When it comes to superstars, few hops have the status of Citra. It’s America’s most widely planted variety, and at times, it feels a little difficult to find an IPA or pale ale made without it. Citra Cryo is Blackman’s Brewery’s tribute to the hop, with the pale ale filled with the concentrated pellets brewers love, Cryo. That hop is out in full force too, providing a quite varied profile that includes rockmelon and quite distinctluy tangy pineapple and plenty of orange juice plus grapefruit-meets-lemon for a zesty party. With an incredibly lean body and slightly bitter finish, it's the kind of hop-heavy pale that you're unlikely to put down.
From hoppy acclaim to Belgian tradition, joining the pale is Flanders Red. To make it, the Blackman’s crew started off with beer that was added to chardonnay barrels from the nearby Pyrenees region (well, it’s quite a few hours’ drive rather than mere minutes but Australia is pretty large) and was fermented with Brettanomyces Bruxellensis and Philly Sour. After many months, they blended it back with fresh beer to create what’s in front of you today. It's a process that's certainly created one nuanced beer where there's a soft touch of toffee, cherry cola, almond cake and a lingering richness that balances beautifully with the sour.
Will Ziebell
Published September 4, 2024 2024-09-04 00:00:00
