Switchback Brewing Company Makes Citra-Pils Keller Bier a Year-Round Release

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Burlington, VT — Switchback Brewing Company is excited to announce the year-round release of Citra-Pils Keller Bier. In the brewery’s 14 year history, Citra-Pils is only the second beer to be produced, bottled, and distributed year-round. The brewery was founded in 2002 around the idea of creating a unique and distinct flavor with the company’s flagship brew, Switchback Ale. The practice of defying style guidelines continues with a long-aged unfiltered lager.

“Citra-Pils hits all of our favorite points,” says Brewmaster Bill Cherry. “We wanted to add depth to the beer market. Citra-Pils adds new dimensions and flavor profiles in the underrepresented category of craft lager beers.”

Citra-Pils was created on a whim in 2014 while maintaining the lager yeast used in the brewery’s Märzen Fest Bier. The lager is brewed in the most traditional way, using only light pils malt and Saaz hops.

After a six-week lagering process, the beer is then dry-hopped with a blend that includes Citra hops along with Saaz. The brewers worked with Paul Mueller Company to design a custom hop-handling device, enabling the beer to be dry-hopped without sacrificing Switchback’s signature 100% natural carbonation.

The result is a delightfully refreshing pilsener with a decidedly nontraditional twist. The bright lemony citrus notes of the Citra complement the noble Saaz character perfectly. Like all Switchback beers, Citra-Pils is left unfiltered for the fullest flavor possible.

Bill Cherry reflected on the beer’s taste, “The crispness and clean flavors of a lager combined with a tasteful addition of the Citra hop, normally used in IPAs, creates an unusual and fun combination of flavors.”

Citra-Pils Keller Bier will be distributed in VT, NH, MA, ME, and NY, available on draught as well as in 12oz stubby bottles and 22oz bottles, year-round starting in 2017, with new packaging different than that of Switchback’s Rotating Specials.

About Switchback Brewing Company
Switchback Brewing Company was founded in 2002 by master brewer Bill Cherry and his longtime friend Jeff Neiblum. The vision was to concentrate limited resources into making beers that achieve the highest quality possible. To maximize complexity and flavor the beer is left unfiltered and carbonated during fermentation by the yeast itself, creating a 100% naturally conditioned beer. The result is a beer that defies easy description, because it is brewed to a flavor idea and not based on any existing style guidelines. Switchback’s flagship beer, Switchback Ale—the number one selling draught beer in Vermont— along with Citra-Pils Keller Bier and Connector IPA are brewed year-round. Switchback’s Rotating Specials include Extra Pale Ale, Märzen Fest Bier, Roasted Red Ale, Dooley’s Belated Porter, Slow-Fermented Brown Ale, and SwitchBOCK Keller Bier. Switchback beers are brewed in Burlington, VT and are distributed in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.