I bought a pound years ago of it, and found I had to let the ipas sit a month and a half to be drinkable for the hop to calm down. Not a lot of them in the kettle just to support. After drinking commercial NEIPAs that all seem to have it, the cat piss flavor seems to always be there for me and I have given up buying anything using it. I guess if you want mango, just put in real mango. Maybe I'm wrong. Anyone else tired of this hop?
I like Citra. Maybe the key is to use it in moderation...I also tend to blend in something like Amarillo or Simcoe or Mosaic for balance. Have you ever tried a Duvel Tripel Hop? It goes down mighty smooth, and has an Outstanding rating: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/222/455840/
I'm tired of Citra or Mosaic being in every IPA. There are a ton of newer hops with interesting profiles that fit the juicy/hazy profile quite well. I think most of the folks wistfully remembering the days of the tongue destroying WCIPAs from 15 year ago are mainly just tired of the same bland, but overwhelming flavors that we see in poorly made NEIPAs that have flooded shelves the past few years. Everything tastes like Quaker Instant Oats Peaches and Cream with a bit of hop burn.
Yes. But. I also don't know what you do to store them. But. Get some newer hops than several year old Citra to brew with. There are just so many other hops to explore, and a ton that are cheaper by the pound that get completely overlooked because they don't have a name or some legendary beer made with them.
I store all hops in freezer. The citra I used within a year. Including homegrown vac sealed. It's not that the ipas I made with them weren't drinkable. Just from tasting commercial beers brewed with them has done in my taste buds. Like almost nausiating. Maybe my tastebuds have just changed. I like eating mango. I dont' like these 'mango' catty beers. But could be citrus beers without it also. Troegs Graffiti Highway which supposedly doesn't have citra in it tastes like it does to me. Nasty tasting to me. I guess I'm more into pine now like Simcoe.
It's been about twelve years since Zombie Dust ushered it in. But, Citra / citrusy beer is kind of a very overdone, and often imitated and very monochromatic space in brewing. Dunno. Perhaps take a break from brewing them, and drinking ale resembling beer made with them then.
