Mosaic Hops - History and Profile

As one of the youngest hop strains on the market, Mosaic hops have made a huge impact on the brewing industry. From craft brewers to homebrewers, read on to see why people are going crazy for Mosaic hops.

Hop History and Profile:

Mosaic hops were developed by the United States’ own Hop Breeding Co., and were released to the world in 2012. This hop was bred with Simcoe and nugget-derived hops to create a bitter, fruity, and fantastic dual-purpose hop. 

With its high alpha-acid content (11.5-13.5%), which may have come from its Simcoe parentage, this hop variant is great for bittering as well as for adding a unique aromatic presence. 

With a flavor profile consisting of tropical fruit, citrus, pine, earthy, floral, mango, and berry, it is easy to see how this hop can serve an impactful aromatic role in brewing. 

One flavor that always sticks out to me when I drink a beer made with Mosaic hops is the berry. It often tastes like blueberry to me and it gives the bitterness its own bite back to create a smooth drinking beer. It was a flavor that carried its own tone through the AlaMosaic IPA from Alamo Beer company. 

Another great beer to profile Mosaic hops is (512) Brewing company’s SMaSH Mosaic. It is a single malt, single hop beer that brings the flavor spectrum of the Mosaic hops right up to the front. These beers, as well as the young legends that follow, prompted me to make my own batch of single-hop Mosaic IPA. I got a kit from Brooklyn Brew Shop and gave it a shot on my own. From the experience I have with Mosaic hops, I’m guessing the final product will meet up with the hype.  

Some more beers that contain Mosaic hops are Maine Beer Dinner, Hill Farmstead Mosaic Single Hop Pale Ale, and Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA. I would even wager that a local brewery in your area uses Mosaic hops in some of their brews.

Cheers!

Mr. Brew