Oakham Citra: the UK's first Citra beer

Рет қаралды 22,670

Жыл бұрын

This week we're visiting the real ale brewery in Peterborough that was the first to use Citra hops, and still gets through the most of it. Learn about the amazing chance encounter that led to the head brewer getting his hands on a few kilograms - and how he makes the absolute best of this iconic hop. This is the story of Oakham Citra.
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Пікірлер: 127

@Vinnie13 Жыл бұрын

A very informative video guys but also so poignant for me personally. My dear neighbour passed away suddenly in 2021. He was retired, loved a real ale, visiting beer festivals and Oakham Citra was his absolute favourite. Whenever I see it now I get it and raise a glass to him. Cheers Pete.

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

Cheers to Pete!

@kezchallacombe6684 Жыл бұрын

Guys, this was one of my favourite episodes you have done, very informative and it had me hooked like it was David Attenborough doing the narrating. Please don’t stop what you do, you are the best. I am fortunate to have a local pub that serves Oakham constantly. Fantastic, my other fav ale is St Austel Proper Job.

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! Glad you liked it.

@oscarosullivan4513 Жыл бұрын

@@TheCraftBeerChannel Could you do an episode on Irish red ale and Irish stout

@rosslogan4154 Жыл бұрын

Wow, my two favourite beers are also Oakham Citra and St Austel's, Proper Job. Both great beers either drunk from a cask or from a bottle. It always amazes me how variable the Citra hop can taste in different beers. Ghost Ship, which is another very popular Citra beer, is no where near as enjoyable as Oakham Citra as far as my taste buds are concerned.

@bonniejamie Жыл бұрын

I've long considered Oakham Citra to be one of my 'desert island beers', one of those that if you see it on cask is a must. Thrilled to see you guys celebrating it, and pleased to have learned how they make it so damned good. Maybe you could continue the theme by going back to Penryn and analysing the (imo) greatest single-hop citra beer in the universe, Fruit, Car, Sight, Exhibition. Great stuff lads, cheers!

@matthewbrown5677 11 ай бұрын

Thank you Boys and thank you to Oakham.....2007/8 were great years for modern craft beers ....Brewdog .....before they got greedy.

@Big-Harry Жыл бұрын

whenever I'm at the St Albans beer festival always go over the the Oakham stand, do like their beers

@lcpholman Жыл бұрын

Love Oakham! I moved to the UK in 2001, and worked in Peterborough for 4/5 years. JHB was the first British beer I consumed (at The Brewery Tap). I was absolutely bowled over, and though if all British beers are like this - I have made a great move :) They weren't, but I still grew very fond of many real ales. I remember JHB and Bishop's Farewell from then, the Peterborough Beer Festival was a must every year - even after I moved away from that part of the country. Always looked forward to Oakham's festival beers. I was overjoyed when bottled Oakham Citra became available - it worked very well (those early bottled JHBs just didn't come close to straight out of the cask for me). The pub looks exactly as I remember it too! Still my favourite producer.

@vikramjitsingh4538 Жыл бұрын

in one of your videos on "Keep Real Ale Alive Campaign", there was a tap at a bar that you guys featured and it was Oakham Citra......they have shared the recipe for this pale ale on their website and I happened to homebrew one.........thanks to you for featuring it in a video now.......cheers

@SimmoSups Жыл бұрын

What an incredible mini documentary. 25 mins absolutley flew by. I always find it super interesting listening to people who are so passionate about their craft taking shop. Absolutley outstanding from start to finish. I'm going to pop out and pick up a few bottles of Oakham for this weekend now.

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! Glad it flew by - so much info to squeeze in!

@paulbrad8061 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for starting 2023 with what has to be one of the best ever, First Oakham encounter for me was Bishops Farwell at wolves beer festival 96, one of those moments fixed in the mind, then JHB, Citra never fail to satisfy, in my humble opinion and tasting experience I have never come across a beer to compare with their combination of new world hops and traditional cask ale .

@LP290792 Жыл бұрын

I have driven past the brewery tap in Peterborough a million times and never made the connection to one of my favourite real ales. Great vid

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

It has great Thai food too - well worth a stop

@kw2142 Жыл бұрын

I like these mini documentaries where u travel somewhere. No doubt more time consuming I imagine on your behalf than the sofa sessions, but keep it up!

