Released in 2012, the Mosaic hop is the daughter of the bitter, earthy hop Simcoe, and was developed by Hop Breeding Co. With leaves hugging the compact cone, the Mosaic hop is beautifully shaped, with an organized and tight-knit appearance. The wonderful tropical and citrus fruitfulness of Mosaic is complemented by a contrasting earthy, piney taste. Craft Beer Crosscut 10.16.17: A Flight of Mosaic Hops features five craft beers with the hop in their recipes.
Founders Mosaic Promise
5.5% ABV, 50 IBU
Founders Mosaic Promise showcases two unique ingredients: Mosaic hops and Golden Promise malt. Mosaic hops’ natural attributes bring notes of mango, citrus, earthy pine, and tropical fruits, while providing a clean finish with a crisp bitter flavor. Golden Promise, which comes from a Scottish barley, also has a clean flavor. The pairing is nearly perfect. The simplicity in Mosaic Promise is what makes it shine — clean and drinkable like a pilsner or session IPA, but full-flavored enough so that it never disappoints the taste buds.
Rainy Daze Goat Boater IPA
7% ABV, 57 IBU
Besides people riding bicycles munching on pickled fish and chanting “Børk! Børk! Børk” the other curious happening Rainy Daze Brewing noticed as it was moving into Sound Brewery’s former facility in Poulsbo was the frequent kayakers paddling on nearby Liberty Bay. Founder and head brewer Mike Montoney wanted to pay tribute to his new home so he named his latest IPA Goat Boater, which is slang for kayaker. And he’s paddling all the way to the bank. Amarillo, Mosaic, Centennial and Cascade are the hops. Triple dry hop is the action. Tropical fruit and dank flavor are the selling points.
Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA
6.4% ABV, 60 IBU
From one of Oregon’s most heralded breweries, Deschutes, comes Fresh Squeezed, a Citra-hopped delight. The mouthwatering, delicious Fresh Squeezed IPA receives a liberal dosing of Mosaic and Citra hops for a mango, pineapple, orange and grapefruit morning fruit cup. While the initial flavors are sweet and fruity, a good dose of hop bitterness comes through near the end, keeping it all in perfect harmony.
Full Sail Hop Pursuit IPA
6.5% ABV, 65 IBU
According to Full Sail Hop Pursuit hype, “Brewers shoot a wonderfully hoppy surplus of Cascade, Mosaic, Equinox, and Simcoe into the fermenter using the Hop Shooter, dry hopping the beer and enhancing the aroma of pineapple and late hop flavors. Piney and mango notes follow with a mid-palate hint of honey.” Well, we think the aroma has a strong spruce presence with a hint of vanilla sweetness. We could pursue this IPA with its bitter and caramel sweetness, grapefruit citrus notes and a touch of mango.
Fort George Suicide Squeeze Special Edition
7.2% ABV
This is not the same session IPA from 2014 when it was launched in collaboration with Seattle’s Suicide Squeeze record label (Modest Mouse, This Will Destroy You, Elliot Smith). Fort George Brewery has re-mastered the recipe in a big, big way with a solid 7.2% ABV. The recipe was tweaked with big additions of Mosaic, Amarillo and Citra hops. Front loaded with organic 2-row barley and layered with deep cuts of specialty malt, Suicide Squeeze IPA presents us a balanced, full sensory experience. Designed to look like a 7-inch vinyl this colorful label changes colors with temperature swings, the snake on the label is dead and dull when the can is warm, but becomes a vibrant bright green when cold.
