I’ve had a torpedo clone sitting in a keg for well over a month now. It only calls for .67 oz of citra dry hop. When I first started drinking the beer it was dead on if not better than the real deal. I actually had a friend, who I blind test tasted start talking to me about the real Torpedo as the beer I made and what was wrong with it ha…
Anyhow, now it’s like coming up on 2 months in the keg. It totally tastes different. Like it’s turning more sour or something. I doubt it’s infected or anything. I just wonder because I’ve tasted this before with some of my other citra beers that were bottled. Do citra hops only hold their taste for so long? It’s not a bad taste. Just seems more sour/cat pissy in the last week. Still good but definitely different than a month ago.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it’s an extract brew and the sweetness is rearing it’s ugly head, because the strong hop flavor is dissipating. which makes me perceive that it’s more ‘cat pissy’ or sour. I don’t know.
In my experience Citra is definitely a hop that fades quickly. I have never gotten the sour/cat pee flavor from it but some others will probably report that they have. That is also a common descriptor for Simcoe which is one of my favorite hops.
To get a nice “cat pee aroma/flavor” you need at least 1 oz. at 60 min. I know, 60 is for bittering but somehow this brings out that type of flavor/ aroma profile. Depending on your taste buds this can be piney or catty. If you like this flavor try it next time in your brew.
To avoid catty/piney don’t use it early. At least the aroma will be tame. Meow.
The one Citra IPA i did tuned out like you are describing. It was all Citra though. I wonder if the hop flavor is fading and the cat pee you are left with is the Citra bittering. I would not bitter with Citra again after that beer i made.
The only problem with most of your responses, even though I appreciate the help, is that I only used citra to dry hop, and then only 2/3rds of an ounce. It was Magnum to bitter, and magnum and Mt. Hood for late addition, then all three to dh.
I guess it is what it is. Next time I’ll drink that torpedo clone while it’s new and fresh!
Just poured myself a beer and I see what the problem is. I’m getting further down into the keg than I thought. As I was pouring this beer tonight I noticed pieces of hops flowing/floating into my glass. I’m pretty sure this is why my torpedo clone has gotten ‘catty’ or pissy ha…