@marcushellaby Жыл бұрын

Had my first pint of Citra about 5 years ago. It confused the hell out me. I was expecting a cold, fizzy, hazy boi and here I was being served a delicious, flat, warm cask ale. Felt like I'd found the missing link or something

@rockraychina Жыл бұрын

The Chinese name of Citra hops comes from Dr. Ding Luping, the developer of this hop. Dr. Ding, a Chinese-American born in Hunan, China, translated this beloved hop as Xichu (a local government in ancient China).

@neilbowers6956 Жыл бұрын

Love the Brewery Tap, always make a point of popping in there for a few beers when I am waiting for a train back to Norwich or up to Scotland. A great video as always from you both and Oakham is one of my favourite breweries in the UK. Consistently good beer and Citra is fab.

@russ1046 Жыл бұрын

I do love a Citra. Oakham are fairly local to me, but I've never been to the brewery. Nice to get all that information - thanks 👍

@roasted1gerkin Жыл бұрын

That was an amazing overview guys, and great to see a world class hoppy ale come from a small pub in the U.K using methods they have come up with!! Now they need to make Oakham Nelson in the same way, that would be fun to have a pint side by side with the Citra!!!!!

@MichaelAndersen_DK Жыл бұрын

Aaaand we're back at me wishing KZfaq had invented smell-a-vision. That hop looked bloody awesome! Fantastic start of 2023! Love you visiting visiting breweries. And that pub... wow.

@neoanderson5146 Жыл бұрын

Fantastic video chaps, i've always loved Oakham beers from the early days and Citra is the only bottled beer I buy these days, long may it continue :)

@kenthallihan5094 Жыл бұрын

Had to hold off watching this till I could pick up some bottles of Citra, watched it this evening, and loved it! Keep bucking the algorithm, this content rocks, cheers fellas 🍻

@seanm8315 Жыл бұрын

I live in Peterborough and Oakham Citra is one of my favourites. Great video as always. Shame I missed this when you were there.

@prismed6615 Жыл бұрын

Great video, great brewery and great beer! Fantastic

@Lee-73 Жыл бұрын

Brilliant stuff gents. Like many others, when I first tasted this, it was definitely a WOW moment - I loved this beer, along with Salopian Oracle at the time. There aren’t many supermarket beers that taste this good and this consistent (maybe Proper Job). Always go for this if I see it on cask and am lucky enough to not live too far from the Brewery Tap (they do good Thai food in there too, perfect with Citra!). Cheers 🍺

@ThePhilwilkinson Жыл бұрын

Best video yet, really enjoyed it.

@tenchman4526 Жыл бұрын

Loved this one. It’s given me the incentive to try brewing an all grain citra real ale, something I never would have otherwise tried, being predominantly a traditionalist. Teaching an old dog new tricks…. Good one.

@chrisgreen6259 Жыл бұрын

Oakham Citra is amazing, blew my mind at a beer festival one time. Was a pre-cursor to developing an interest in US craft and then UK craft more generally. I highly recommend trying others in their range too if you see them - they are all great quality, affordable ales.

@DelMatt1983 Жыл бұрын

Best video I’ve seen. Brilliant

@dudestewbrews Жыл бұрын

Citra is one of my all time favorite hops. This beer sounds absolutely delightful. Perhaps I should start experimenting with leaf hops again as well. 👍

@TopBeerUK Жыл бұрын

Very nice beer this. Had it a few years ago mind. Nice seeing the brewery and a great interview.

@joshuareid7084 Жыл бұрын

Love this beer and love this video, great work guys!

@johnp8131 Жыл бұрын

Good stuff, been going there since it first moved from Rutland. Normally do a crawl around Peterborough at least once a year calling in there and Charters (another Oakham outlet) on the river Nene there. Good crawl if you know where the few decent ale pubs are? Prefer Oakhams dark ales like "Hawse Buckler" but they're very rare, even in Cambridgeshire.

@harryn5891 Жыл бұрын

Brilliant video, thanks so much!

@Butsugen8 Жыл бұрын

Great video and interview

@pb6010 Жыл бұрын

The beer that got me into craft beer from many pints in the Wellington in Birmingham, where it has been a constant for many years

@jacksonkeeler Жыл бұрын

love this! Your're constantly releasing top quality videos. We just got our first cask ale brewery in our neighborhood here in LA. Hoping the cask ale trend continues!

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

Awesome what is the name of thr brewery?

