CPA: Citra Pale Ale | Odd Side Ales

3.79/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

In both smell and taste, it is vaguely fruity. The fruit flavor is quickly replaced by hops. More bitter than I usually prefer, but it has enough body to hold up to the hops . This would be a good compromise if you hate bitter beers but have that friend who drinks anything triple-hopped.

★ 291 characters

3.99/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a golden orange. Has some hints of a red on the edges. Aroma, mango fruity notes, grapefruit. Taste- orange fruity taste, maybe a bit of honey sweetness, little mango. Has some bitterness in there. A kind of garlicky aftertaste too. Mouthfeel, little bit chewy, has some bite from the carbonation. Overall decent Citra pale.

★ 330 characters

3.89/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

My first Odd Side Ales brew. Great golden orange color with red hues. Hoppy burst up front on the palate and nose than followed by a blanket of malt. Not bad. I would like to try more.

★ 184 characters

3.86/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a can into a tumbler. Retains thin head with a bit of lacing. Not quite as juicy citra forward as I hoped. However, as you drink the beer the citrus notes sneak in, open up and make themselves known. Definitely has the dry malt finish advertised on the can. Not much in the way of aroma. A nice entry into the citra ale universe. Glad I tried & would buy again.

★ 379 characters

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz can. It poured hazy golden to amber in color with a frothy white head. Bold grapefruit-hop aroma with a hint of pine. Well hopped bitter flavor with an enjoyably bitter finish. Overall a good beer.

★ 204 characters

4.12/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Aroma is pine, citrus, light tropical fruit and a hint of perfumed sweetness. The flavor is tropical fruit, hops/hop resin, citrus, malts and a very bitter finish.

★ 164 characters

4.35/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 fl oz. can, six pack carrier stamped and packaged 02/11/2016. My second beer from Odd Side Ales; excited to finally see them distributing in Illinois. Expectations are good for this one; I've heard great things.

Poured into a Duvel tulip snifter.

A - Hazy golden orange body, with over two fingers of thick frothy white head that leaves good fluffy lacing behind. Appears aptly carbonated. It looks nice for the style

S - Fresh, floral, earthy, piney Citra hop notes meet an earthy / biscuity / bready malt base. Fresh & fruity, with good juicy hop bitterness. Notes of grapefruit, orange, lemon, & pine. Very fresh and appealing; very nice.

T - Taste follows the nose: juicy citrusy hops - notes of grapefruit, orange, lemon, pine. Light hop bitterness, with a honeyed bready biscuit malt finish. Perfect balance.

M - Feel is smooth, crisp, & clean. Light-bodied, with perfect carbonation. Exceptionally easy-drinking stuff. My first can of this was gone before I knew it.

Overall, extremely delicious and sessionable stuff. One of the best single hop pale ales, and one of the best pale ales in general that I have had. Highly recommended stuff. Has ensured it spot as a classic craft beer, to be damn sure.

Odd Side Ales Citra Pale Ale -----4.5/5

★ 1,270 characters

3.83/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Had at slap shotz in Detroit airport.
A: golden orange body, carbonation, +1 finger white foam head, lots of lacing
S: Citra hop so sweet citrus fruits,
M: medium light body
T: tropical fruits, citrus, light malt that feels watery (but not a bad thing)
O: hope to try more

★ 277 characters

3.69/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Had this when I was back in Michigan a few summers ago @ Hopcat. Also had the bourbon barrel version. Anyways, Nice yellow pour, soft 1/3" white head. Aroma wasn't huge on the citra hop, nice but not the best showcase for it. Just hints of those citra notes.

Lightly toasted pale malts thankfully don't get in the way, and a little more orange and grapefruit goodness comes out compared to the aroma. Tended to have a more grassy and floral edge to it than juicy fruit and citrus forward taste, still, no off flavors and it was better than your average pale ale all the way around.

★ 590 characters

3.14/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Six pack of cans. Two weeks old.

Easily the weakest Citra beer I've ever had. It barely tastes like beer. Low malt character. Semi-sweet. Watery body. Low bitterness. Light aroma. Mild citrus flavor. No tropical flavor or aroma. If it didn't say Citra on the can, I don't think I'd know it was made with Citra.

★ 321 characters

3.35/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Served from a can in an Ohio State shaker pint glass.

