Albatross
Breakside Brewery - SE Taproom
- From:
- Breakside Brewery - SE Taproom
- Oregon, United States
- Style:
- American IPA
Ranked #1,087 - ABV:
- 7%
- Score:
- 90
Ranked #13,438 - Avg:
- 4.11 | pDev: 3.65%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 6
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 02, 2026
- Added:
- Nov 08, 2025
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
90
Outstanding
90
Outstanding
Ghost Town collaboration
Last time that we got together with the Ghost Town crew, we created Thriving Metropolis, one of our favorite and most lasting West Coast IPAs. That was in 2022, so we figured it was high time to run it back and collaborate again with Justin and his crew to see what sort of new flavor territory we could create based on the things in the world of IPA that are inspiring us in 2025.
Albatross is a Ghost Town-inspired IPA that tests the hypothesis that says Citra can’t be the marquee hop in a paradigmatic, modern West Coast IPA. Citra is known for its vibrant citrus notes, its sweet-seeming tropical character, and a host of floral and spice notes reminiscent of lavender, coriander, and Amalfi lemon. It’s too pretty, some people claim, to be the star hop in a style of beer that demands intensity, resin, and dank in the forefront.
We don’t buy that. Find a lot or two of late harvest Citra that checks the boxes for all that top-line winsome- ness and also brings some notes of ganja and scallion to the table. Suddenly, it can play in the West Coast space. Amp it up with some Citra terpenes courtesy of our friends at Abstrax, and then the intensity pops even more. And couple it with several different lots of Nelson Sauvin for support, and suddenly you’re in a world of tropical fruit, musk, and diesel.
Last time that we got together with the Ghost Town crew, we created Thriving Metropolis, one of our favorite and most lasting West Coast IPAs. That was in 2022, so we figured it was high time to run it back and collaborate again with Justin and his crew to see what sort of new flavor territory we could create based on the things in the world of IPA that are inspiring us in 2025.
Albatross is a Ghost Town-inspired IPA that tests the hypothesis that says Citra can’t be the marquee hop in a paradigmatic, modern West Coast IPA. Citra is known for its vibrant citrus notes, its sweet-seeming tropical character, and a host of floral and spice notes reminiscent of lavender, coriander, and Amalfi lemon. It’s too pretty, some people claim, to be the star hop in a style of beer that demands intensity, resin, and dank in the forefront.
We don’t buy that. Find a lot or two of late harvest Citra that checks the boxes for all that top-line winsome- ness and also brings some notes of ganja and scallion to the table. Suddenly, it can play in the West Coast space. Amp it up with some Citra terpenes courtesy of our friends at Abstrax, and then the intensity pops even more. And couple it with several different lots of Nelson Sauvin for support, and suddenly you’re in a world of tropical fruit, musk, and diesel.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by russpowell from Arkansas
4.08/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 2.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.08/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 2.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Courtesy of muchloveforhops3
Pours a bright & effervescent gold with one finger of eggshell colored head. Some head retention & lacing
S: Some catty notes, a little breadyness/doughyness. Cattyness picks up once warm
T: Plenty piney, some lemon, light cracker notes, a bit of grapefruit, white grapes & dryness up front. A bit of grapefruit, dryness, green melon & pine as this beer warms up. Finishes a little dry, bready with grapefruit & pine, a kiss of green melon
MF: Medium body, dialed back carbonation, nice balance
Easy to drink & spot-on for the style, nose & appearance lag the awesome flavor on display here
Mar 02, 2026Pours a bright & effervescent gold with one finger of eggshell colored head. Some head retention & lacing
S: Some catty notes, a little breadyness/doughyness. Cattyness picks up once warm
T: Plenty piney, some lemon, light cracker notes, a bit of grapefruit, white grapes & dryness up front. A bit of grapefruit, dryness, green melon & pine as this beer warms up. Finishes a little dry, bready with grapefruit & pine, a kiss of green melon
MF: Medium body, dialed back carbonation, nice balance
Easy to drink & spot-on for the style, nose & appearance lag the awesome flavor on display here
Reviewed by Reidrover from Oregon
4.11/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.11/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pint at Checkpoint 221, food Cart pod in West Salem Oregon.
$7.00
Clear bright golden beer with a small yet persistent white head
Citrus hop aromas. Can smell them 6 feet away. Excellent.
