What are Citra Hops?

Written by CraftJack | Updated 10/02/21 | 3 min read

In the world of hops, there are many well-known varieties. From the zesty Chinook to the more delicate Sorachi Ace, each hop variety has its own unique flavor and aroma profile. Citra hops are a relatively new variety that is very popular among craft brewers because of their pungent citrusy flavors and aromas which come from heavy fruit notes like mandarin oranges and tangerines.

Citra Origin & History

You may be asking yourself where Citra hops come from. Citra hops originated in the United States in 2008. The goal was to create a hop that was similar to Hallertau Mittlefruh, but with more intense citrus flavors and aromas.

Citra Aroma

Citra hops have a citrusy aroma that is similar to oranges, tangerines and mandarins.

Beer Styles

American IPAs

Commercial Examples

ABV	Beer	Brewery
10.2%	Triple Ecstasy	Widowmaker Brewing Company
4.1%	Slim Hazy	Peak Organic Brewing Company
4.3%	Neon Lights	Brewery Ommegang
4.4%	Candlepin	Castle Island Brewing Company
4.5%	Swift River	Cochituate Brewing
4.6%	Into The Citra Galaxy	Aeronaut Brewing Company
4.8%	Little Sister	Grey Sail Brewing Company
5%	Just A Kitten	Exhibit A Brewing Company
5.1%	Surfcaster	Tree House Brewing Company
5.1%	Frankie	Zero Gravity
5.2%	Grade 10	Fidens Brewing Company
5.5%	Wake	Mast Landing Brewing Company
5.5%	Obligatory	Merrimack Ales
5.7%	Cone Head	Zero Gravity
5.8%	Pseudo Sue	Toppling Goliath Brewing Company
6%	Some Vague Reassurance Everthings Going to Be Alright	Kent Falls Brewing Company
6%	Hazy Wonder	Lagunitas Brewing Company
6%	Hubert	Melvin Brewing
6%	How R Ya Now	Night Shift Brewing
6%	The Way Life Should Be	Orono Brewing Company
6%	Derivative	Proclamation Ale Company
6.1%	Hazy Rotation	Great North Aleworks
6.1%	King Friday	Untold Brewing
6.2%	Fresh Sabro	Civil Society Brewing Company
6.2%	Outermost	Hog Island Beer Company
6.3%	Rhode Trip	Newport Craft Brewing Company
6.4%	Official	Bells Brewery
6.5%	Dogs Vs Shinobi	Beerd Brewing Company
6.5%	The Hazy	Bldg 8 Brewing
6.5%	Euphoria	Broad Brook Brewing Company
6.5%	Windbreaker	Mast Landing Brewing Company
6.5%	Push the Sky Away	Small Change Brewing Company
6.5%	Rockpile IPA	Tuckerman Brewing Company
6.5%	Mass Soul	Wachusett Brewing Company
6.5%	Maya Mae	Wash Ashore Beer Company
6.6%	Blowing Bubbles	Shire Breu-Hous
6.6%	Infinity Sky	Untold Brewing
6.7%	Route 140	67 Degrees Brewing
6.7%	Neon Rainbows	Brewery Ommegang
6.8%	War Castle	Redemption Rock Brewing Company
6.9%	Ring King	Smuttlabs Brewery and Kitchen
7%	508	Bad Martha Farmers Brewery
7%	Doobious	Bad Sons Beer Company
7%	Side Business	Green Empire Brewing
7%	See Foam	Jackie Os Pub and Brewery
7%	Save The Robots	Radiant Pig Craft Beers
7%	Focal Banger	The Alchemist
7%	Johnny Juice	Winter Hill Brewing Company
7.2%	Tickling the Ivories	Hoof Hearted Brewing
7.2%	Tubular	Orono Brewing Company
7.2%	Green Fountains	Ten Bends Beer
7.3%	Jess	Amherst Brewing Company
7.7%	Our Impossible Ask	Lucy and Howe Brewing Company
8%	Epiphany	Foundation Brewing Company
8%	DDH Pulp Daddy	Greater Good Imperial Brewing Company
8%	Pulp Daddy	Greater Good Imperial Brewing Company
8%	V	Greater Good Imperial Brewing Company
8%	Hometown Rising	Jacks Abby
8%	Dream Team	Lone Pine Brewing Company
8%	Quarantined N You	Springdale Beer Company
8%	Northern Heights	Ten Bends Beer
8.2%	God is an American	Adroit Theory Brewing Company
8.2%	Citra Ass Down	Against the Grain
8.2%	Space Dust IPA	Elysian Brewing
8.2%	Cheap Pop	Fidens Brewing Company
8.2%	GG Vibes	Greater Good Imperial Brewing Company
8.4%	Hi-Def	Castle Island Brewing Company
8.4%	Necessary Means for a Necessary Means	Fidens Brewing Company
8.5%	The Farmer	Fidens Brewing Company
8.5%	Captains Daughter	Grey Sail Brewing Company
8.5%	Funcrusher	Honest Weight Artisan Beer
8.5%	Squeezy Wrench	Independent Fermentations Brewing
8.5%	Rabbit Rabbit	Lamplighter Brewing Company
8.5%	Larry	Wachusett Brewing Company
9.1%	Dogs and Boats	Beerd Brewing Company
9.2%	Dippah	Lone Wolfe Brewing Company
9.3%	Jigsaw Jazz	Fort Hill Brewery
9.4%	Terra Citra	The Drowned Lands Brewery

Substitute Hops Similar to Citra

Willamette hops are a variety that is often recommended as a substitute for Citra. The taste and aroma profiles of the Willamette hop are very similar to those of Citra, though they're slightly less pungent and have a softer finish.

Willamette