It began when a couple friends brewed a beer together in 2005. It began in a single home-brewing kit. Family tradition had started the process but it was greater ambition and greater desire to share the tradition of the family with the community at large. So a couple friends started Common Roots Brewing Company. More than a few obstacles have stood in their path - money, naturally - but more dramatically the great obstacle was the original brewery burning to the ground. But that doesn’t stop tradition and with the community rallying behind them, Common Roots got back up and started all over again. Common has produced over 130 beers since opening their doors for commercial production in 2013, and now their beer is crossing oceans and continents. Each of Common Root’s Session series use a single hop variety for clean, concise flavour. In the case of the Citra, this is very mild and enjoyable by all, even those who don’t favour IPAs. Serves well at 8°C and should be enjoyed promptly.
Pours a yellow-orange colour with a hazy body and light carbonation. A frothy head of bubbly white foam out of the can stays thick and sticky on the glass.
The aroma of this beer really crushes all of its parts together into one mild, sweet aroma. Take deep whiffs to pull out the ripe tropical melon, fresh oranges, and a generic sweetness reminiscent of icing sugar.
This may be an IPA, but since it’s a session, it lays way back on the intensity scale. Slightly sweet with the taste of oranges and muddled melon flavour, almost none of the malt comes through, and if you’re used to IPAs with aggressive or bold hop profiles, you’ll be wondering who stole your taste buds. The flavour leans more toward the fruit, but even then it’s quite mild. Serious IPA fans will find this watery, but for the rest it’s a simple, drinkable beer.
Strong flavours will crush this mild IPA, so dig into something mild but flavourful in the savoury zone. Honey garlic salmon or Sweet Potato Fries would do nicely.