@jacksonkeeler Жыл бұрын

@@TheCraftBeerChannel It's Macleod Ale Brewery's second location (Originally from Van Nuys, CA)

@Pouchey2 Жыл бұрын

I grew up about 30 mins from the brewery! Great episode as always (I wouldn't expect anything else 😉)

@Royphex Жыл бұрын

Now I’m gasping for a pint of citra. Hope the Oakham gang are paying you for this because that was the best advertisement that you could hope for for your beer. Great vid!

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

Haha no money exchanged hands, but a fee beers did

@filmscorefreak Жыл бұрын

I definitely think the citra hop has changed/evolved. When it was brand new I remember it being rather intensely orange-like (bright), I actually didn't care for it. But these days it has nuance and complexity, I've become a fan. Great episode, love hearing the stories from the brewers.

@mcyi9jm2 Жыл бұрын

Really great video, I found it really entertaining and thoughtful, however I now want a pint of Citra right now!

@Wargh182 Жыл бұрын

Damn! now I want a Citra, been a while since I've had one. Now I'm thinking about brewing my own. Great video guys.

@Ben_Dawson Жыл бұрын

Oakham Citra was my eureka moment in beer. It must have been 2014, and I was on a long bike ride and stopped off at The Swan in Stratford St. Mary. They just happened to have a beer festival on, so I stopped for one pint, and had never realised beer could taste like that! I ended up having to follow it up with a pint of Green Devil, and then spent months searching for it again with no luck.

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

2014 was before it really kicked off, hope you can find it easily now!

@Ben_Dawson Жыл бұрын

@@TheCraftBeerChannel Yep, but it has become one of those beers I take for granted now, so haven't had it in a while. Off to my local tonight, they often have it on so definitely need to have a pint if they do!

@piazzonim Жыл бұрын

great interview - I’ll have to pick up some SN Torpedo and dream of cask ale in the UK for now

@could_try_harder Жыл бұрын

Love getting a hold of this when I can. But only ever see it in bottles...

@johnp8131 Жыл бұрын

You right, it's not common on draught even locally to Peterborough? Outside of the two main Peterborough outlets we generally only see JHB and Inferno on draught? Although I did see 'Haka' once last year in Cambridge. Nice!

@andyleighton3616 Жыл бұрын

Oakham tend to bottle slightly stronger than the cask versions. So the bottles are 4.6% and the cask is 4.2%. Plus I think the carbonation (in the bottle) makes it a slightly different mouthfeel to the cask version.

@chrisoverman7551 Жыл бұрын

I went to the original brewery in Oakham with a minibus full of local CAMRA members about six months after it opened.

@nathanbeal8117 Жыл бұрын

Jonny had to resort to bringing his own hi-vis to beat Brad in the fashion stakes. Great video as always guys

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

More like I forgot to take it off...

@jimbrennan1181 Жыл бұрын

Another great video! I really enjoyed this one, and I think it may be my favorite. Oddly, the popularity of Citra hops has been waning a little bit in the states. It's still popular but Americans are always looking for the newest thing and hops like Sabro and those from New Zealand are getting a lot of play right now. By the way, I think Jonny is right on with his take on Maris Otter. 👍

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

Interesting! I expect it is still super popular in core beers but perhaps the endless treadmill of new beers needs the new varieties to feel fresh

@frazersparham9909 Жыл бұрын

That's two things I've decided I need: more citra beers and Brad's shirt

@JayP1982_ Жыл бұрын

One of the most underrated breweries going. Still love citra and green devil easily one of my favourite beers of all time

@johnp8131 Жыл бұрын

Didn't know that? It's tremendously popular around my area although Inferno seems to be more popular, at least on draught. However I'm only 20 miles away!

@JayP1982_ Жыл бұрын

@@johnp8131 well underrated in the sense it never gets mentioned with a lot of other top breweries. You’re very lucky. Wish I lived near there. Can only get most the stuff online with the exception of citra

@Xommie Жыл бұрын

*notes down Oakham Citra for my coming London trip*

@kevinpayne3482 Жыл бұрын

What I wouldn’t give to be sitting at that table with you guys, pounding beers! Responsibly of course 👍🏻🍻❤️. Great, informative video, bravo! GO BILLS! (NFL playoffs)

@jameswestlake3525 Жыл бұрын

Yes cuz!

@exetercitycubing408 Жыл бұрын

Good video.

@VelkyAl Жыл бұрын

Reminds me it has been a while since I brewed a Citra version of my best bitter recipe - 4.2%, 42 IBU.