I wanna say I've heard good things about this beer, but it could have been any number of Citra-centric things. Whatever. It pours a clear brass topped by a finger of lightly off-white foam. The nose comprises melon, light white grape, very light ruby red grapefruit, and some light biscuit. The taste holds notes of ruby red grapefruit rind, wet grass, lettuce, and a hint of caramel. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, this beer didn't really do very much for me. The Citra hop phenomenon continues to baffle me, as most of the paragons of its use just underwhelm me at best, with very little of the vaunted fruit aspects ever coming through. They sorta do here, but it's all just grassy and meh for me. *shrug*

★ 830 characters

4.26/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

This beer pours a hazy orange color with a two finger white head that dissipates quickly to a fairly thick ring around the edge of the glass. The bubbles are all large, almost abnormally so, and there are many hanging sheets of lacing. Also there are many small white floating particles. Smell is very strong cotrus, most notably lemon and grapefruit with just a touch of bready malt. Taste is the same with a decent amount of bitterness on the front leading into a very dry finish. Feel is light and crisp, very drinkable. Overall a great pale ale. Love the citra hop profile in this.

★ 585 characters

3.88/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12oz (bottled 9/10/2015) into a tulip. Pours a hazy pale straw w/ a sudsy white head.

Arom is juicy orange citrus.

Taste is likewise citrusy but not especially acidic or bitter. Pale neutral malt allows the Citra hops to shine. Moderate bitterness on the finish.

Mouthfeel is soft, medium bodied.

Overall a nice Citra-centric pale ale.

★ 339 characters

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I've bought this beer as part of two different mix-packs this summer in Michigan. The first was a trial bottle in a mix 6. The second was part of a Michigan pre-packaged box of 12 bottles that I bought precisely because I wanted3 more of this citrus hoppy beer. Delicious.

★ 272 characters

4.09/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle w/o freshness or best before dating.

Pours lightly hazed medium honey amber. Light khaki head, leaving low sheeting and moderate stands of lacing.

Loads of tropical hop notes, pineapple, grapefruit, mangoes yum. Simply delicious stuff.....

★ 258 characters

3.14/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

MFG 03/8/15
My first bottle had a ton of sediment and was very noticeably gross! Held my second bottle up to the light and tipped it sideways before opening. Looked like a lava lamp with black sludge rolling around in it. Put that one back in the fridge to settle. Third time is the charm, right? This is the one I will be reviewing.

Poured carefully into teku. Perfect white 1" collar of foam. Golden in color with a tiny bit of visible dusting of sediment, slightly clouding the glass. The nose was pleasant in both bottles that I opened(still smelled fresh hops). The taste just wasn't the same. Fairly bland. The only substantial flavor was the bitterness on the back end. Nice mouthfeel w/mid-high carbonation. I would like to try this on draft or fresh(how citra should be enjoyed). I want to give this a fair shake so I will edit my review upon trying this again. Not very enjoyable. Enough so to where I will not be drinking the rest.

★ 944 characters

4.61/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Excellent beer. Citrusy aromas without being fruity. Good hops and bitters without being overtly bitter. Excellent beer and will become a mainstay.

★ 150 characters

4.63/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Look - Burnt amber with a touch of orange accompanied by a two finger off-white head that leaves a touch of lacing.

Smell - Malts drop bombs on the nose with a follow up by grapefruit juice and mango to save the day.

Taste - Citra hops explode within my mouth like a brick of C4 going off on a building. Never knew what a citra hop was until it smacked me in the face and demanded my attention. Like a nice Asian woman ready to settle with a prenuptial agreement. ;).

Feel - Medium and a tad watery with a good dose of juicyness. Light carbonation.

Overall - Best pale ale of all time in my opinion. Hands down. Sessionable as can be, and more beers need this hop.

★ 668 characters

3.26/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

No date. Required review - doesn't burst with juiciness like advertised. Mild spice and dull malt backbone. Lightly bitter, oily, grassy/spicy hoppiness.

★ 153 characters

3.13/5  rDev -22.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

No date. Clear orange amber with a small ring of white head. Odd bubble gum (phenolic) aroma that was not expected. Rest of nose is composed of a hint of orange and overly strong malt presence. Was expecting more of the citrus/tropical/juicy notes with CITRA in the name of the beer, pale ale or not, and this was lacking. A bit of a spicy malt note (rye?) as well. Bit heavier and sweeter than I expected, but some dryness comes through in the mouthfeel as well to salvage... Oddside indeed, not quite sure what I was expecting, but this was a very unusual interpretation of CITRA IMO. Nothing was particularly off (though some muddled notes in the nose), but not necessarily a winner to me.

