Day 12 of the 6th Annual Advent-ure Calendar
Day 12: Columbus Brewing Company Citra Noel
Ahhhh, Citra Noel. This one has been a staple on the calendar and in most of our fridges. It’s a classic Hoppy Holiday ale from Columbus, a brewery that’s been known for making crisp, well-made beers for quite a while. From their website: “our mahogany colored ale features tropical fruit notes from Citra hops and has a deep rich malt character.”
Reflections
Ben: Easily one of my top favorite winter beers every year. Columbus is so good at what they do, and what they do best is hoppy. This is always a crisp, refreshing alternative to spiced, heavy beers that are prevalent fusing the holiday season. I buy this as soon as it’s released and I keep drinking it until it’s gone from the shelves. Always a welcome sight in our fridge. 10/10
Julia: This is one of my favorite Christmas beers and I look forward to it every single year. It’s hoppy, and yet a bit malty and so easy to drink. It’s light and smooth but full of flavor. It’s definitely not your traditional spiced Christmas Ale but it just works for Christmas. Columbus brewing does hoppy beers right and this one is no exception. If you have yet to have one of these go grab one now before they’re not out anymore. You won’t be disappointed.
Adam: Citra Noel has become a holiday staple for us the last few years. I love the spruce tip notes and scent paired with the Citrus hops. It’s just a freaking near perfect holiday IPA. I don’t have many notes. It tastes like going to get a Christmas tree in the forest.
Alex: Citra Noel is still delicious, and is still one of my favorite holiday beers. It has the perfect amount of hoppiness with a touch of citrus. I feel like it’s the way you want your favorite holiday candle to taste. Maybe? I don’t know 2020 has been weird. Regardless, I still love it, and will still continue to keep it in the main rotation.
Scott: Citra Noel is in my opinion a top 5 Christmas beer. The balance of spice, sweetness and just overall flavor makes it one of the best Christmas beers out there. We like this one so much we always end up buying a couple six packs no matter if this one is part of the holiday beer line up or not. Two amazing beers in a row is hard to beat!
Christa: Citra Noel is my favorite Christmas beer. We had several of these in the fridge and actually got confused when going to grab beer 12 but boy was I delighted when I realized it was this one. It’s unique to the Christmas Beer lineup, it’s hoppy like an IPA but subtle sweet Christmas spices are there with a citrus finish. It’s ABV is in the mid-range which is why I’ll probably have three tonight. Cheers to me and cheers to Columbus Brewing for continuously offering great beers 🍻.
Tony: Citra Noel has been in the calendar line up for several years and for good reason. If you like IPAs then you’ll definitely enjoy this. Even if you don’t, i think you’ll still like it because its well balanced. Its hoppy and has good holiday spice. You get some nice citrus to balance out the hops and bitterness also. Its a solid holiday beer and an annual favorite. Always happy to see this one! 🍻
Megan: A classic in the holiday advent-ure! It’s just as I remember, hoppy and fun. I’m getting some holiday spices but more hoppy flavors so if you like IPA and hoppy ales, this is the beer to try. It’s not overly hoppy though, just the right balance. Given the choice, I think I’d go with other holiday ales we’ve had but this is always a solid choice.
Brad: Disclaimer: Last year I rated Citra Noel very low because of all the floaties I had in my pour. I wasn’t sure if that was expected but it ruined the beer for me. That said, this year it pours perfectly and the taste and smell are excellent. I’m a big fan of the Columbus Bodhi and this reminds me of that, but in an amber color. I will for sure pick up another 6 pack for the long holiday break.
Heather: As someone who isn’t totally sold on IPAs, I find that every now and then there’s one that I actually enjoy. This is one of those. Citra Noel smells fantastic (I just breeeeaaathed it in for like two full minutes before taking a sip). It tastes crisp, refreshing and bright with a hint of citrusy goodness. Certain tastes usually take me someplace in my mind, and this takes me to the mountain top of a ski town, sitting by a fire with 35 lbs of snow gear on, cheeks cold and hurting from laughing with friends. Will drink again!