Borderlands Celebrates Citrana Can Release!
by Kai Parmenter
Borderlands Brewing Company has become a major fixture in Downtown in recent years, offering a diverse array of handcrafted beers on tap, which can also be found in many stores, bars and restaurants throughout the state.
They’ve also begun offering select brews in a more portable fashion. Case in point: Borderlands just announced they will be releasing their famed Citrana ale in cans next week, and has partnered with several independent craft beer retailers for a series of launch parties beginning Tuesday, August 16th. Let the celebration begin!
The festivities kick off at Ermanos Craft Beer & Wine Bar on the 16th, where they’ll be offering $2.50 Citrana cans all day. Next up is Tucson Hop Shop on the 17th, followed by a Tap and Bottle party on the evening of the 18th, and Arizona Beer House on the 20th. Closing out the celebration is Plaza Liquors, which will host a sampling event on Friday the 26th.
Why hold so many launch parties for a single beer? Borderlands’ general manager Adam Ledford notes that “Tucson is kind of a special craft beer scene, and it’s something that’s starting to get national attention.” Ledford sees this as a direct result of how well businesses work together in the area. “We wouldn’t be where we are today without the help of the local bottle shops.”
The release of Citrana in cans is a big deal for Borderlands, something they’ve worked towards for nearly a year. “It’s a lengthy process,” says Ledford. “By the time you file for and receive the right permitting, go through the art creation and approval process, work with the vendor to set up the samples…even something as simple as putting a barcode on a can is another step in the process.”
This is clearly an elaborate undertaking for a microbrewery such as Borderlands, yet Ledford is confident in the final product—what’s more, he’s genuinely excited to share Citrana with all of Tucson. “We did it right,” says Ledford. “We’re really glad to be moving towards getting those in people’s hands at this point.”
Citrana has been available on tap for several years, and is one of Borderlands’ most sought-after options, to the point where they’ve run out of it entirely a couple times. It’s also a favorite among many of the staff. Putting it in a can just seemed like a logical next step. “From a business perspective, it is the bestselling draft that we serve at our tap room, and it’s very strong as far as sales to other businesses that pour draft beer,” says Ledford, noting that the can format already does much of the heavy lifting for their market presence.
The Citrana ale is their second foray into canning original brews, following the extremely popular Noche Dulce vanilla porter, referred to by Ledford as “the beer that built Borderlands.” Yet unlike Noche Dulce, which is a darker, “seasonal” beer, Citrana is a lighter, summer draft, which can be enjoyed year-round. Specifically, Citrana belongs to a regional variant called gose, a classic, German-style sour beer known also for its saltiness. What sets Borderlands’ Citrana apart from other gose beers is the addition of cardamom, which lends it a hint of fruity, spicy aroma and a highly smooth aftertaste. Trust us, it’s good.
Borderlands was founded in 2010 by Michael Mallozzi and Myles Stone, two friends who’ve since transformed their shared passion for craft beer into one of Downtown’s most notable breweries. Adam Ledford joined Borderlands early last year with the intent of eventually starting his own brewery, yet quickly realized Borderlands was exactly the brewery he would’ve wanted. Ledford and the founders clicked, and the former was soon promoted to GM. The rest is history.
To learn more about Borderlands Brewing Company and their delicious Citrana Southwestern Style Gose, visit their website here.