Karma Citra IPA from Great Lakes Brewery – A Karmic Review

With all of the uncertainty in the world, this week I’m reviewing a beer that I’m confident I, at least, will appreciate. Frequent readers of my reviews know that I’m a big fan of IPAs, APAs, and CPAs. So, when I saw Great Lakes Brewery‘s Karma Citra IPA, part of the brewery’s Tank Ten series, on the shelf at my local LCBO, I figured it was time for a “comfort beer”. I previously reviewed Great Lakes Brewery’s Canuck Pale Ale, so check out that review for information about the brewery. Now, before I’m reborn as something that can’t drink beer, let’s see how Karma Citra IPA compares to other IPAs I’ve had over my many lifetimes.

Karma Citra IPA: Great Lakes Brewery – First Sip

Karma Citra IPA pours a very cloudy straw-yellow colour with a thick layer of foam that dissipates slowly. Looking almost like apple cider, this brew defies you to look through it. Citra hops, which this IPA is brewed with, are a particular favourite of brewers looking to impart a citrus or tropical fruit flavour to their beers. As such, Karma Citra IPA has a citrus aroma that I notice as soon as I open its 473 mL can. Its great smell is good company for its bitter grain and pine flavour that fades to a subtle aftertaste of malt. Karma Citra’s mouthfeel is viscous but fizzy, providing a surprisingly crisp quality to this cloudy brew.

Karma Citra IPA: Great Lakes Brewery – Last Sip

I suggest drinking this cloudy brew from a nonic pint glass, as prescribed by the can. Although you won’t miss out on its noticeable citrus aroma, you will miss its cloudy straw-yellow colour.


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In the interest of science, I tried drinking this beer straight from the can. Drinking from the can didn’t make this brew bad, but without its constant aroma and cloudy colour I felt like I was missing out. Like Great Lakes Brewery’s website, I suggest enjoying this beer with an Indian curry, but some jalapeño chips will also do nicely.

Michael Bedford
Michael Bedford
Under intense scrutiny by the Temporal Authorities, I was coerced into actualizing my capsule in this causality loop. Through no fault of my own, I am marooned on this dangerous yet lovely level-four civilization. Stranded here, I have spent most of my time learning what I can of the social norms and oddities of the Terran species, including how to properly use the term "Hipster" and how to perform a "perfect pour." Under the assumed name of "Michael Bedford," I have completed BA's with specialized honours in both theatre studies and philosophy, and am currently saving up for enough galactic credits to buy a new--or suitably used--temporal contextualizer ... for a friend.