Flying Fish Brewing Company produces 18 seasonal and year-round beers from their South New Jersey brewery. Among them is one of their originals, the XPA Citra Pale Ale.
As you might have guessed, XPA Citra Pale Ale, or Extra Pale Ale, is a pale ale. The beer pours a hazy but bright yellow with a thick, white head that rose to one finger at its height. The aroma is heavy on the citrus, there is no mistaking what awaits the drinker when they sip this. There are also slight floral hop notes under the citrus and lemon. There is also a hint of yeast and bread that come through.
The first taste confirms what the bottle shows and the nose has teased, this is citrus forward. Interestingly, the citrus isn’t overwhelming but rather refreshing. There are some malt and bread notes that come through before a slightly hoppy finish. The brew feels medium-bodied in the mouth with a smooth, slightly dry finish. It really leaves you desiring another sip.
As the beer drank the glass had some nice lacing, tracking your every sip. The taste stayed consistent throughout the session but there were times where different notes played a little more than others but the flavor profile was fairly consistent. Citrus, malt, bread, hops on every sip.
Overall, this is a refreshing beer. You don’t have to be a big fan of IPAs in order to enjoy this but you certainly can’t hate IPAs either. There is a noted hop finish as one would expect. I found this beer to be tasty and refreshing with a friendly 5.2% ABV that would make this a nice companion for any summer day or activity.