YellowBelly Citra Pale Ale

Citrus-packed, piney and brilliantly crisp.
Citra Pale Ale is YellowBelly's flagship American Pale Ale and a beer that has become something of a modern classic in the Irish craft beer scene. Brewed in Wexford, this 4.8% pale ale is built around one ingredient in particular: Citra hops. Dry-hopped generously with Citra over a clean German and Belgian malt base, it delivers an unmistakable combination of grapefruit, citrus and pine, while keeping the body crisp and the finish remarkably clean. It is a beer that manages to be properly hoppy without becoming heavy, making it an exceptionally easy one to reach for again.

The recipe is deliberately straightforward, allowing the Citra hop to take centre stage. The German and Belgian malts provide a clean, lightly rounded foundation, while a super-clean American ale yeast keeps the fermentation character restrained and lets the hops speak clearly. The result is a pale ale where the aroma arrives before the bitterness: fresh grapefruit and citrus lead the way, followed by a distinctly piney character that gives the beer its signature edge. YellowBelly themselves recommend enjoying it as fresh as possible, when the hop aroma and clean finish are at their most expressive.

In the glass, Citra Pale Ale pours a bright hazy yellow-gold with a soft white head. The aroma is immediately generous, with grapefruit and fresh citrus followed by pine and subtle tropical fruit. On the palate, the beer is crisp and clean, with a light-to-medium body that provides just enough malt support for the hops. The Citra character is concentrated around grapefruit and citrus, while the bitterness gives the beer structure without becoming harsh or lingering too heavily. The finish is particularly clean, leaving a fresh citrus and pine impression that makes the next sip almost inevitable.

At 4.8% ABV, Citra sits in a very useful place between an everyday pale ale and a more substantial IPA. It has enough hop intensity to satisfy dedicated craft beer drinkers, but its relatively modest alcohol and clean profile keep it remarkably approachable. This is not a beer that needs to be dissected to be enjoyed; the appeal is immediate. Cold from the can, it is refreshing and punchy, while poured into a glass it reveals a little more of the layered grapefruit, pine and malt character.

There is good reason this beer has remained one of YellowBelly's flagship releases. Citra Pale Ale was voted Best Beer in Ireland at the 2019 Beoir Awards, and it has become one of the beers most closely associated with the Wexford brewery. For anyone exploring Irish craft beer, it is a particularly useful benchmark: a clean, American-style pale ale that demonstrates just how expressive a single hop variety can be when it is given centre stage.

Why we love it:
Citra Pale Ale is a great example of keeping things focused and letting one exceptional hop do the talking. The grapefruit and pine character is instantly recognisable, while the crisp malt base and clean finish make the beer remarkably easy to drink. A genuine Irish craft beer staple and one of those bottles or cans that rarely lasts as long as expected.