- Complex bitter and citrus/tropical fruit flavours
- Full depth and notable hop profile
- Sharp and crisp
- Overpowering, almost harsh bitter aftertaste
Some folks drink when the ball drops on new years, I prefer to drink a big drop every day of the year… That might not make perfect sense but not everything in this wild, wild world needs to.
Close your eyes and say, ‘para-para-paradise, para-para-paradiso.’ You’re probably thinking of the Coldplay song, it’s a pretty good and fun song although in my aggressively humble opinion not perfect. Paradiso is right there with that track, making for a convenient simile.
I’m back with Big Drop Brewing Co and looking forward to chilling with their renowned Paradiso Citra IPA. I say ‘renowned’ but even ‘renowned’ feels inappropriate. It feels not quite commensurate with the external praise that Paradiso has garnered. Let’s see…Paradiso has won the following awards:
- The World’s Best – Style Winner at the World Beer Awards – 2021. Badass category.
- The United Kingdom Country Winner at the World Beer Awards – 2020.
- The Low Alcohol Gold at the European Beer Challenge in 2019.
- The No and Low Alcohol – World Champion at the International Brewing Awards.
That’s not the full list, those are just the ones that impressed me most. These all could contribute to me having inflated expectations for Paradiso…And they do. I’m not immune to Oscar Goggles (thinking/willing something to be good just because it has won an award). But still, we move, we power through, we figuratively purge our brains of any bias, not literally, not yet. And so, let’s see how Big Drop’s award-winning IPA measures up to this aggressively humble taster.
Big Drop Paradiso Citra Initial Review
Paradiso is a clear, dark butterscotch golden colour. It has a strong aroma, which I got to experience intimately because I accidentally stuck my full nose in there when I was attempting to uncover its essence. When I stuck my nose in there I got a damp and sticky smell, like a slight staleness. It reminded me of American Spring Break. That sounds a bit harsh, it actually smells decent and tropical/citrus from a safe distance, big pineapple, orange and mango vibes.
With a complex profile, Paradiso’s mouthfeel is my favourite part of the brew. It’s bubbly, sharp, heavy, and. ABRUPT. You take one sip and the brew gets right into it, no ease in here. At the start of each sip, Paradiso’s fruit flavour – pomelos, oranges, pineapple, guava, melon – comes through seemingly on the tip of each sip. Then this intense bitterness kicks in and totally envelops the mouth. It shifts from intense to harsh and back to intense again leaving a piney aftertaste of light, yet strong bitterness. Because of its strong flavour, I’d pair Paradiso with distinctly aromatic foods such as steak, beyond meat, rabbit liver…And beyond.
Paradiso’s complex profile is very impressive even if I personally found the bitterness too harsh. It is probably a dream for drinkers actively seeking and enjoying bitter brews. Enjoy!
Why not check out some other reviews of Big Drop Beers, listed below:
An eminent golden ray of sunshine, this malt forward offering brings a soft, honey aroma and a robust malt backbone, balanced with a gentle bitterness from the traditional noble hops and a delicate uplifting waft of citrus from the new world addition.
A classic hop-fest that fuses tropical flavours to recreate the intensity of a double IPA. The fantastic blend of US hops combine to give pineapple, citrus, pine and stone fruit aromas underpinned by a pine and herby flavour – topped off with an unapologetic slap of mango – to make this the ultimate summer thirst quencher
Aromas of cracker, light honey and pepper this lager is crisp, balanced with a suitable level of bitterness to ensure it has a dry, refreshing bite. Keep it nice and chilled. Goes well with any food eaten on a hot summers day.
This beautiful brown ale is malt-focused with a toasty aroma and soft grassy notes because of the light use of hops. The palate is malty with a touch of fruit and caramel. Pair this beer with something hearty like a good beef stew.
This beautiful brown ale is malt-focused with a toasty aroma and soft grassy notes because of the light use of hops. The palate is malty with a touch of fruit and caramel. Pair this beer with something hearty like a good beef stew.
A nose with hints of pine and honey, this pale ale is packed full of flavour from citrus-heavy hops with a twist of fresh lime to create a crisp, zesty beer
With notes of coffee, cocoa nibs and a lingering hint of sweet vanilla this beer is dark, rich and indulgent
Big Drop Paradiso Citra Price
The price of Paradiso Citra varies depending on where you buy it from and how many cans you buy. I bought 2 cans from Wisebartender for £1.99 per can.
Paradiso Citra Nutritional Information, Ingredients and Calories
Paradiso Citra IPA is a low-gluten, low calorie nolo choice. The ingredients for Paradiso Citra are:
Water, Malted Barley, Vegetable Glycerine, Oats, Wheat, Lactose (Milk), Hops (Cascade, Chinook, Citra, Columbus, Simcoe), Yeast.
Where to buy Paradiso Citra
| Nutritional Information | Per 100mL |
|---|---|
| ABV | 0.5% |
| Energy (KJ / KCal) | 78.9/18.5 |
| Fat (g) | 0.1 |
| Of Which Saturates (g) | 0.1 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 3.6 |
| Of Which Sugars (g) | 21.1 |
| Protein (g) | < 0.5 |
| Salt (g) | 0.1 |
Summary
TLDR: Paradiso Citra IPA is an award-winning beer from Big Drop Brewery. The beer has won several awards including The World’s Best – Style Winner at the World Beer Awards – 2021. My rating is based on its complex and unique profile, but it is aggressively bitter which isn’t my exact bag. Paradiso is a dark butterscotch colour with a tropical/citrus smell that masks its bitterness. Its mouthfeel is sharp and refreshing. The taste goes from citrus fruitiness on the tip of each sip to an intense and almost harsh bitterness before resting in a sharp bitterness. It’s good.
Paradiso can be found online at the Big Drop webshop, online nolo retailers, and also in grocery stores like Waitrose and Sainsbury’s.
The brew is a low-gluten, low calorie nolo choice, and will pair well with aromatic dark foods, think steak and liver. Enjoy!
