The Citizen - DC Brau Brewing Co.

MNishCT77

District of Columbia

4.44/5  rDev +24%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. can purchased in the greater Washington D.C. area, unknown birth date, poured into a Rogue chalice, drank 4/3/13 over one hour.

A: 4.25 - pretty golden coloration, minimal clarity consistent with style, really nice white two finger head that resolves into a creamy-appearing 1/4 head for the remainder of the session, small bubbles pouring off the bottom of the glass throughout, minimal alcohol legs

S: 4.25 - lots and lots of lemon/curacao orange peel, spice, coriander...pulling out lots of classic Belgian aroma

T: 4.25 - drinks like a saison instead of a Belgian pale ale to me (good thing...), no detectable hop flavors or bitterness; again, lots of lemon, young citrus and spice on the taste buds, some candy sugar on the back end

M: 4.5 - again, I'm really digging the creaminess, which lingers on the upper lip, tight carbonation, moderate body that is appropriate to style

O: 4.5 - although I'm not crazy about the generally non-committal "Belgian pale ale," definitely approachable and refreshing, especially as the temperature warms in the greater D.C. area; although not their best offering, this is a solid flagship beer from my favorite local brewery...Prosit!

Serving type: can

04-04-2013 02:31:31 | More by MNishCT77

CapitolCrusher

District of Columbia

4.25/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

i almost wonder if this beer was made for me because "the citizen" would be a great way to describe me considering i am a true citizen of the world traveling and living all over the place slopping up beer every where i go

pours out a nice hazy apricot but the head is a real unexpected cream soda color. not what i was expecting but looks tasty!

and tasty it was, it did also have a cream soda taste. now i don't know if that's because i thought it looked like cream soda, but it had a nice vanilla and spice flavor too

overall i like this beer a lot and i am glad to see DC brau getting more and more distribution here in the capitol area, they deserve it imho

Serving type: on-tap

01-01-2012 15:47:06 | More by CapitolCrusher

Portertime

Florida

4.15/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Got this as a free sample from the boss, score! Serving it chilled. Poured this one in my Maudite tulip. Deep golden color with a nice white head. Smells of the tell tale clove, banana, biscuit, pear. Taste had a great tartness that really appealed to me. It was smooth and really drinkable. Notes of tart cherries, biscuit, yeast, and grass.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 02:33:41 | More by Portertime

ShanePB

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Multiple samples straight from the brewery and from a growler. Served into a tulip glass.

A: Hazy golden yellow/orange colored body with a rich, fluffy and sticky white head. The retention is really nice, leaving a cap behind and some sticky lacing on the walls. Certainly unfiltered in its looks.

S: Belgian yeast, pale malts, mild white pepper, Belgian-like spice, and a quite assertive hop spice with a touch of bitterness. It smells like a cross between a classic Tripel and something more along the lines of a regular Belgian Pale Ale. The classification seems muddled though.

T: Lots of unripe banana, pepper, caramel and pale malts, touch of sweetness and some tamed bitterness midway. The back of the palate brings an evident yeast characteristics along with some classic Belgian spice. It's really a unique and quite tasty beer.

M: Nicely carbonated, not overdone with a great creamy mouth feel to it. There's a bit of stickiness but it's not left lingering long after.

Of all their beers I sampled that day (every single one on tap), this was by far my favorite of them all. Perhaps it's my love for Belgian Tripels which this comes dangerously close to mimicking, but this is a nicely crafted Belgian Ale... in a can!

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2012 18:44:53 | More by ShanePB

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

My cousin, Colby Chandler, specialty brewer at Ballast Point, got this for me while sharing a booth with the brewers during SAVOR 2012. It's nice to have relatives and even nicer when they know my fondness for CANned beers in support of The CANQuest (TM).

From the CAN: "Citizen Facts [:] In 1963, the citizens of Washington DC won th right tovote for the president and vice-president of the United States with the ratification of the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution."; "Please recycle - pack in, pack out". "Serve in a tulip, gobelt or enjoy from the [CAN]".

