Citra

Intense tropical fruit with mango, passionfruit, and grapefruit leading, with some perception of pine and spice undertones.

Where It Lives

• Tropical & Citrus (primary home)
• Stone Fruit & Berry (strong supporting role)
  

Storytime

Citra has decidedly won the popularity contest in American craft brewing, and likely one of the only household name hops in the US. Released in the late 2000s, it became famous for its explosive tropical character - often described as mango, passionfruit, and lychee. This profile helped define the juicy, fruit-forward IPA movement.

At its peak in the early 2020s, citra accounted for more than 20% of US hop crops. While not having one single flagship beer, it's regularly featured in that house-IPA at breweries around the country - satisfying a flavor profile of what IPA drinkers expect.

Key Specs

• Alpha Acids: 11 – 13%
• Total Oil: 2.5 – 3.5 mL/100g
• Origin: United States
• Form: Pellet
• Common Substitutions: Mosaic, Galaxy, or Sabro (in some recipes)
• More tech specs here

Practical Use

Citra is primarily used for aroma and flavor, though it can be used for bittering in lighter beers. It excels in late boil, whirlpool, and dry hopping, where it delivers big tropical and citrus character. It works well in both hazy/juicy IPAs and more balanced West Coast styles.

Dry hop 3–6 oz total in 5 gallons is common in very hop-forward beers. Some people push even higher, but the intense tropical notes can start to feel heavy or one-dimensional if overdone.

Best for: Late boil, whirlpool, and dry hopping. Brew day tip: Add late or as a dry hop to preserve the bright tropical fruit character. It pairs especially well with Mosaic, Simcoe, and Amarillo.