So this is, sadly, the last review of the Crooked Tree single hop selections. We've had laughs and tears while reviewing the FF and Cascade, so let's see what the Citra brings about.
Before getting into the review, I must state that this was a 12+ hour work day full of mind numbing drone work, which gave me tons of time to think. And in this sleep-deprived state of mind, things seem much more twisted and chaotic than they are. One such example, that I expect the readers to partake in, is show your crazy side. My challenge to the readers is do something completely bat shit crazy, and then twist it around and make someone else seem crazy for your actions. It's good fun. Such as dancing to swing music that's not there, then when asked about it, deny and twist it around, like I did to some poor coworker who's questioning both his and my sanity at this moment.
My life philosophy is sheer craziness, say and do the most bizarre and random things. People don't mess with crazies.There is a fine art of crazy, and if you don't have it down, pat, you're going to wind up in a nice, warm jacket with a lot of nice people taking care of you in your padded cell.
But now that has been said, time to throw back a beer and get more sleep deprived, building upon the crazy.
Our friend at Savor Market (where we purchased this) said she was not impressed with this, but had the suspicion it was an off bottle. I hope this isn't like this, as Citra is one of my favorite strains of the hop plant. This pours a hazy orange color with small amount of stark white head, that dissipates quickly. The aroma is... it's something that I can't put my finger on. Tropical fruit. That would be the thing. Tropical fruit with some citrus and bready hints. The flavor is rather bland, though. It's watery with a fruit flavor that builds, but is very faint. The finish is dry, barely any bitterness to this. The mouthfeel is like drinking a green tea, where there's some light substance, but not much more than water. This is disappointing. I expected more of a hop flavor and bite, especially after having their regular Crooked Tree. But, nonetheless, this was an experience, as this isn't a widely available selection.
3.9/5 caps
-Nathan
My big accomplishment today was that I've managed to nearly complete a painting that has become my bane: it's the most time-consuming painting I've done, and I really don't care for the nearly-finished product. It will be done before I go to bed tonight, so I can move on to other pieces I need to complete. I should take a cue from the greats, and leave it unfinished, but at this point, my OCD kicks in. I'm so close, I need to finish it. It's similar to brewing beer, for you homebrewers... brewing what you think is going to be the most fantastic beer ever, only to have it not carbonate. Or take on weird flavors. Or to be mildly hoppy like a pale ale instead of an IPA.Yes, I firmly believe that brewing beer is an art form. Doubt me if you will, but that's part of why I'm such a fan of craft beer.
Wow, the aroma on this is fantastic... I'm trying to figure out why Nathan really didn't care for it. Tropical fruit in the nose, yes. Citrus fruit, yes. Then I take a sip, and I see what Nathan was talking about. It's very watery, similar to Hoppy Face's Total Eclipse. It's a good beer, but it tastes like it's been watered down. This makes my mouth sad. This is definitely in the pale ale, not quite IPA, category. With water. Lots of water. Underneath all the water, it's a solid brew, but it's just watery. Really really watery.
Speaking of water, I hope Marshall's is better than my alma mater's, Albion. Ten minutes down the road, I struggle to think that the water content might not be much different. Albion's water was terrible... it turned your hair, your clothes, and yes, your toothbrush orange, and smelled and tasted like rotten eggs and straight up raw metal. It was pretty disgusting. If Marshall has similar water, let's hope Dark Horse has a bright tank. Or several. Fortunately, no hint of Albion water come through in this beer.
All in all, I'm very disappointed in this series. Crooked Tree is a fantastic brew. Double Crooked Tree is even better. This is a disappointment. We'll redeem them with a review of Crooked Tree (and another fantastic brew to come). I was so excited when this came out, so stoked that we scored a twelve of it, but what a disappointment.
3.75/5 caps
-Jennie
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