The Crack revealed another well-filled craft CAN as well as another beer anxious to get out from its surroundings, foaming up as soon as its CAN was cracked open. I allowed things to settle back down before employing a very gentle Glug so as not to disturb any lees. This still resulted in two fingers of foamy French Vanilla-colored head with decent retention. Nose was both fruity and musty, both yeast-driven and I was reminded of Juicyfruit gum along with a mustiness of old newspapers. Color was an oh-so-slightly hazy golden yellow with lots of CO2 bubbles in evidence. Mouthfeel was full, kind of spritzy from the massive carbonation and the taste was immediately fruity, followed by a mustiness, and then a twang of grassy hops. The finish was dry, smooth, tasty and before I realized it, I had CANsumed easily half of it! At 7.0% ABV, that is something to bear in mind. This might be a dangerous beer to take to the beach ...

Serving type: can

07-05-2012 17:18:30 | More by woodychandler

vandemonian

Maryland

3.93/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

DC Brau The Citizen is a tasty Belgian pale with notes of unripe fruit. It's very tasty and reminds me of white wine in some ways. It is not like your usual Belgian pale.

A: Cloudy yellow colour with an excellent 2 cm head and good carbonation. 4.5

S: Belgian yeast and the strong aroma of banana ester. 4

T: Malty with some slightly-sour flavours of unripe fruit. There is some sweetness there but it's not overdone. Quite nice, reminds me of white wine. Not like the style it claims to be though, really.. 4

M: Foamy. 4

O: 3.5

Serving type: can

09-25-2012 03:43:02 | More by vandemonian

nimrod979

Maryland

3.93/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz can into a Brau tulip glass. Actually my favorite looking can from the Brau lineup.

Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy yellow with a thin-ish one finger white head. Low retention and no lacing.

Aroma: Nice, fruity estery aroma. Green apple and pear and a little banana combine with Belgian yeast and hints of floral hops.

Taste: This beer could walk the line of a trippel with it's strong fruity and estery flavors. It's a bit sweeter. Once again, apple banana and pear flavors come to mind. Soft sweet malts and belgian yeast work with a light floral hop bite towards the finish.

Mouthfeel: Lighter side of medium. It's a little thin but... it kinda should be. The carbonation level is a little high but this is an easy drinker. It's kinda crazy this beer clocks in at 7%. You would never know it.

Serving type: can

10-29-2012 23:18:13 | More by nimrod979

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

3.9/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A rather approachable and easy take on a Belgian Golden Ale.

Presentation: Growler from DC Brau's NE headquarters. Small dry board with general growler offering notes. Served in a tulip glass.

A - Hazy pale amber pour, nice frothy head with fair retention, nice surface memory and some touches of lacing.

S - Soft yeasty nose, caramel, and a touch of fruity spice...

T - Nice yeasty flow, floral and caramel sweetness follows… faint spicy hint, remote punctuation of bubble gum… Maybe it is me, but as I go through a second serving I can see a parallel in the structure of this and their el Heffe, in particular around the malty sweet sense… Pleasing in any case.

M - Medium body soft carbonation with a nice smooth feel.

O - Maybe not as crisp or astringent for some as this should be but it is rather pleasing and quaffable.

Notes: Nothing that remarkable, true. But it has a pretty nice flow and feels like quality. While not something I would eagerly repeat on my own often I´d love to show up socially with a growler of this now and then. I´d say it might be rather engaging for the early curious about craft brews, other styles, without offering a pushy beer.

Serving type: growler

11-15-2011 17:46:24 | More by Daniellobo

dontpanic5

3.9/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

It pours with a white head that dissipates quickly, leaving a murky golden body. I can smell spicy hops in the nose, and something in the smell is reminding me of wine. The beer is strongly carbonated, a little too much. I'm new to Belgian pale ales, so the taste is unique to me. I know now why I was reminded of wine when I smelled it, there's a definite fruitiness in the beer. It's a very drinkable beer despite its alcohol content. The mouthfeel is thin, I believe that's the point since it's a Belgian pale ale. I don't think I like this style of beer, but I have to review the beer for what it is, and it's good for what it is.

