Well this right here is a delightful beer I must say. Just downright delightful. Which, I suppose with the level of talent associated with this collaboration, should come as no surprise. But yet it did. I am not really a fan of spiced beers. And even less of one for pumpkin beers. Yet, at it's essence, that is what Stone, Elysian, & The Bruery guys made here. A spiced pumpkin beer. Yet they went the gourmet route. Rather than the traditional pumpkin flavors - cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves; This brew contains fenugreek, lemon verbena, and birch bark. Fenugreek for Christ's sake! When was the last time, or rather first time you've even heard the word fenugreek? That's the type of word that you make up when you're trying to impress someone about world knowledge. "'Excuse me sir, do you know the history of this painting?.' 'Oh, why yes I do. That painting is a classic relic from the FenuGreek era of the ancient Palpalonians. By the way, would you like to go get a drink?'" See! You could totally use that line in a museum the next time some attractive young lady asks you a question you haven't the faintest idea of the answer to.
But this beer was all about layers. From aroma to taste to palate, it was hitting on all notes for me. I can't exactly think of a point of reference for the aforementioned fenugreek or lemon verbena for that matter, but I've had my fair share of birch beers in the past. Granted they all fell into the root beer category, but I certainly was able to recall those sensory memories at times while drinking this beer. It was actually a refreshing beer. One that I'd gladly drink again and again, if only this weren't a limited release...
Shortly after my first sip of La Citrueille, I was slightly concerned that I'd quickly down the three beers and thus give myself a fairly respectable buzz. Even with a low abv (just 5%), the rate of consumption for such a great beer might trigger a slightly drunken state that I'd normally achieve part way through only my 2nd beer. But, once again the excellent flavor profile packed into this beer allowed me to properly savor each sip, thus negating any binge buzz that might otherwise occur. So while any significant buzz never set in over the 90 minutes I took to drink the three beers, this was one of the truly rare and justified instances where I wished that I'd had a 4th beer to drink. Both because the taste was so great and also because any desired level of inebriation had yet to be reached. So while I may have been a beer short this particular night, I am now however determined to go out and buy some more bottles for future consumption and sharing. This is most certainly a beer I'd like others to taste, if only this wasn't a limited release...
With the first 2/3rds of my monthly experiment done with, I had my fingers crossed that such an awesome beer wouldn't disappoint me in the third (and potentially most important) factor. And despite my lack of buzz and the low level of alcoholic content, I've had similar scenarios prove to be disastrous the following morning. So when I awoke early to find that I felt completely fine, I was at first elated and then quickly concerned that any return to sleep might somehow trigger a physiological response from my body to begin the toxin release via pain and punishment and fire and brimstone via fenugreek explosions out of every pore. Alas, after a couple more hours of rest, I woke for the day still feeling fine. La Citrueille Cèleste de Citracado had passed the test. Three for three. A total success. I'd like to be able to shake the hands of the various brewers who participated in this beer if only to let them know that I appreciate their efforts to step outside of the box and craft a truly unique beer with a distinct flavor set that perfectly balances the light crispness of a session beer with the depth and complexity of a seasonal powerhouse, all while preserving my delicate alcoholic reactions. Oh, if only this wasn't a limited release...
The Verdict:
If it hasn't already been made apparent from the previous three paragraphs, I am a big fan of this beer. Every element of La Citruille (aside from the absurd name) worked for me. It's not often that I'll restock my fridge with multiple beers I've already tried before. Occasionally, I'll pick up an old favorite every now and again or I'll order something I truly love when I see it on tap. But this is one of those instances where I am going to actively seek it out in the stores next time I'm out and buy a few more bottles. Being a seasonal style, it's something that I'd like to have stocked in the fridge to share around the coming holidays but also because when I see it now, it could easily be the last time I come across it because this is unfortunately only a limited release.
