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 3.21.17: A Flight of Mosaic features five craft beers with the hop in their recipes.
pFriem Mosaic Single-Hop Pale Ale
6.5% ABV, 45 IBU
This was the first beer in pFriem Family Brewers’ single hop pale series, an experimental series in which Josh Pfriem accentuates and showcases the individual character of each hop. Floral and fruity, it smells like a glass of unwashed peaches, and the flavors are of subtly stacked lemon, pine and a slight tinge of blueberry.
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.
Fremont The Sister Imperial IPA
8.5% ABV, 80 IBU
As part of its Imperial Series, Fremont Brewing’s The Sister hides its heavy hop presence — Mosaic, Ekuanot, Amarillo and Columbus — with a nose that links together apricot, tangerine and star fruit into something wholly engrossing. We are hit with a strong hop element with our initial sip that quickly dissipates due to a considerable amount of malt in The Sister, which it balances the hop side. The Sister gradually ends on the sweet side with the aforementioned flavors dancing on the tongue. This imperial IPA packs a bevy of tastes.
Crux Half Hitch
10% ABV, 80 IBU
This is a bright and juicy imperial IPA. The aroma, like the Mosaic used to construct it, has a little bit of everything: funk, citrus, plus fresh-mown grass, a hint of honeydew melon and a dollop of honey to round it all out. The tropical, juicy hoppiness has hints of chives, scallions, clover and grass. What’s distinctive is how Crux Fermentation Project focuses on tropical and piney flavors of hops without harsh bitterness. Juicy, indeed —the hop flavors are very clean, bright, expressive and easily picked out, thanks largely to minimal malt, which isn’t the easiest thing to do at 10% ABV.
Melvin Asterisk (*)
9% ABV, 88 IBU
Even the geekiest beer lover probably hadn’t heard of Jackson’s Thai Me Up Restaurant and Brewery before it won gold medals for its IPA, Melvin, and its double IPA, 2X4, at GABF in 2012 — and then took home the top honors in the Alpha King Challenge, a more underground contest that rewards the best hoppy beers each year. A good portion of the country now knows Melvin Brewing; it’s new name, and its double IPAs. Co-founders “Field Hoperative” and “Head Donkey” use copious amounts of Mosaic hops that give this beer strong notes of tropical fruit, stone fruit, mango and berries. Brewed with a blend of Great western 2-row, light crystal, mosaic hops and some top-secret stuff.
