Citrus beer

I had a thing a few days ago, and I felt that the best thing would be to have a beer from Madrid. Since both FM and Mad Brewing are now out of action, we can only go to the outskirts. Yes, La Caníbal is in Mad Brewing’s old space, but I haven’t seen them canned and waiting in the stores. That leaves Península and Oso, although Cibeles could have been a ringer. Surprisingly, it’s a little hard to find things when you have specific names in mind, and moreso now that it’s vacation time in Spain. Finally, I did get a cheerful citrus beer from Oso, called, fittingly, Citrus. It looks pretty bright and tickly, although the back label warns of an “explosion” of partying fruits. This one does include orange and lemon juice, as well as Citra hops, so I think it might be NEIPAier than recent NEIPAs.

It pours out bubbly and stays bubbly in the glass, with relatively large spheres clinging to the sides. The head does not look very compact and vanishes quickly. It certainly has a citrusy color, lemony specifically, and gives off just a touch of lemon aroma. I was led to believe by the can that there would be a much stronger scent, but maybe they’re saving it for the taste. It is strongly flavored, and citrusy, more of a bitter orange than lemon. There is some feeling of natural lemonade in there, too. It’s surprisingly robust in mouthfeel, not thin and ephemeral like you might expect a lighter beer to be, but this has a roundness and hop leafiness that leaves you feeling like you have had a mouthful of something. Although this Citrus isn’t as powerful as I expected, I think it is appropriate for the season. It’s not bad to have something more subdued that you can quietly enjoy every once in a while. Not a NEIPA, in the end, but no regrets.

Supplier: La Buena Cerveza
Price: €5.50