The Brew SiteAdvent Beer Calendar 2020: Day 7: Columbus Brewing Citra® Noel
Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, oranges were a Christmastime luxury and were often left in stockings as goodies along with nuts and candies. Particularly in colder climes, oranges were considered exotic treats unaffordable at other times of the year. Why is this relevant to today’s Beer Advent Calendar selection? Because orange and citrus are key sensory components of Citra hops, and today’s beer is Citra® Noel, a Hoppy Holiday Ale from Ohio’s Columbus Brewing Company.
Columbus Brewing was founded in 1988 and is known for its line of hop-forward ales. Citra® Noel is a hoppy strong ale weighing in at 7.3% ABV and 34 IBUs, and showcases the tropical/citrusy profile the hop is known for. The brewery generously provided more info and notes about the beer:
Citra® Noel brings a lighter, slightly hoppy approach to holiday ales. Columbus Brewing Company’s holiday seasonal has a smooth finish without the highly spiced notes typical of other holiday ales.
The team wanted a holiday beer with higher drinkability. They felt that wasn’t something easily found at the cooler. Citra® Noel brings the notes you’d expect from a holiday ale with a rich, malty backbone, but it won’t be a one-and-done in your fridge. This beer could easily be a weekly drinker while still feeling special and standing apart from the crowd.
Tasting notes:
Citra® Noel has a deep mahogany hue with bright clarity that catches your eye quickly upon the first pour. It’s a beautifully rich color that invites a first sip.
Aroma’s quickly fill your nose with grapefruit and orange from Citra® hops followed by toffee from the malt. As for flavor, Citra® Noel brings a strong malt presence that’s well balanced by candied stone fruit and tropical notes from Citra® hops. It has a medium sweetness and a medium bitterness that balances well for a light linger and a smooth finish.
Quotes about the beer:
We created Citra® Noel because we really wanted a beer with rich malt flavor that still had hop character. Citra® Noel really checks those boxes and we find it to be the perfect holiday beer.
Eric Bean – Brew Master
“This beer was so much fun to create, we wanted to give a nod to our love of hops, but pair it with a tremendously rich and complex malt profile. We’re really happy with our ability to get that balance just right and to create a new take on what a holiday ale can be.”
Tony Corder – Director of Innovation
Ohioans are making Citra® Noel a new holiday tradition. It has performed extremely well since our launch and the feedback we’re getting is really amazing. Our customers are excited to have a holiday ale that can be a weekly drinker and a staple in their beer fridge without getting tired of the style.
Evan Magliocca –Director of Marketing
Find Columbus Brewing Citra® Noel on:
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