Serving type: can

08-25-2012 01:33:26 | More by dontpanic5

FosterJM

California

3.88/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1474th Review on BA
Can to goblet
12oz

No canning date

Thanks to my brother in law for the state tick

App- A bellini looking hazy orange and yellow. Small 1/2 " head. No cling or lace down the glass which was a bit suprising.

Smell- When you first take a whiff it has tripel notes mixed with a pale malt than expected. A little hoppy and a little sweet. Creamy dessert notes of whip cream come wofting up.

Taste- I really wanted to like this more. Its above average, hence the 4 but it's just okay. Creamy hops and malts are semi balanced between a pale ale and triple flavor with a little sweetness.

Mouth- A thinner medium body with a creamy flavor behind it. A solid medium carbonation with a residual triple pepper malty flavor with touches of that whip cream from the nose.

Drink- I thought I would enjoy this more. I was thinking it would be a canned Stone Belgiuqe. It was tasty but wasnt blown away. Hopefully the other two I have are a bit more wowing.

Serving type: can

08-27-2012 20:44:59 | More by FosterJM

raznug

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: This pale pours a hazy orange color and is topped with a flurry of big white bubbles that leave quicker than they showed up.
Smell: The citizen is a rather clean smelling Belgian a good malt aroma that is backed with just the slightest hints of yeast.
Taste: The flavor is clean like the aroma and has the slightest amount of yeasty flavors like most Belgian do but this is a very easy drinking beer that goes down smooth but leaves a good after taste.
Mouthfeel: It is a bit on the thin side but the after taste hangs around very nicely well into the next drink and beyond.

Serving type: can

11-03-2012 14:56:31 | More by raznug

SpeedwayJim

New York

3.85/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

64oz growler into a Westvleteren Chalice. Reviewed from notes.

Pours .5 finger foamy white head with poor retention. Beer is semi-clear goldenrod. Lacing is spotty and sparse. Oily and thin legs. Average.

Nose is clove, Belgian yeast, candied sugar and tropical fruit. Moderately aromatic. Decent.

Opens sweet and sweet throughout. Notes of clove, coriander and other spices, cane sugar, Belgian yeast, citrus and pineapple sweetness and just a hint of lemon. Sweet and yeasty finish with a touch of yeasty bitterness in the aftertaste. Enjoyable.

Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth in the mouth with some bubbles and goes down quenching. Clean finish with a slightly lingering aftertaste. Real drinkable for a 7% beer.

A decent beer all the way around. That this is a flagship for DC Brau says a lot about the brewery. Worth trying and a real sessionable beer despite the rather high abv.

Serving type: growler

12-31-2012 03:23:15 | More by SpeedwayJim

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.84/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

From BeerAdvocate magazine Issue #62 (Mar 2012):

LOOK: Golden orange

SMELL: Asian pear, taffy, green peppercorn, shortbread biscuits, floral

TASTE: Smooth, creamy, biscuity, peppery, hop bitterness, herbal, faint medicinal phenols, plummy, maraschino cherry, clean alcohol, tangerine pith, bitter semidry finish

A robust “Abbey” ale yeast strain created this brew, so it has the traits of a bigger beer without a massive amount of alcohol. Very complex, this is not one to just knock back as each sip peels back another layer of flavor.

Serving type: can

01-17-2013 03:25:13 | More by BeerAdvocate

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.76/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from bottle into a chalice glass

Appearance – The beer pours a lightly hazed golden color with a small white head. The head fades relatively quickly leaving a light level of lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell-The aroma is a biggest of a yeasty smell with lots of banana, coriander, clove and a little bit of lemon. Mixed with these more standard Belgian smells are some rather sweet candy and bubblegum aromas, giving it a rather sweet smell overall.

