Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Company - Citra IPA

Jeremiah Johnson’s Citra IPA presents a bright pale golden color with a touch of haze and a lasting head of creamy, lacing foam. The brewers aimed to make a citrus bomb with this Citra-centric ale, and we have to say they succeeded well. Sliced orange flesh, orange juice, candied orange peel – it’s all here in the aroma, along with more acidic impressions of grapefruit and lemon-lime. We picked up touches of resinous pine and softer floral impressions, as well. On the palate, look for grapefruit, orange, and subtle lime notes to hit upfront, riding upon a very pleasantly smooth and creamy body and a neutral, mildly bready malt undercurrent. Hop bitterness is firm, but not overly so, balanced very well by the round and silky impression and just a kiss of residual malt sweetness. For food pairings, we’d choose to play off the strong citrus and bitter elements in the beer with fruity and spicy elements in the dish. Spicy ceviche, orange-tamarind glazed chicken, and Thai shrimp curry with lemongrass & ginger sound like intriguing options. Cheers!

Born and raised in Montana and named after the famous mountain man, Jeremiah Johnson had always had an adventurous spirit and dreamed about starting his own business. Initially, as a recent graduate of Montana State University, he didn’t have the means to jump into entrepreneurship, so he ended up embarking on a career of sales and marketing, followed by economic and real estate development. Finally, in 2018, an opportunity arose for him and his wife Katie to make their dream a reality while embracing their passion for craft beer. The duo acquired Great Falls’ struggling The Front Brewing Company, which had opened in 2012, and transformed it into Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Company. During the transition, they introduced Golden Bobcat Pale Ale in partnership with Montana State University, brewed with locally sourced ingredients to highlight the region’s agricultural industry. It’s a theme that continues to this day, as the brewery stands as a highlight for Montana’s agricultural Golden Triangle region.

Since launching the brewery, Jeremiah Johnson has opened two brewpub locations: one in downtown Coeur d'Alene, Idaho – serendipitously adjacent to Montana Ave – and a second in Whitefish in northwestern Montana’s Flathead Valley where they acquired the former Great Northern Brewery location at the Blackstar building and overhauled it into a gleaming brewery restaurant. There, brewers can create and test small batch experimental recipes, picking the best to move up to full-scale production at their main Great Falls facility. Today, the brewery offers seven year-round and seasonal beers in addition to their smaller-batch offerings, and they are the official beer of the Big Sky athletic conference. For more info about the brewery and their ID and MT locations, check them out at jjbrew.com.