Citra Lite

Cellarmaker Brewing Company — Oakland, CA

15 Sep 2021 · Stephen

American Pale Ale Cellarmaker Brewing Company

5.0% ABV

Pale straw Color

Contributing Factors

Presentation ✓

Character ✓

Experience ✓

Return –

3 / 4 I'd recommend trying it

Tasting Notes

Appearance Pale straw to light golden, likely with some haze from the dry hop, with high carbonation and a white head. Spritzy and bright in the glass — looks as light and lively as the name suggests.

Aroma Tangerine zest leads — fresh, bright, and citrus-forward from the Citra dry hop, light enough to feel like a garnish rather than a feature. Behind it the crackery malt base provides a clean, neutral grain sweetness that keeps the whole aroma honest and approachable. One drinker calls it light Citra hop nectar, which is the most accurate three-word description possible.

Palate Light-bodied, high carbonation, spritzy — the mouthfeel is the first thing you notice and the thing you keep noticing. The crackery malt character Cellarmaker describes carries through the middle with a clean, biscuity simplicity that doesn't compete with the Citra. The bitterness is present and pleasing — firm enough to register, soft enough to disappear cleanly. At 5% ABV this is exactly what the word crushable means in practice.

Finish Short, clean, and citrus-bright. The tangerine note from the Citra dry hop fades quickly and completely, the crackery malt resolving with the effervescence of the high carbonation leaving the palate completely refreshed. No residual sweetness, no lingering bitterness — just a clean, spritely close that makes the next can automatic.

The Verdict

Cellarmaker applying their Yakima Chief Citra sourcing standards to a 5% light ale and producing something crushable, spritzy, and extremely pleasing. The opposite of Dank Williams in every measurable way, and equally purposeful. Light Citra hop nectar.

— Stephen · Contributing Factor Brewing · 15 Sep 2021