If Kern River Brewing Company's Citra is the Moby Dick of the craft-brewing world, then we have some good news for the perpetually frustrated Ahabs out there: The award-winning ale will be offered for sale Feb. 1 through 3.

But there is a limited supply.

There are restrictions on how much patrons can buy.

And you can't beg or bribe them to hold the liquid gold until you getnthere, so don't even try.

Experience has taught the brew pub's owners they have no choice but to be strict when doling out the popular Citra, a 2011 gold medal winner at the great American Beer Festival. Folks travel to Kernville from all over the state in pursuit of the classic, described by inventor Kyle Smith as "a really hoppy beer."

"We will be releasing 35 cases per day with a six-bottle per person limit," warns the microbrewery in an email announcing the Citra news.

"It will also be on draft, but there will be no growler fills since we tend to go through the entire batch in about a day and a half. The bottles will be handled in the normal fashion: first-come first-served. If there is a line outside the door before we open at 11:30 (and there probably will be) we will hand out tickets to those in line. Once you have your ticket, you are guaranteed your six bottles, so you can sit down and eat and enjoy yourself."

So why don't they brew the Citra more often?

"Because we can't," the email states. "If you give us $1,000,000 we will brew it all year round and you can bathe in it."

Kern River Brewing Company is located at 13415 Sierra Highway in Kernville; 760-376-BEER (2337) http://www.kernriverbrewing.com.