For those of you who have ordered our craft-beer-inspired pretzels from Boardwalk Food Company, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude and thanks. We put a lot of effort into our craft-beer-inspired pretzels to make them taste like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. One question we get asked quite often, besides how to order our products, is why our IPA pretzels have a citrusy taste to them. And believe it or not, many people have this same question regarding craft beer. There’s a reason for this taste, and we’re glad to take a few moments to explain why. 

There’s Probably no Citrus in Your IPA

Unless you’re purchasing a craft beer that is brewed with citrus flavors, there’s no citrus in your IPA. When breweries make their beers, they usually add a fair amount of high-end hops and sometimes grains to the process. The end result is a sometimes bitter beverage and can trigger the sensory organs to have a similar reaction to that of sweet citrus flavors such as lemon or grapefruit. The citrusy taste comes from the hops. If you purchase a craft beer that’s made from hops such as cascade, centennial, Amarillo, simple, strata, or chinook, you may experience a grapefruit-like aftertaste, but it’s not from the presence of any actual grapefruit. 

Some Popular IPAs that Possess a Grapefruit-Like Aftertaste 

If you’re a regular beer drinker, you might have noticed that sometimes the aftertaste is akin to citrus. Whether you enjoy this flavor or you don’t, we’ve taken the time to list some IPAs that have this taste. This way, you can choose whether or not you want to partake in or avoid them. 

• Harpoon IPA - The IPA, which comes to us from England, has a malty backbone with slight floral notes that are added in. The bitterness is classified as medium with an alcohol percentage of 5.9%. 

• Big Top City Circus IPA - Recognizable due to its victorian era-inspired artwork and alcohol percentage of 6.8%, this IPA is described by some as a beverage that properly represents the traditional brewing techniques pioneered by the English. Made with herbal hops and a slight hint of orange, it harkens back to the days of big-top entertainment and contains subtle hints of sweetness. 

• Sierra Nevada Torpedo - With an alcohol percentage of 7.2%, Torpedo is quite potent. While there’s a slight citrus taste, it takes second place in the malt backbone of the beverage. 

• Lagunita’s Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ - Another popular brand of IPA, Lagunitas utilizes biscuit and floral notes. It’s another potent drink with an alcohol content of 7.5%, so enjoy it responsibly. 

• Jai Alai IPA from Cigar City Brewing - One of the main influences behind the tastes you’ll experience from the products manufactured by Boardwalk Food Co., this IPA comes to us from the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. This robust IPA possesses slight hints of citrus and is regarded by many as one of the finest ever to be brewed. The alcohol content sits at 7.5% and pairs well with a night out on the town with friends. 

Boardwalk Food Company 

At Boardwalk, we manufacture craft-beer-inspired pretzels which will make any restaurant or tavern come to life. For information on how you can add our products to your location, visit us at boardwalkfoodco.com.