Taste – The taste begins with a malty and sweet taste with flavors of yeast present right from the start. The bready flavors create a base of the beer with the sweet initially being of a more sugary candy nature mixed with a decent amount of a tangerine sweetness. As the flavors advance, more yeast and flavors associated with yeast of clove, banana, and coriander come to the tongue. These flavors combined with a big sugary taste as well as a light alcohol at the end to leave a sweet and yeasty flavor to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the average to creamier with a carbonation level that was on the average side as well. Both are rather nice for the style and produce a nice balance between drinkability as well as allowing all the flavors of the brew to be sensed by the tongue.

Overall – A niceBelgian that has a taste profile in between that of a Belgian session and a triple. Quite tasty.

Serving type: can

04-21-2013 02:38:23 | More by Darkmagus82

Dave1999

Virginia

3.71/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Pours cloudy dark yellow with a white head which died down quickly.

The smell has the usual Belgian aromas cloves and bananas, pretty sweet.

The taste light and yeasty with cloves.

The mouth feel is light to medium bodied with low carbonation.

This is an easy drinking beer, light but tastes decent. The abv is hidden very well.

Serving type: can

01-11-2013 01:18:41 | More by Dave1999

smakawhat

Maryland

3.7/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured on tap at Meridian Pint into a shaker pint glass.

A soupy foamy head of off white color, but very uniform in appearance and size. Cloudy, sort of dull lemon gold in color, giving away to nice light clumps of ringing lace while drinking.

Bouquet is small, if not almost non existent. Small sense of yeast and fruit like esters. Just overall very tiny and muted, not too much going on here.

Taste is interesting. Very hop forward and some lemon sharp fruit. Some good feel to for body it feels fairly full for a Belgian Pale, giving way to a sense of Hefe wheat like style density and chewyness. There is no sweetness on this at all, which is not a bad thing but I am use to finding a bit of that on this style. Faint quinine like tonic water finish also.

Overall not bad, kind of distinct but also sort of unusual. Not a bad job I say.

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2011 01:32:15 | More by smakawhat

elgiacomo

Georgia

3.69/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

12oz can, unknown date. Served at around 40-45F.

Pours slightly hazy golden amber with a one finger white head that leaves a ring of lacing and settles to a small cap.

Aroma is belgian yeast, fruity, lemon, banana, touch of bubblegum, earthy, bready. Good to very good strength.

Flavor is fairly hoppy with lemon citrus, a little banana, overall rather fruity, some yeast and bread, sweet malt in the middle and end, mild alcohol, good bitterness.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, a little sticky, good carbonation.

Normally not a big Belgian Pale Ale fan, but this is pretty good! Nice ’n hoppy with a good Belgian yeast presence.

Serving type: can

04-02-2013 00:07:24 | More by elgiacomo

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Elephant & Castle in DC over Fourth of July weekend. Served in a pint glass. Reviewed from notes.

Pours a fairly-cloudy yellow-gold with a good white head and a good bit of spotty lacing on the way down. The nose brings some light bready malt and a bit of grain. Faint spice and a bit of light fruit. The flavor has a moderate amount of yeast, more so than hops. Hops are more there with the bitterness. Faint Belgian spice and some light fruity esters. Medium body and somewhat chewy. Refreshing on a very, very hot day. Good beer, though not as good as the APA or IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2011 21:46:15 | More by Thorpe429

billab914

Virginia

3.68/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz can poured into my Ithaca glass. It poured a hazy, golden amber color with a thin white head barely covering the top of the beer. The head was thin, but it had good retention and lacing.

The aroma has a crisp, refreshing quality to it with some notes of lemon and banana mixing with some sweeter, bready malts. The Belgian yeast is pretty apparent as well, adding some earthy spice flavors. Pretty nice flavorful and refreshing aroma to it.

The taste shows a little more of the zesty lemon and banana flavors to it up front. The finish is where a little more of the Belgian yeast spice comes out along with some crisp fruits. It's a little dry in the finish as well. The sweeter, bready malts give it a pretty nice base.

