Sierra Nevada Citrus Little Thing IPA Coming To 12-oz Cans

Sierra Nevada Citrus Little Thing IPA

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. has another Little Thing beer on the way, and I had to look twice at the name because I was almost certain this one already existed. I was thinking of Citra Little Thing, which makes the announcement a little confusing at first, but this is Citrus Little Thing IPA, a new hazy IPA that will arrive in 12-ounce cans. The beer is listed at 7.5% alcohol by volume, putting it in the stronger end of the everyday hazy IPA category, and the new label gives us an early look at another addition to Sierra Nevada’s increasingly recognizable Little Thing family.

Names matter here. Sierra Nevada has spent years building a recognizable group of beers around its Little Thing branding, with hazy IPAs and other releases giving drinkers a familiar name to look for while the individual beers bring different flavor ideas to the table. Citrus Little Thing appears ready to lean into the citrus side of that family, although the brewery has not yet provided a full description of the beer’s hops, aroma or tasting notes in the information available for this announcement. The name certainly points toward citrus character, but we’ll need more details before claiming exactly what the finished beer will taste like.

The new Sierra Nevada Citrus Little Thing IPA is identified as a hazy IPA on the can, with a 7.5% ABV specification printed clearly along the bottom of the label. That puts it in familiar territory for modern American hazy IPAs, where juicy aromas, expressive hop character and a softer-looking beer have become popular with craft drinkers. The label itself is a bright combination of yellow, green and orange, with oversized lettering and hop illustrations framing the Citrus Little Thing name. It looks like a Little Thing beer from across the room, which is probably the point.

A strong package. A familiar name. Another hazy IPA.

Sierra Nevada plans to package Citrus Little Thing in 12-ounce cans, a standard format that gives retailers and drinkers an easy way to stock and serve the new beer. The label also identifies Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. locations in Chico, California, and Mills River, North Carolina, connecting the release with the brewery’s two major brewing operations. At this stage, however, the available announcement does not establish a launch date, whether the beer will be distributed nationally, or which multipack configurations will be offered. Those details remain worth watching as the release approaches.

The comparison with Citra Little Thing is unavoidable, especially for anyone who follows Sierra Nevada’s seasonal and limited beer announcements. Citra is also the name of a widely used hop variety, so the similar wording can lead to understandable confusion among people scanning a list of new releases. Citrus Little Thing is the name to watch for this particular beer, and the distinction matters when tracking new Sierra Nevada beer labels, product listings and release information. Until the brewery shares more about the recipe, it would be premature to assume that the new beer uses a particular hop bill or tastes like another release in the lineup.

Sierra Nevada has built a reputation for producing beers that appeal to both longtime craft drinkers and people who are just beginning to explore styles beyond familiar pale ales and lagers. The Little Thing range gives the brewery room to experiment while retaining a clear connection to its main brand. Citrus Little Thing adds another name to that conversation, with a hazy IPA format and a 7.5% ABV that should catch the attention of fans who prefer modern hop-forward beer.

For now, the 12-ounce can label is the main preview. No confirmed release date or complete packaging details have been supplied, so we’ll have to wait for the brewery to fill in the blanks. If Citrus Little Thing lives up to its citrus-focused name, it could become another interesting option for drinkers who enjoy the hazy IPA category and want to see what Sierra Nevada does next with its Little Thing lineup.

Stay tuned for more details as they become available.

Label Text Sierra Nevada Citrus Little Thing:

FAMILY OWNED, OPERATED & ARGUED OVER®

Finest Quality

Purest Ingredients

SIERRA NEVADA CITRUS LITTLE THING IPA

12 FL. OZ.

HAZY IPA

7.5% ABV

SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO., CHICO, CA & MILLS RIVER, NC

ENJOY RESPONSIBLY & PLEASE RECYCLE

Related Sierra Nevada news from mybeerbuzz.com:
If you follow Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and its expanding lineup of Little Thing beers, check out our previous coverage of Sierra Nevada Adding Citra Little Thing Cans and Sierra Nevada Adding Mosaic Little Thing Hazy IPA. Both releases provide useful background on the brewery’s limited hazy IPA series and its ongoing exploration of hop-driven flavors. With Citrus Little Thing now appearing on a new 12-ounce can label at 7.5% ABV, keep checking mybeerbuzz.com for more Sierra Nevada beer news, new can reveals, seasonal releases and updates on upcoming craft beer packaging.

