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Author Topic: Citra hops smell like cat urine to me  (Read 20691 times)

Offline abraxas

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Citra hops smell like cat urine to me
« on: August 12, 2010, 10:20:39 pm »
I have had three beers that had had a cat urine rank and three were brewed with citra hops.  Might just be me...but I am not a fan.  Though SN Torpedo seems to be an exception.




Offline theDarkSide

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Re: Citra hops smell like cat urine to me
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2010, 07:07:04 am »
I can see that.  I did a pale ale with Citra at 15 and 0, plus dry hop and I got that catty smell.  It did fade with time and turned out to be a decent beer. ( translation: I drank to rest of the keg ).
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Offline passlaku

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Re: Citra hops smell like cat urine to me
« Reply #2 on: August 13, 2010, 07:11:49 am »
I had this experience too but noticed it dropped out after about a month. Likewise, the "catty" quality is liked by some.  And rather than calling it cat piss, I heard that BJCP judges are encouraged to call this aroma Durian-like (Asian stinky fruit).  I guess people don't like to be told that their beer smells and taste like cat pee.  Further, I think that only a minority of judges have actually drank cat pee.

In sum, I wonder if it could be that Citra should be avoided as a single dryhop for this reason.   According to SN they dryhop Torpedo with Citra, Chinook, and Magnum.  

Offline blatz

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Re: Citra hops smell like cat urine to me
« Reply #3 on: August 13, 2010, 07:27:59 am »
According to SN they dryhop Torpedo with Citra, Chinook, and Magnum.  

the amount of Citra that SN actually uses in Torpedo is practically de minimus.

I'm not a fan of this hop either.  but for the reason it is too tropical fruity for my tastes/sniffer.
« Last Edit: August 13, 2010, 07:29:42 am by blatz »
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Offline blatz

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Re: Citra hops smell like cat urine to me
« Reply #4 on: August 13, 2010, 07:28:54 am »
Further, I think that only a minority of judges have actually drank cat pee.

but some have - that's the funny part  ;) :D ;D
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Offline abraxas

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Re: Citra hops smell like cat urine to me
« Reply #5 on: August 13, 2010, 07:31:49 am »
Further, I think that only a minority of judges have actually drank cat pee.

but some have - that's the funny part  ;) :D ;D

All of the judges that have judged my beers have  ;)

Offline susanr

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Re: Citra hops smell like cat urine to me
« Reply #6 on: August 13, 2010, 08:04:58 am »
Hi,  I have to say the beers I have had that used Citra hops have been wonderful - I had one at Boulevard Brewery on a tour (can't remember which one it was exactly) that was phenomenal. 

I also made an IPA that I served at the National Homebrew Conference that turned out really good but was a blend of Citra and Cascade and I didn't dry hop - just added a ton of hops in the last couple minutes.  I love the lemony-orange aromas/flavors it gives off.

I did have a friend that made a batch with a lot more Citra and he didn't really like it at all.

So, I guess I am saying that it probably isn't a great hop for dry-hopping but it definitely has it's uses in the right place.

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Offline Kit B

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Re: Citra hops smell like cat urine to me
« Reply #7 on: August 13, 2010, 08:22:43 am »
I have been using a lot of citra, over the last few months.
Initially, they can impart a cat-pee smell.
But, all have improved drastically with age.

Now...
The actual cat-pee I recently smelled on Rabe's shoes...
That can't be improved with age.

Offline majorvices

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Re: Citra hops smell like cat urine to me
« Reply #8 on: August 13, 2010, 10:55:13 am »
.  but for the reason it is too tropical fruity for my tastes/sniffer.

I ruined 20 gallons of my summer seasonal Hoppy Wheat beer I brew for the end of summer with this hop. I'm ready to dump it - I hate the tropical fruit character. I do think it would go wonderful in a saison though.

Offline Kit B

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Re: Citra hops smell like cat urine to me
« Reply #9 on: August 13, 2010, 02:10:45 pm »
You can ship it to my house.

Offline majorvices

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Re: Citra hops smell like cat urine to me
« Reply #10 on: August 13, 2010, 02:36:19 pm »
Bring your growlers on over because I'm going to dump this mess to make room for some real beer.

Offline beerocd

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Re: Citra hops smell like cat urine to me
« Reply #11 on: August 13, 2010, 04:25:51 pm »
Can't cover it up by making a radler? If you're still doing construction - I figure those guys will drink anything.
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Offline thirsty

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Re: Citra hops smell like cat urine to me
« Reply #12 on: August 13, 2010, 05:15:11 pm »
Are these similar to chinook? Curious before I commit to 5 gals

Offline dbeechum

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Re: Citra hops smell like cat urine to me
« Reply #13 on: August 13, 2010, 06:00:16 pm »
It's not really similar to Chinook to me at all. I get very large mango/pineapple from the hop and not really any cattiness.
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Offline markaberrant

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Re: Citra hops smell like cat urine to me
« Reply #14 on: August 13, 2010, 08:50:01 pm »
I did a really hoppy IIPA with equal amounts of citra and simcoe at every addition earlier this year.  When fresh, it tasted like lemon pledge and cat pee.  Took several months to settle into a tropical fruit bomb.