★ 692 characters

3.94/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Appearance - 3.75/5
A very bright and bold orange color, with about a finger or two of off-white head.

Smell - 4/5
Loads of citrus and pine hops, more mellow than bitter.

Taste - 4/5
Very nice and tasty citrus flavors, balanced with some good pine hops. Overall the bitterness is quite low, and the hops flavors are mellow and flavorful rather than biting. Not really that amazing, but still a decent PA.

Mouthfeel - 4/5
Very crisp and fresh tasting. Medium bodied, and an average level of carbonation.

Overall - 3.75/5
This was a good beer, but nothing special. Don't know if I would get it again.

★ 602 characters

4.92/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I was lucky enough to have a 4 day old Zombie Dust and a 6 day old Citra this week and I've got to say that Citra blew me away. I didn't have them side by side but in my opinion, Citra is what all the hype makes you believe Zombie Dust tastes like.

Even if you think I'm out of my mind, Citra is an awesome beer.

★ 313 characters

3.94/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

CPA: Citra Pale Ale poured a slightly hazy pale orange with a long lasting creamy foam head that topped off the glass nicely. The aroma of CPA: Citra Pale Ale is the predominant citrus and pine that Citra hops are known for. CPA: Citra Pale Ale starts off sweet, followed by a cascade of fruit flavors including grapefruit, pineapple, lemon, and mango. CPA: Citra Pale Ale leaves the palate with a pine taste and a dry crisp mouthfeel. CPA: Citra Pale Ale is a very drinkable American Pale Ale.


Overall, this is great beer if you're looking to explore Citra hops. You will be able to gather all the information you need about what Citra hops smell and taste like. Odd Side Ales has done a good job matching up the correct malt for the job and the barley does not overpower the Citra hops. Instead, the caramel malts in CPA: Citra Pale Ale reinforce the citrus and floral flavors of the star of the show: Citra hops.

★ 923 characters

4.34/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from bottle to tulip glass. Golden orange hue with a beautiful two finger head that dissipates with some nice lacing. Smell is floral and citrus, some cracker. Taste is a mixture of citrus and tropical fruits: grapefruit, mandarin orange, mango, some zesty lime notes, too. Never a bitter sip, just enough balance where it's not sweet, but not too sour. Juicy is a really good way to describe it. A glass of this with bacon, toast and jam in the morning wouldn't be out of order. Refreshing and sessionable. Will definitely be revisiting this one.

★ 554 characters

3.67/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to Another6Pack for this one! 12 oz bottle into a teku.

Appearance: Pours a dark orange color. The head is a finger high and white in shade. It has a soft yet bubbly texture and decent retention. Some lacing sticks to my glass, also. (3.75)

Smell: I pick up some decent tropical fruits, along with some slight grassiness. The nose in general doesn't seem remotely bitter. Letting it open up will reveal some confectioner's sugar notes, as well as defining some grapefruit hop qualities. Maybe it's a bit too heavily malted for my tastes, but it's a genuinely well-balanced pale ale. And I do mean 'balanced', not just 'LOTS OF MALT LOL'. (3.5)

Taste: Vibrant tropical fruit notes open it up. Mainly, I pick up melon, mango, pineapple, and guava. This beer has just the right amount of bitterness: it's subtle on the back end, helping to balance the beer's sweetness some, yet never ridiculous. Even still, the aforementioned sweetness is light on the crystal malt (THANK CRIPES) and heavier on crackery pale malt. Some finishing diacetyl is slightly annoying, otherwise this is a tasty pale ale. (3.75)

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied at first, it dries out well post-swallow. There's a light lingering sweetness left, but it works well the flavor profile. Carbonation is rather gentle - luckily this beer is naturally dry enough to not render this problematic. (3.5)

Overall: It's not perfect, but damn is this enjoyable. It brings the fruity notes I like, keeps the bitterness low (but not zero), and isn't overloaded with malt sweetness. Basically, a great every day drinker...now if only I could somehow get Odd Side to distribute to MD... (3.75)

3.67/5: Well it shows off Citra nicely, that's for sure

★ 1,712 characters