The mouthfeel is on the lighter side for the style with carbonation being moderate. Overall, I thought it was a pretty solid beer. It was light, crisp, refreshing and easy drinking. It felt pretty well balanced as well. It didn't completely wow me, but it's something I'd be happy to drink a few of on a hot day.

Serving type: can

04-28-2012 21:16:30 | More by billab914

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Woodychandler continues to come through with canned beers, thanks man. Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a cloudy dark golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is mild, some fruits and malts. Taste is the same, a bit of fruitiness, some malts and a touch of spice. Feels full bodied in the mouth and overall is an easy drinking and enjoyable beer.

Serving type: can

06-22-2012 21:05:32 | More by tone77

flexabull

California

3.68/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Can courtesy of joshdykema, thanks again!

Pours a cloudy light gold color with a pretty nice white head.

Aromas are lemon zest, sugar, and bread dough.

Taste is simple and straight forward, but pretty nice. Light creamy sweetness up front, slightly bready, with hint of lemon citrus. Finish is dry, crisp, and clean, with just a touch of bitterness.

Mouthfeel is full, and soft, with pretty good carbonation.

Overall a pretty mellow but enjoyable little beer. I honestly have no idea what style they were shooting for, maybe some sort of Belgian Wit? Whatever it is, it turned out pretty good.

Serving type: can

11-02-2012 03:49:14 | More by flexabull

drabmuh

Maryland

3.63/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Beer on tap at Meridian. Served in a shaker pint glass. Beer is yellow to amber and hazy with a soft white head, moderate carbonation, some lacing, looks good.

Aroma is a little grainy, a little sweet, mild yeast character.

Beer is thin with a mild sweetness up front with a little yeast in the middle. The finish is a little acidic from the grain and light on the palate with a mild aftertaste. Not my favorite from them but a solid little ale.

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2011 12:00:24 | More by drabmuh

blackie

Virginia

3.63/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

growler from the brewery

a: large snifter, yeast-hazed honey amber in color, pours out with a small head that retains lightly

s: nose opens with sweet pale malts carrying aromas of apricot, loads of yeasty phenols - bananas and clove

m: carbonation and body around moderate

t: same structure as the nose - sweet pale malts, big banana flavor and clove phenols, quite grainy with notes of toast on the middle and back end

o: I tend to prefer a drier bpa, a fine beer, but not a favorite from the brau

Serving type: growler

04-05-2013 03:59:41 | More by blackie

t0rin0

California

3.6/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Sampled 7/11/2011 on tap at Brasserie Beck. According to the DC Brau website this is also available in cans.

Pours an ugly murky brown/orange with some white head that dissipates quickly and leaves no lacing.

Aroma is bread, a little pepper, and some booze. Not as bad as it sounds, basically a pale with a light Belgian influence.

Flavor is slightly sweet, bready, more Belgian than the nose, medium bitterness, and a little boozy. Belgian Pale or Belgian Strong Pale; this could go either way.

Body is light which enhances drinkability.

Ƭίcƙ.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2011 17:57:25 | More by t0rin0

Rhettroactive

Virginia

3.6/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From tap to snifter at ChurchKey in DC on 10/4/11
*From notes

A: Cloudy off-white yellow. Minimal head and no lacing.

S: It smells like you typical Belgian pale: yeasty, with hints of banana peel and a very faint trace of hops.

T: Quite standard for the style. It's dry up front, and as it moves back, the yeast attacks the tastebuds.

M: A bit undercarbed for my liking. Slightly oily, yet the weight helps to pick up the slack.

O: DC Brau's The Citizen Belgian Pale is pretty much on par for the style, one of which that I'm not a typical fan. Having said that, if I was gonna have a Belgian Pale, I'd most likely reach for this, as it's local and quite nice.

On to the next one, Jeff & Brandon.

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2011 23:48:44 | More by Rhettroactive