 | More by BeerFMAndy

mobius387

Wisconsin

3.33/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

bomber to pint glass

appearance: dark brown with 1" white foamy head. fairly opaque/dark for a imperial IPA

aroma: not super pleasant. strong onions with the over hopped "sweaty sock" I have only otherwise smelled with founders devil dancer. not a good nose on this one

palate: medium bodied, medium carbonation, not very resinous/bitter for its category, decent

taste: much better than it smells, not super citrusy though which is what i expected. more of a balanced ipa flavor with some piney/grapefruity after taste. i like the taste, so its very drinkable

overall: not a bad brew by any means, and if someone offered it to me id drink it happily, but sprecher makes plenty of other beers that are worth my time more than this one. glad i got to try it tho.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 15:40:19 | More by mobius387