Again lovely crisp citrus in the taste .with maybe a bit of honey.
Excellent mouth feel. Crisp, well carbonated and light. A great drinking beer
S
Feb 16, 2026$7.00
Clear bright golden beer with a small yet persistent white head
Citrus hop aromas. Can smell them 6 feet away. Excellent.
Again lovely crisp citrus in the taste .with maybe a bit of honey.
Excellent mouth feel. Crisp, well carbonated and light. A great drinking beer
S
Reviewed by jzeilinger from Pennsylvania
4.06/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.06/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Canned on: 12-4-25
Many thx to muchloveforhops3 for the can!
A - Light"er" gold color with a slight bit of chill haze, steady moderate carbonation, and a medium density bright white lacing ring.
S - Juicy citrus and musty white grapes dominates the nose with some light spiciness.
T - Orange citrus, musty white grape, some berry, and an assertive citrus bitterness up front that punches the palate. Leaves some sugary residue on the palate.
M - Medium body with soft carbonation and a dry finish.
O - Yep, this beer works!
Feb 03, 2026Many thx to muchloveforhops3 for the can!
A - Light"er" gold color with a slight bit of chill haze, steady moderate carbonation, and a medium density bright white lacing ring.
S - Juicy citrus and musty white grapes dominates the nose with some light spiciness.
T - Orange citrus, musty white grape, some berry, and an assertive citrus bitterness up front that punches the palate. Leaves some sugary residue on the palate.
M - Medium body with soft carbonation and a dry finish.
O - Yep, this beer works!
Reviewed by elNopalero from Michigan
4.42/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.42/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Breakside/Ghost Town collaboration.
Crystal clear west coast IPA with a somewhat earthy, slightly tropical, and maybe a touch dank hop profile. There’s a pleasant bouquet that is matched by the sip. An almost barely perceptible malt bill lets the hops shine. Low bitterness.
Feb 02, 2026Crystal clear west coast IPA with a somewhat earthy, slightly tropical, and maybe a touch dank hop profile. There’s a pleasant bouquet that is matched by the sip. An almost barely perceptible malt bill lets the hops shine. Low bitterness.
Reviewed by NickSMpls from Washington
4.09/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Canned 10/30/25. Good poor, light amber, sticky lacing, odor of piney and floral background. Taste and feel are right on target for our beloved WCIPA style. Bitterness is prominent and not harsh. Plenty of flavor to enjoy as the beer warms slightly. The citrus in the aroma stays around and expands to include an almost grapefruit setting up a pleasant finish. The malt base is hidden in the overall dryness. The collaborators are both well-regarded IPA houses, so you can pretty well bet it will be very good. Just 7% ABV. Recommended.
Nov 29, 2025
Reviewed by vurt from Oregon
4.2/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.2/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Enjoyed on tap at Breakside's Beaverton taproom in a branded Becher glass.
Albatross is a West Coast IPA loaded with Citra and Nelson Sauvin, which turns out to be an awesome combo in the hands of these two IPA masters. The beer is bursting with Citra flavor and aroma, giving off bright citrus (red grapefruit, lemon/lime zest) enriched with resiny weed and a spicy, aromatic woody component. It even has a bit of that green onion character that came through so vividly in Breakside's fresh hop beers with Citra this season. The Nelson Sauvin character of white grapes and diesel plays a nice supporting role, finding gaps in all that Citra to shine through. A pinch of sweetness makes all those hop flavors really pop. Body is light-medium with bracing carbonation.
Overall, this is every bit as excellent as you'd expect a Breakside-Ghost Town IPA collaboration to be. Great stuff.
Nov 08, 2025Albatross is a West Coast IPA loaded with Citra and Nelson Sauvin, which turns out to be an awesome combo in the hands of these two IPA masters. The beer is bursting with Citra flavor and aroma, giving off bright citrus (red grapefruit, lemon/lime zest) enriched with resiny weed and a spicy, aromatic woody component. It even has a bit of that green onion character that came through so vividly in Breakside's fresh hop beers with Citra this season. The Nelson Sauvin character of white grapes and diesel plays a nice supporting role, finding gaps in all that Citra to shine through. A pinch of sweetness makes all those hop flavors really pop. Body is light-medium with bracing carbonation.
Overall, this is every bit as excellent as you'd expect a Breakside-Ghost Town IPA collaboration to be. Great stuff.
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