Citra Ass Down! | Against The Grain Brewery & Smokehouse

4.18/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Look: Nice foamy white head
Taste: . Citruisy (grapefruit) upfront, then bread-y and a little sweet.
Feel: Nice rounded mouthfeel.

Solid offering from Against the Grain. Paid 14USD for a four-pack of tall boys. Would buy again.

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3.59/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5

L - clear, thin white head, almost pours like an amber ale, beautiful lacing
S - strong citrus, grapefruit, dank
T - sweet resin, malty (especially for a citrusy IPA), slight pine
F - syrupy, average carbonation, nice mouth coat with resin
O - For a double IPA, I’d expect more bite. The taste doesn’t hit hard enough

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3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice double IPA with some good flavors and aromas. Pours a nice darker golden color with some fluffy white head and spotty lingering lacing. Some mild rings that persisted. Smells of some citrus hops, malt and vanilla. Tastes of grapefruit, orange, lemon and pineapple hops but not as bitter as I was expecting. Also some vanilla, bread and a faintly sweeter malt backbone. Smooth, mild, slightly sticky mouthfeel and good carbonation. Enjoyable, just not one of my favorites in this crowded style.

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3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

L- Pours a darker amber with a thin line head
S- Dank smell of citrus and pine
T- More piney than citrus with a spice at the end which is a great surprise
F- Lots of resin and malts on the tongue
O- Much different than I expected but a great change of pace DIPA. Not too boozy but plenty of kick.

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3.75/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Citra Ass Down! | Against The Grain Brewery & Smokehouse
8% Can
L3.5 - Deep amber, poor head
S4 - powerful
T3.75 - powerful, slight sourness
F3.75 - syrupy
O3.5 - feels like 8% - too powerful for me

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4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours amber with a small white head that disappears over a few minutes with a small amount of faint lacing. The nose is citrus. The taste has some bread notes initially that are subdued followed by citrus with orange peel. Carbonation is mild and bitterness is moderate. Medium bodied and medium length. I enjoyed this beer and will be very happy to have it again, hopefully on tap.

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3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On draft, Loosa Brews AL.

Dark golden pour, with a nose frothy head of foam that hurriedly rises to the top of the glass. It settles back down fairly quickly, and leaves pretty heavy lacing around the inside circumference.

Pretty nice tropical nose, I’m getting a lot of mango and papaya right off the bat. Definitely a predominant sweetness, without much hop influence in the aromas at all.

A clean IPA flavor with a really nice balance of sweet malt, citrus, and hops that don’t come off as overly bitter or overwhelming.

Crisp, crushable IPA with a clean mouthfeel and smooth finish.

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3.79/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Amber orange color with a thick off-white head with medium retention.
Aroma with notes of lychees, caramel malt, orange marmalade and a bit of pine. I was expecting more.
Flavor with notes of pine, caramel malt, tangerines, caramel malt and tea leaves. Dry and bitter aftertaste. Its 68 IBUs mellowed against the grain.
Medium body with appropriate carbonation. Alcohol of 8.2% is well hidden.
Double IPA with lots of piney oil and tangerines on a solid caramel malt base. Decent and well balanced, not outstanding.

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3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A bit pricey, but when I popped open a can, I was not disappointed. The big can holds a lot of a big beer, full of hoppy goodness. IPA Super-Dorks definitely need to tick this box

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3.67/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a can into a tulip glass.

Golden yellow color with a short lived head but good lacing. Subdued citrus smell. Slightly sweet with orange and tangerine flavor. A bit thin and flat. Maybe an old can. Still tastes pretty good.

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3.98/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A hazy, amber pour with a frothy head leaves a lacing of foam on the glass. I think the smell is my favorite thing about this beer - it's a very floral nose with some hints of citrus and sweet malts. The taste starts with a bread flavor and finishes off more floral and hoppy.

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3.75/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Appearance: Hazy amber glass with yellow edges holds a solid finger of white foam.

Aroma: Crystal malt supporting a floral and citric hop note. Roses, orange peel, and sugary malt.

Taste: Fairly clean, balance between the malt and hops lets both shine but I think the malt actually wins. Lots of hop flavor, not a lot of acidic bitter. Lots of orange peel and slight tropical fruit mango pineapple.

Mouthfeel: Medium heavy body and carbonation, oily texture, slight chew, warming finish.

Overall: Not a big Citra fan, but this works. Lots of malt base which is pretty clean if a bit heavy. Lots of hop citric flavor but not a lot of bitter notes. Not very "double" IPA feeling, but it's not a light weight. Not unhappy I got the 4 pack of tall boys.

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3.89/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Golden amber color. Fresh citra hops well balanced by undertone of malt, the hops still clearly show here. Solid DIPA with sticky, dank hops with just enough malt to balance out the flavor profile.

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4.02/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

L- Pours an amber brown beer with a bubbly head.
S- Fresh sweet citrusy and piney hops, typical DIPA maltly sweetness comes in as well.
T- Very fresh beer with a citrusy sweet hop, sweet malt. Not too overly powerful, very relaxed presence that unfolds as the beer warms. Very good.
F- Sticky, thick and lingering MF.
O- One of the best DIPA's I've had recently. Extremely well crafted and balanced beer delivers a tasty and memorable IPA. Will seek out more from this brewery.

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4.26/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The seCANd half of yesterday's Happy New Against the Saugatuck Grain Beer Sunday (Week 699) left me with several more CANs to be added to The CANQuest (tm). Once I CANplete their reviews & ratings, they will become an entry in the current WBAYDN thread.

