If you’re like most craft beer drinkers (myself included), then you like IPAs. How could you not? They’re the epitome of the United States, using domestically-grown hops and American creativity to turn what was a passable beer into an actually drinkable style.
The Mosaic hop is a big reason why today’s IPAs are drinkable (depending on your taste). While it isn’t as widespread as something like Cascade, Citra, or Simcoe, Mosaic brings an awesome blast of flavor and aroma to beers, usually IPAs and ales.
What Are Mosaic Hops?
Mosaic hops are a hop variety with a complex, juicy flavor that is often used in IPAs. These hops aren’t naturally occurring – they were bred from a combination of Simcoe and Nugget hops. This makes them sort of like ligers; they aren’t normal, but damn are they cool.
Like pretty much any hop variety, you’ll find Mosaic hops growing in Washington and Idaho. And what about that cool name? Well, it should make you think of other mosaic things, like windows. A complex combination of colors that creates a masterpiece.
But in this masterpiece, we don’t use colors…we use flavors and aromas.
What Do Mosaic Hops Taste Like?
Mosaic hops are super fruity in flavor, with plenty of citrus, floral, and tropical notes. You know how IPAs can taste incredibly bitter, especially when they start reaching around 6-7% ABV? Ya, these hops aren’t going to do that to your brew (unless the brewer mixes in other hops).
For aroma, Mosaic smells a lot like how it tastes; citrussy, floral, and tropical.
A lot of brewers utilize Mosaic for single-hopped beers. You can easily find these on menus because they’re often called something like “Mosaic IPA” or “Mosaic Pale.” At least, I assume brewers who name their beers “Mosaic” anything are using Mosaic hops. That, or they’re just fans of the art medium.
Mixing these with other hop varieties will create a mega-flavor that’s unmatched. Consider the Born Yesterday IPA from Lagunitas (if you’ve ever had it). The Born Yesterday uses a combination of Amarillo, Equinox, Simcoe, Citra, and Mosaic hops. If you’ve had that beer, you know it’s a burst of IPA flavors.
Why Are Mosaic Hops Popular?
A lot of people are burnt out on the West Coast style IPA. So, instead of trying to get hoppier and hoppier, brewers just decided to try a different style of hops, leading to juicier IPAs.
Mosaic hops will keep an IPA at a high ABV, and because it is an IPA, you can still expect to get some bitterness in whatever beer you drink. But that juicy flavor is king of the world right now, and it’s only getting more popular.
So, next time you’re at a local brewery, try picking a beer that uses Mosaic hops and see if you can pull out what that flavor is. It helps if you put it side-by-side with a non-Mosaic IPA. You’ll see what all the rage is about!
Mosaic Hops vs Citra Hops: What’s the Difference?
Both Mosaic and Citra hops are fantastic for IPAs, and they’re often used together. However, there are some differences to note
Citra hops, as you might have guessed, have more of a citrusy flavor, something akin to a passion fruit or stone fruit. Citra hops also tend to have a higher alpha acid content, which generally means stronger flavors and bitterness.
Of course, the expression of hops will vary by brewer and style, so take some of these differences with a grain of salt. Just be sure to try a Mosaic solo and Citra solo side-by-side to get a better idea of flavors and aroma.
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