@jameslopez958 Жыл бұрын

I've Tried Citrus, Hibiscus I'm still a Stout and Porter Beer 🍻🍺 Drinker ❤️✌️😎

@martinhowe1422 Жыл бұрын

Quote @ 25:06 'I've got answers for Oakham Citra'. Given that sentiment, can I please request that you replicate this video for Theakston's Old Peculiar. I can still recall the shock of drinking this nearly 40 years ago and would love a professional and passionate deliveryby you two. Keep up the good work chaps.

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

Will look into the story and see if it's got legs!

@clubroot3383 Жыл бұрын

Love Citra. Used to regularly get a pint in Spoons before the pandemic, not seen it for a long time. I guess Oakham can’t make any money if Spoons insist on selling “cask” ales at £2.29/pint. I would easily pay £4/pint, would still be a bargain compared with paying £6/pint in most pubs.

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

Indeed! I think they have brought it a little closer in house to ensure better quality and margin.

@RealalecraftbeerTayside Жыл бұрын

Big fan of oakham beers, sadly dont get much in my neck of the woods.

@bernardbrooks2889 Жыл бұрын

love the vid do you guys know if you can potentially turn beer into a vapshot ? you know as alcohol MIST?

@joshmitchell2775 Жыл бұрын

Beer Here Brewery in Denmark has been doing a Citra Forward beer (Kama Citra) for along ass time.. be interested in trying this one too... since i cant find Beer Here in the states lately.

@jsfourdirections Жыл бұрын

Close up shots of hand pulled cask pints makes dry January quite difficult here guys!

@davidhorton1064 Жыл бұрын

Great chuffing video

@Al-Brewster Жыл бұрын

You were in my neck of the woods! Oakham's Citra was what inspired me to brew my first IPA...Also, why did Jonny sound shocked when he said Peterborough...can nothing good come out of this historic city?

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

Not so much anything - more that it is never mentioned as a brewery town!

@andyleighton3616 Жыл бұрын

@@TheCraftBeerChannel We keep it quiet. There are a couple more tiny breweries in the town, but a fair few more (and maybe more interesting ones) within about 15 miles.

@davidk7262 10 ай бұрын

I have never tried this on cask. In bottle I think it is superb so it must be off the hook on cask.

@jasonsteel4882 Жыл бұрын

Need to see more Green Devil out there

@godsownatheist3675 Жыл бұрын

I'm sure you're as saddened as I am by the demise of The Wild Beer Co. How about a series of you trying to reverse engineer ' Ninkasi ', my favourite beer of their's ?

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

Interesting thought! Maybe one day.

@rafiki270 Жыл бұрын

Oh and Pogo and all the other ones! :)

@jasonsteel4882 Жыл бұрын

What's the difference between a session IPA & a pale ale?

@johnctwenty3 Жыл бұрын

It's a good beer. Has been about for a few years now?? Tesco have had this for an age.

@thekentishpilgrim Жыл бұрын

Good series in this. Lots of iconic beers out there that I would like to hear the story of. Is there a hop out there in the world that is in more demand than citra? Can they charge a premium for that demand?

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

Citra is the most in demand hop and the most grown in the US these days - not sure if they charge a premium but it certainly aint cheap! What beers do you want to hear about next?

@jacklacoste2613 Жыл бұрын

@@TheCraftBeerChannel citra has gone up massively per kilo. Personally I'd love to see you guts do a feature on Pentrich cask. A lot of it us effectively cask for the hazy Craft generation and I'd love to see your take on it.

@mickerzsnickerz Жыл бұрын

I love Citra but (gun to my head) I'd have to say Simcoe is my favorite hop. What's everyone else's favorite hop?

@craigkinney853 Жыл бұрын

Just found out ride brewery in Glasgow shut. Shame as they did the bottling for many other smaller brewery

@Stevesulsh Жыл бұрын

How have I never seen this beer before? I'm guessing it's only on cask? Have to jump on the ferry for a visit

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

Cask and bottle!

@rockraychina Жыл бұрын

Citra啤酒花的中文名字来自这款啤酒花的研发者丁泸平博士。丁博士是出生在中国湖南的美籍华裔，他把这款他所钟爱的啤酒花翻译为西楚（中国古代的一个地方政权）。

@sa00287 Жыл бұрын

Very informative and interesting, thanks! Unfortunately Citra was the only beer sold out in the supermarket. I'm guessing this video is to blame

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

I wish we had that power! Could help a fee breweries out.

