Jack's Abby's Citra Brau Goes Heavy on Hops in a Weird, Delicious Way

Beer drinkers of the world, are you sick of long-winded brew reviews? Do you give a damn if a craft beer has “subtle notes of star anise” or “grassy, herbal flavors with a hint of pine resin?” Could you care less what region of Belgium the brewmaster vacationed to last summer?

Then welcome to Beer Me, where Men’s Health staffers deliver quick beer recommendations with all the information you need to know—and nothing more.

No geeky beer-brewing technical terminology. No bottles you have to age five years before you can enjoy them. No bull. Just read up, then crack one open.

Name: Citra Brau
Brewer: Jack’s Abby, Framingham, MA
Style: Dry Hopped Citra Lager
ABV: 5.5%

When you drink an American lager, you’re not expecting any surprises. Yuengling, Narragansett, Pabst—these are the beer equivalent of watching Seinfeld reruns: familiar yet still enjoyable.

So then here comes Jack’s Abby and they take a traditional lager and upend the hop-malt balance by turbocharging their version with Citra Hops, a dramatic and potent varietal. Basically, that’s like Omar from The Wire walking into Jerry Seinfeld’s apartment. You’d be tweaked out if that happened, naturally, but you would watch that freaking episode.

One slug of Citra Brau and you’ll know what I’m talking about. “Oh, this tastes like a typical lager” AND WHAMO suddenly you’re somewhere else, compelled to continue the journey because you’re wondering what else might come next—in beer and in life.

Pairs Well With: the first weeks of spring, boredom, Friday after a loooooong week, Seinfeld

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