About Sierra Nevada Brewing:

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. has been one of the defining names in American craft beer since Ken Grossman founded the brewery in Chico, California, in 1980. What started as a small brewing operation built around a passion for better beer grew into one of the country’s most influential independent brewing businesses. Still family-owned and operated, Sierra Nevada has earned its reputation by combining traditional brewing knowledge, a willingness to experiment and a long-running commitment to making beer that delivers flavor rather than simply following the latest trend.

The company’s early success came from Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, a beer that helped introduce generations of American drinkers to the appeal of a more pronounced hop character. When the craft beer market was much smaller and national beer shelves were dominated by lighter mainstream lagers, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale offered a different experience, with distinctive hop flavor, a firm bitterness and a recognizable Cascade hop profile. It became a flagship for the brewery and an important part of the wider American craft brewing movement.

Sierra Nevada continued building its reputation through beers that combined reliable brewing with a clear sense of identity. Celebration Fresh Hop IPA, Torpedo Extra IPA, Bigfoot Barleywine and other releases helped establish the brewery as a producer of flavorful beers across a range of styles. Its portfolio eventually expanded to include pale ales, India pale ales, porters, stouts, seasonal beers, lagers and experimental releases, giving the brewery room to serve longtime craft beer enthusiasts as well as drinkers discovering new styles.

The introduction of Hazy Little Thing IPA added another major chapter to that history. Hazy IPAs became an increasingly visible part of the American craft beer market, drawing attention for their cloudy appearance, juicy hop character and softer presentation compared with many traditional West Coast IPAs. Sierra Nevada brought that style to a much wider audience with a beer that retained a strong hop presence while fitting into the brewery’s established portfolio. Hazy Little Thing also helped create a recognizable family of related beers, including Juicy Little Thing, Sunny Little Thing and a rotating collection of specialty releases.

The Little Thing family gives Sierra Nevada an opportunity to explore different flavor profiles without losing the recognition associated with the main brand. Some releases emphasize tropical fruit, others focus on citrus or particular hop varieties, and the broader lineup has included beers spanning different styles and strengths. For drinkers, the shared naming makes it easier to recognize a new release while still leaving room for meaningful differences between individual beers.

That approach is particularly relevant to Citrus Little Thing IPA. The new 12-ounce can identifies the beer as a hazy IPA with a 7.5% ABV, adding another option to Sierra Nevada’s growing collection of hop-forward beers. The name suggests a citrus-focused direction, although the full recipe, hop varieties and official tasting notes have not been confirmed in the supplied release information. Its bright green and yellow artwork, large lettering and hop illustrations continue the bold visual identity associated with the Little Thing brand.

Sierra Nevada also operates a major brewing facility in Mills River, North Carolina, complementing its original Chico operation. The two locations give the company a substantial production footprint and a presence on both coasts. Beyond its beer, Sierra Nevada has invested in brewing technology, water conservation, energy efficiency and other environmental initiatives, reflecting an interest in managing the practical effects of large-scale brewing.

The brewery’s influence extends beyond individual products. Its willingness to invest in brewing equipment, experiment with recipes and maintain a recognizable core portfolio has helped it remain relevant through multiple generations of craft beer growth. Sierra Nevada continues to balance established favorites with newer releases, giving retailers and consumers familiar choices alongside beers that invite another look at the brewery’s capabilities.

For current beer listings, brewery information, taproom details and official announcements, visit the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. website.

More than four decades after its founding, Sierra Nevada remains an important name in American craft brewing. From Pale Ale and Torpedo to Hazy Little Thing and the newer limited hazy IPA releases, the brewery continues to draw on its history while looking for new ways to develop its beers. Citrus Little Thing is the latest label to join that story, and its arrival gives fans another Sierra Nevada release to watch as packaging and availability details emerge.

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