If you’ve found yourself cracking open a rather sessionable IPA from your favorite craft brewery lately, you have a very careful brewer — and some very noble hops — to thank.
One such hop that’s been, and remains, at the forefront of any hop discussion is Citra. This hop seems to work in a wide range of creative styles from today’s leading brewers, but before 2007 many just called it “HBC 394”.
Citra was first bred by the Hop Breeding Company, and is generally assumed today to lend a smooth flavor and aroma that registers as both deliciously floral and citrus-forward. That said, the hop was only released in 2007 (when it became known as “Citra” rather than its HBC 394 dog tag) but by 2009 roughly 98 acres of Citra were harvested. Fast forward to 2019, and that number grew to 6,720 acres, and allowed Citra to become the fan-favorite it is today.
So what does that have to do with beer tasting? Well, a major part of any tasting is simply trying to glean all the textures, flavors, and aromas in the product in front of you. Being able to attribute these not only to the brewer, but all the way back to the hops themselves will help you up your tasting game, and ensure you’re ready to impress even the toughest beer nerds.
Of course, every tasting requires the perfect glassware, so make sure to secure a full set before you send out invites. This beer tasting glassware kit comes with three different glasses, each designed to bring you the best IPA, American Wheat Ale, or Stout tasting experience.
Every glass is made with lead-free crystal by Spiegelau, whose team partnered with a panel of expert brewers to ensure they designed the best beer tasting glasses possible. To learn just how much these glasses can really elevate your tasting, make sure to try them for yourself, and secure the whole kit for every craft beer in your future.
