Mosaic first entered the hop market in 2012, thanks to Jason Perrault, a fourth generation hop farmer — and hop breeder — in the Yakima Valley, where his family owns nearly 1,500 acres of hopyards. Perrault’s breeding company, Yakima Chiefs Ranches, is responsible for creating some of the more popular hops in the States, including Simcoe and Citra. The Mosaic breeding program started in 2001, when they crossed a female Simcoe (YCR 14) and a Nugget derived male, which had a linage including Tomahawk, Brewers Gold, Early Green, and an unknown variety. The test plant was called HBC 369. For about the 10 years they selected for the best plants and then let a few brewers peek. The name Mosaic was given to the variety because of the complex and broad aromas it imparts. It may be most noted for its “blueberry” or “berry medley” aromas, but other descriptors used include mango, stone fruit, rosy or floral, bubblegum, tropical, citrus, grassy, pine, earthy, herbal, spice. This complex profile is backed by a clean bittering, which makes it especially remarkable in single hop ales, which is the focus of today’s Peaks & Pints in-house beer flight, Peaks and Pints Beer Flight: Mosaic Single Hop. There might be an underlying hop or two other than the advertised Mosaic, but these four beers are definitely Mosaic beers.
Peaks and Pints Beer Flight: Mosaic Single Hop
Stoup Mosaic Pale
5.3% ABV, can in cooler
We’ve told the Stoup story a thousand times, but it bears repeating. Scientist Brad Benson and foodie Lara Zahaba opened Stoup Brewing in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood in 2013. Washington state’s first female Cicerone, Robyn Schumacher, became Stoup’s third partner, assisting Benson in the brewing room. Benson graduated from Gonzaga University with a B.S. in Chemistry and has been crafting beer for more than 28 years. Their 2021 GABF silver medalist Mosaic Pale Ale is a highly drinkable, hop forward pale ale with a classic American pale ale malt bill. Heavy handed Mosaic dry hopping gives this beer a nose packed full of citrus and mango. Expect an up-front aroma, balanced bittering, and a moderate body.
Ilk Mosaic IPA
6.2% ABV, can in cooler
Ilk Beer loved their Fresh Kilned all Mosaic IPA so much they decided to take another crack at it; this time using 100-percent Roy Farms hops T-90 pellets, Mainstem Pale malts, and a bunch of flaked grains. Fermented with their favorite Yorkshire yeast strain and double dry hopped with more Roy Farms Mosaic, this soft IPA is juicy and fruity.
Lumberbeard Hop Choppin: Smashy Trails Edition
6.5% ABV, can in cooler
Lumberbeard Brewing‘s single malt, single hop West Coast IPA, Hop Choppin: Smash Trails Edition, is brewed with only Francin Pilsner malt and Mosaic hops. It’s clean, crisp, smooth, hoppy, light, and crushable with dank berry and citrus notes.
Stoup Pistol Fingers
6.9% ABV, draft
Mosaic hop loving Stoup Brewing knows you love Mosaic hops too, so they brewed Pistol Fingers IPA with Mosaic hops three ways: resonate, pellets and cryo pellets in this homage to the mighty Mosaic. While not a single hop beer this beer screams Mosaic (mango and citrus aroma and flavor) from start to finish.
LINK: Peaks and Pints beer and cider cooler inventory
