Citra Ass Down (Double Dry Hopped)
Against The Grain Brewery

As popular as Against the Grain's Impieral Citra IPA has become, is it possible to push this beer to greater heights? What if they double dry-hopped it? Whoa! You better citra ass down for a bit.

Doubling down on their flagship Imperial IPA, their DDH Citra Ass Down pours with a similar pale and hazy copper, pouring like deep amber honey. With a more rip-roaring scent of citrus, herb and sticky caramel, the nose is a traditional IPA scent, just elevated. With a common caramelized taste, the early palate leans in with hints of toasted granola, graham cracker and a light nuttiness to come along with sweetness of honey and caramel.

Doubling our pleasure and doubling their fun, the middle palate is all about the glory of the Citra hop variety. A branch-ripe character of tangerine come to mind along with red grapefruit, mango and a hint of pineapple. A patient trend toward dryness, spiciness and bitterness broadens across the middle palate before eventually leading to a late taste of pine, hemp, tea and peppery hop resins.

Full bodied but still with a solid sense of drinkability, the beer finishes malty-dry and with a stronger malt presence than what we typically see to day but was once quite common. An aftertaste of fresh grasses, pine and fruit peels decorate an extended aftertaste with those citra hops keeping the citrus character coming in long waves of retro-olfactory delight.