Prison City 4 Piece Pale Ale Citra

Aroma: “It starts with floral aromas and lemon highlighting things. But we had to tease that out because it’s fairly subtle for the style. As it warms, a cracker-like malt plays second fiddle to orange, tangerine, and general citrus with a touch of a soapy character.” Flavor: “Light body with a touch of wheat malt-like sweetness. Hops bring lemon and peach with a slightly grassy note. Bitterness is low-medium and lingers. Then comes a hoppy pineapple character with some dank undertones with an earthy mushroom-like flavor. Thin body with a lack of chewiness that the style is known for. Toward the end of the sip there’s a light green coffee spiciness. Finish tends toward sweet, which accents the high fruit hop contribution.” Overall: “Substantial, high hop flavor without excessive bitterness. Hops and grain bill lend a sweetness to the finish.”

Aroma: “Big hops nose—I’m guessing Citra. Strong citrus, tangerine bordering on lime, along with some mango, a touch of papaya, and hints of strawberry and peach. Fruity esters, bready malt foundation.” Flavor: “The hops flavor hits with a strong citrus, then fades for a moment to come back as tropical fruit. Punctuated by a fairly clear bitterness that lingers just a bit. The fruit and a bit of returning lime create a lasting aftertaste. Moderate carbonation mixes with the hops to create a pleasant bite at the end of the sip.” Overall: “A great example of distinctive hops character. The base beer is simple and well-made and is just enough to balance but not otherwise distract from the hops character. The prominent fruity hops go all the way through from aroma to flavor to aftertaste and offer enough depth to keep things interesting. Light and thirst quenching.”

Aroma: “Assertive hoppy aromas up front, floral and herbal with lemongrass, tangerine, honeysuckle, and pine hops notes. Malt plays second fiddle on the aroma. Clean ferment. Retronasal brings in some lemon and more pine.” Flavor: “As on the aroma, the malt plays a backup role to the hops. Floral and spicy notes at first, but pine and lemon shine through quickly. Pronounced hops character that seems to bring some perceived sweetness to help the clean Pils malt balance the fairly high bitterness. Malt flavors of biscuit and bread hide somewhat in the background but are just enough to not let the complex and prominent hops flavors get out of control.” Overall: “Complex yet balanced. A very hops-centric but clean beer. More in line with a very dry, clean pale ale than a traditional Pilsner, but still a great beer regardless of where you classify it.”