@jamiewatts5131 Жыл бұрын

I love this beer , it’s one of the best I have ever tasted

@verykeen2please Жыл бұрын

Well done At least, real British beer at sensible 4.2% A cracking episode and pint - more of this content please Not ice cream or a peanut in sight

@nbvhoho2738 Жыл бұрын

Will the brewer his son brews at lacons Its a very good beer Adams ghost ship too They doubled it once

@sofakingdrunk66 Жыл бұрын

I've sessioned the arse out of Oakham Citra Ale countless times..

@jameswestlake3525 Жыл бұрын

Restaurants etc

@maxpowers20 Жыл бұрын

Now do Fruit Car Sight Exhibition!

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

We've done putty! Maybe we need a follow up...

@cudden22 Жыл бұрын

Brewdog don't appear to use any hops judging by the standard of their current beers

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

Buuuuuuuuuuuurn

@JakeTheBeeHipter Жыл бұрын

Why is Johnny the only one with a hi-vis on? Did Johnny p*** off the health & safety person, in the brewery.

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

No he just forgot to take his off, unlike the others.

@AndrewLynch9 Жыл бұрын

Favourite hop? Come on got to be Saaz!

@xander1052 Жыл бұрын

For me it has to be between Fuggles and Simcoe, In the end I'm leaning more Fuggles

@oscarosullivan4513 Жыл бұрын

Fuggles or East Kent Goldings

@Disco-Terry Жыл бұрын

Oakham Citra is a bit dated now but still you can taste the quality in there, had a pint on cask not long ago and you have to respect what it's done for UK beer.

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

Dated how? I feel like it's come back into vogue as west coast bitterness becomes appealing again!

@Disco-Terry Жыл бұрын

@@TheCraftBeerChannel I just feel like it would have been mind blowing 13 years ago when they released it whereas as trying it for the first time recently it was just another very good citra ipa. I feel like they are coming back a bit too on cask at least.

@jameswestlake3525 Жыл бұрын

Brad, call me I've some crazy contacts In Germany 🇩🇪 x

@liamo8932 Жыл бұрын

I am Citra

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

Some Hangovers have felt that way for me too.

@MrPaulmorris7777 Жыл бұрын

Not a fan of Oakham. The only ones I drink are the Oak Aged ones, and the good ones are few and far between.

@jacklacoste2613 Жыл бұрын

It's a shame Oakham put their beers in Wetherspoons. I can't help feel it devalued their brand.

@TheCraftBeerChannel Жыл бұрын

Not been to a non-airport spoons in years so didn't know it was there! A real shame but in this market, if you can make a profit we can't judge. Spoons is undoutably a mixed blessing, but there a resome small businesses that wouldn't be around without them right now.

@jacklacoste2613 Жыл бұрын

@@TheCraftBeerChannel I think with the prices of hops and the deals breweries got in to with both Wetherspoons and the supermarkets, they will be almost regretting taking the buck for volume. Of course I will still drink Oakham and buy it on cask for the pub, but I can't help but think they missed an opportunity back in the early days of Citra and Green Devil. Those were both amazing beers, many pubs would have loved them, but then the citra bottles were sold in Wetherspoons a few years back which unfortunately meant they lost a lot of desirability , as good as the beers are. Not sure how big their production is nowadays, but I know Spoons don't pay much, and I'm sure Oakham could have probably done very well through a bigger wholesaler. Not sure if they still deal with spoons. The current market is brutal though, breweries and pubs just need to try and ride things out, sadly lots are already falling by the wayside.

@Kenny-zw1lp Ай бұрын

I don’t like over hopped beers I never liked Citra when I first tried it, and it started the dreadful trend where all breweries are making beers like it. It’s my opinion, others obviously like it, but I don’t, it’s so boring that these type beers are everywhere, never mind, some breweries are still making good beer with a good malt balance, with English hops, amber, red coloured, I can’t even mention the dreaded hazy IPA’s……

@gangland4318 Жыл бұрын

stop threatening bradley with weapons

@Canalcoholic 15 күн бұрын

Each to their own, it would be a boring world if we all liked the same things. I hate Citra, all I get from it is cat piss and lemon.

@franciscouch8378 Жыл бұрын

Always felt that Oakham have a link to the old and the new....they cross over into new age craft but have one hand in the traditional aswell. Solid brewery,good beer.