Citra vs Centennial Hops — Which Should You Use for Your Home Brew IPA?
If you've been browsing our hop range and found yourself hovering between Citra and Centennial, you're not alone. These are two of the most popular American aroma hops in home brewing, and choosing between them trips up brewers of every experience level. Both produce brilliant IPAs — but they do very different things. This guide breaks down exactly what each hop brings to your beer, when to use each one, and how to get the most out of them.
What Are Citra Hops?
Citra is a trademarked hop variety developed by the Hop Breeding Company and released in 2008. It's become one of the defining hops of the modern craft beer movement — the flavour and aroma profile is extraordinary. Citra delivers an intense burst of tropical fruit: think passion fruit, lychee, mango, and lime, with a clean, bright citrus finish.
Alpha acids sit between 11–13%, making it dual-purpose, but it really shines as an aroma hop added at flameout, whirlpool, or during dry hopping.
Citra at a glance:
- Alpha acids: 11–13%
- Aroma: Tropical fruit, passion fruit, lime, lychee, grapefruit
- Best styles: New England IPA, Hazy IPA, American Pale Ale, Session IPA
- Best used: Late boil, whirlpool, dry hop
You can buy Citra T90 hop pellets at BrewCo UK in 100g packs.
What Are Centennial Hops?
Centennial is a classic American hop developed at Washington State University and released in 1990. Often called a "super Cascade", it shares Cascade's floral citrusy character but with noticeably higher alpha acids (9.5–11.5%) and a more intense piney edge. Centennial has a well-rounded bitterness that doesn't come across as harsh, making it one of the most versatile hops in any brewer's arsenal.
Where Citra is all tropical exuberance, Centennial is more measured and classic — think grapefruit peel, lemon zest, pine resin, and a floral background note.
Centennial at a glance:
- Alpha acids: 9.5–11.5%
- Aroma: Grapefruit, lemon, pine, floral
- Best styles: American IPA, American Pale Ale, Amber Ale
- Best used: Bittering, late boil, dry hop
Citra vs Centennial: The Key Differences
The simplest way to think about it: Citra is tropical and modern. Centennial is citrus-piney and classic.
Citra is louder and more expressive — a small amount goes a long way and it can easily dominate a recipe. Centennial is more restrained and versatile, working well as both a bittering and aroma hop. Chasing a hazy tropical NEIPA? Citra. Want a clean, balanced American IPA with classic citrus-pine character? Centennial.
| Citra | Centennial | |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha Acids | 11–13% | 9.5–11.5% |
| Aroma | Tropical, passion fruit, lime | Grapefruit, pine, floral |
| Intensity | Very high — use with care | Medium-high — versatile |
| Best Use | Aroma, dry hop | Bittering, aroma, dry hop |
| Beer Style | NEIPA, Hazy, Session IPA | American IPA, Pale Ale |
Can You Use Them Together?
Absolutely — and many brewers do. Centennial provides the bittering backbone in the early boil while Citra is added late or during dry hopping for tropical aroma. A simple combination for a 23-litre batch:
- 30g Centennial at 60 minutes (bittering)
- 20g Centennial at 10 minutes (late aroma)
- 30g Citra at flameout
- 50g Citra dry hop for 3–4 days
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Both
Store them cold. Once opened, keep hops in the freezer in a sealed bag. Hops oxidise quickly and stale hops produce a harsh, musty bitterness rather than clean aroma.
Weigh accurately. Especially with Citra — a 10g difference can noticeably shift the flavour balance.
Don't skip dry hopping. Both reveal their best aroma character through dry hopping. Add to your fermenter once primary fermentation slows (around day 4–5), leave for 3–4 days, then cold crash and package.
Which Should You Buy?
If you can only pick one: go Citra for hazy and tropical styles, Centennial for classic American IPAs and pale ales. Both are available in 100g packs — browse our full range of home brew hops at BrewCo UK, including Cascade, Mosaic, Galaxy, Fuggles, Goldings and 20+ more varieties.