I will make a confession, Spring tricked me.

I should have known better. I am from Minnesota. I know the drill.

But one unseasonably warm Saturday won me over, bringing visions of patios, and beaches, and festivals to come.

Then, as history cannot be beaten, the doldrums of spring resumed. Cold, punishing days of monotone sleet and “I shouldn’t have put my snowbrush away” mornings.

I felt deceived, like a rookie recently broke.

I don’t feel that way anymore.

With a beautiful May Day just passed, Spring has arrived and the visions of patios and sunburns are no longer cruel temptations.

Enter: Surly Xtra-Citra Pale Ale.

Full disclosure: I love Surly’s beer. Heavy, boozy, hoppy, a little aggressive. But what makes a Surly beer so appealing also makes it a tough sell for a lazy afternoon where no one is counting how many they’ve had, only ensuring there are more left.

Coming in at a lower price point and a lower ABV, Xtra-Citra is a sessionable, accessible, patio ready option.

Xtra-Citra pours amber and little cloudy with thin, wispy foam.

It’s a much lighter body than Furious, with a dry finish. There are hints of fruit, but pretty far in the background.

Xtra-Citra doesn’t have the same wow factor as other beers in Surly’s line up. And that’s the point.

Spring is here. Patios are opening one by one. And Xtra-Citra will invite, “Hey, that’s pretty good”, to your next BBQ.

Stats

Surly Xtra-Citra Pale Ale

ABV 4.5%

Amber, slightly cloudy

Dry finish

Backyard ready