Citrus Boom Imperial IPA - Saint Arnold Review
Imperial IPAs are a favorite in the Brew household with even Mrs. Brew engaging in the occasional high ABV face-scruncher and nut-kicker, and new ones frequently find themselves chilling in our fridge. With that admiration long in place, we are excited to see Saint Arnold filling out their line-up with two new Imperial IPAs: Tropic Boom and Citrus Boom, both of which utilize the same ingredients to get what (we hope) are very different beers.
Both of these beasts use 2-row, Pilsner, White Wheat, and Acidulated malt, which they then tamp down with a pile of HBC-682, Citra, and Mosaic hops, resulting in an identical 9.5% ABV and 27 IBU.
We love seeing beers that prove a manipulation of ingredients can create different concoctions, but we had our reservations about recommending Tropic Boom (check out the review at the bottom!) as it is a very sweet beer that’s not afraid to put the TROPIC in tropical, so let’s see if Saint Arnold can bring the zest in their Citrus Boom Imperial IPA.
First Impressions:
On the Eyes--Golden and clear as a morning after the rain and topped with a shiny cream-colored head. Looks identical to its tropical counterpart.
On the Nose--Pineapple and orange right to its core(!) with the promise of much sweetness, which, I admit, makes me a little nervous, but the zesty orange intrigues me.
On the Palate--Orange immediately makes itself present with all of the sweetness and none of the bitterness of that spectacular fruit. Like Tropic Boom, Citrus Boom is quite sweet with an almost orange-drink-mix flavor. It’s very light in the mouth, but strong, almost like a Tripel, and finishes clean with very little lingering sweetness. Citrus Boom has almost no bitterness to speak of, making it easy to drink and not filling, but very, very heavy on the ABV.
Final Thoughts:
Saint Arnold loves pushing the boundaries with pumpkin beers, imperial coffee porters, ciders, and a whole plethora of hoppy and heavy ales, so naturally the Tropic Boom and Citrus Boom don’t surprise me. It fits in line with their Banger IPA and Eclipse IPA, offering something sweet and very modern. But is it any good?
Well, for the short answer—yes… but it will divide people. I started by saying it tastes like orange-drink-mix (which wasn’t intended as an insult even if it sounded like one) and end by saying it’s a lot like drinking Hawaiian Punch… at 9.5% ABV. The pineapple aroma is ridiculously close to real pineapple, and the orange aroma and flavor is very much orange—both of these notes are odd and intriguing, but they are attributes many progressive brewers are trying to achieve that Saint Arnold has absolutely nailed on the head.
Citrus Boom (and Tropic Boom) drinks like a Tripel: it’s light, sweet, and knock-you-down strong. For what it’s worth, I do enjoy Citrus Boom a touch more than Tropic Boom, but mostly because I gravitate toward citrus over tropical aromas and flavors. As I said before, this beer will divide people, but controversy isn’t all bad with Saint Arnold’s iconic line-up.
If you’re wanting to try one of these beers but aren’t sure if you’ll like it, find a tall can (as we did) and dip the toe in. Good luck!
Cheers!
Mr. Brew
Check out our review of Tropic Boom Imperial IPA here, and if you’re an old-school bitter chaser, check out Saint Arnold’s Art Car IPA!