Judge's Review: 88 Rating - Labatt Blue Citra by FIFCO USA

Labatt Blue Citra by FIFCO USA is an International Pale Lager, and was judged as such according to style category 2A of the BJCP's 2015 Guidelines.

This beer has the look of an International pale lager. The aroma is not huge but my first sniff and sip of this and I thought 1970s kit car – where you put a sports car body on a VW frame. This has an International Pale Lager chassis the perfect clean malt and fermentation character only a large brewer can achieve. The brewer has beefed up the malt chassis a little bit to support the beautiful, big, rich citrusy hop treatment lightly seasoned with some pine and resin. The hop flavors are big, and the bitterness has substance but is not harsh. There is enough malt and hop flavor to knock the rough edges off. As a session beer, it makes no pretense to special or classic status but stakes a claim as an every day beer, and a very drinkable, flavor-packed one. Despite its non-craft pedigree, I like this beer and will drink it again.