From the CAN: "Brewer Owned"; "Art & Layout by RobbyDavis.com"; "Double India Pale Ale"; "Citra Ass Down & Crush This Beer"; "This beer is not candy or mother's milk. It is not brewed by gypsies or aliens, nor does it contain any zombie dirt. This is a Double IPA brewed with Citra Hops. It is sticky, hoppy and delicious. Simply drink it and enjoy it. Don't hoard this beer. Citra Ass Down and drink it now."

Once again, it beCAN with a Crack! of the vent to get things started, followed by a relatively gentle Glug. It produced two fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, tawny head with good retention of its own accord. Color was solid Amber (SRM = > 7, < 9) with NE-quality clarity. Nose smelled of pine, pineapple, oranges, honey & caramel malt. Mmm. Mouthfeel was medium-to-full, not quite creamy. The initial taste reminded me of a U.S. Navy field day (top-to-bottom cleaning) - pine and oranges! Pine oil was always a favorite and in the late-1980s, we switched to a citrus-based cleaner that required more elbow grease, but would not burn your lungs and so the spaces always smelled like pine & orange. Mmm. Slowly, the pineapple, honey & caramel flavors became more assertive, but they still took a back seat. This was right up my alley. I have had some that were just too overbalanced in their use of hops to the point that the bitterness was too much. I also frequently rail against the overuse of caramel malt as a little CAN go a long way. This may have had a relatively big ABV, but it was not boozy. It was a really well-executed version of a burgeoning style. Finish was dry with just enough heat to remind me not to slug it down.

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4.02/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I think this one is dated Feb 2018. Pours a very cloudy amber color with a finger width foamy head. Head retention is good. Lacing is excellent. Aroma of citrus and tropical fruits. There is a very small amount of pine, but it may be downgraded. There is a little bit of a juicy quality to the taste. Fresh citrus with a nice piney bitterness, followed by a more malty tropical flavor. Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

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4.18/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Hops forward, so not the heavier malts that are found in many old style Double IPAs. Very enjoyable! Tasty and smooth! I look forward to drinking the rest.

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3.63/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Not my favorite IPA. It starts well enough, with nice lacing on the glass and a very pleasing aroma that promises the rich fruitiness of Citra with a solid golden malt foundation. But none of this comes together in the taste. There are some pleasant elements, but they don’t seem to be playing well together. The mouthfeel also starts well enough but then seems to fall apart into a weak, watery finish. Doesn’t make my list.

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3.89/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A: Poured from the can into a Piraat tulip/snifter-type glass. Body is slightly hazy orangey-amber with a small whitish head on top.

S: Good nose of caramel malt and citrusy hops - mainly grapefruit, maybe a touch of clementine oranges.

T: First impression: it doesn't live up to the nose. Sweet, fruity malt foundation is followed by weak citrusy hops - more of the orange variety than anything else. Heat noticed on the finish.

M: A bit slickish and a bit watery. Carbonation is modest, almost non-existent.

O: I've stayed away from this brewery's beers because they're expensive and I don't like the artwork on the labels. I got this one as a birthday gift, and I will continue to avoid purchasing their beer. Not horrible, but not impressed - certainly not at the price point they're getting for these beers.

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3.58/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A thanks to the commander of the canquest, woodychandler, for this beer. Poured from a 16 oz. can. Has a copper/orange color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of oranges, tropical fruits. Taste is oranges, tangerine, light malts and pine, mild bitterness, no alcohol. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall, it's no hop bomb, but still a solid beer.

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4.02/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from the can into a Spigelau IPA glass. Best before May 2nd 2019?

Slightly opaque but solid body color, a bright and solid dark orange. Head is off white, sort of light khaki with a good three finger height and excellent retention. Nice dark golden to brown hues on the edges, very nice looking IPA.

Soft touch of caramel malts with somewhat sugar syrupy qualities, but a pleasant hop orange that's a little subtle. Keeps it simple, could be a little faded, but doesn't seem to be or ruin the experience.

Very simple palate and tasty. Juiced body but with subtle hop qualities. Soft brown bread and sugary toast, mixing with bitter orange and touches of tangerine zest. Finishes thick and rich, but not boozy or overly sweet. Strangely a little bit of tea quality in this also.

Not what I was expecting, but definitely different and certainly enjoyable.

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4.24/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

It pours a nice amber color with two fingers of head. The aroma is piney and citrusy and the flavor is well balanced but with a lingering bitterness. Some mild fruity notes. The mouthfeel is pretty thick and chewy and with a mild overall level of carbonation. A very nice DIPA.

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3.89/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Love the packaging and look and smell. Pours a hazy dark amber from 16 oz can. Had a decent head and smell was beautiful citrus. Unfortunately the taste and feel was disappointing. Lacked carbonation and taste was more malty than hoppy. As it it warmed it did not improve. I was hoping for better. Still enjoyable and smooth.

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3.2/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

L: Clear, slightly hazy amber with a creamy off white head.

S: Caramel candy, toffee, some candied orange peel, burnt sugar, pine. Honestly, just sweet malt.

T: Some candied orange and grapefruit upfront, hint of peach and mango, but tons of syrup sweet caramel malt. Caramel, toffee, and burnt sugar days. Finishes with a light bitterness, but very sweet.

F: Mostly full, well carbonated, smooth, slick, and oily. Sticky on the palate. Finishes sweet.

O: Meh. This was a disappoint. Barely any discernible hop flavors beneath the massive amounts of cloying malt.

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3.51/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Copper/amber body. Slight haze. Soapy egg shell head dissipates quicky leaving a broken ring.
Orange zest and honey in the aroma.
Honey sweet malts with a zesty citrus. Orange and lime. Hints of melon and some spice in the finish.
Light body, light-medium carbonation. Slightly sticky and thin mouth feel.

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