I don't think I'm a fan of Mosaic hops

Information about hops and best uses.

Moderators: BlackDuck, Beer-lord, LouieMacGoo, philm00x, gwcr

Post Reply
User avatar
Beer-lord
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9634
Joined: Mon Aug 05, 2013 2:48 pm
Location: Burbs of the Big Easy

I don't think I'm a fan of Mosaic hops

Post by Beer-lord »

Based on 3 recipes that lean heavily on Mosaic, I realized that there's just something about them I don't like. It almost has a wine grape taste to me.
I think it does well as a late addition and/or dry hop but after my beer is just a few weeks old, it changes too drastically for me to really enjoy it. Even the Fresh Squeezed that was very good very early is starting to show this to my taste buds (though its almost gone and my son and his friends really drank the crap out of it).
Everyone has a few hops that are not to their liking and I think Mosaic and Summit are mine.
PABs Brewing
Planning
Brew good beer and live a hoppy life
Fermenting

Drinking
Disfucted
Smelly Hops
(split batch) A Many Stringed Bow
Up Next
Men In Black
User avatar
Inkleg
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 4582
Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2013 5:44 pm
Location: Lilburn, GA

Re: I don't think I'm a fan of Mosaic hops

Post by Inkleg »

This is how I am with Citra. I just don't like it and can usually pick it out in a beer. Haven't use Mosaic, so no judgement on it yet. Though the Citra in the FS overpowered any Mosaic for me.
Naked Cat Brewery On Tap
Yazoo Sue Smoked Porter
Octoberfest
Le Petite Saison
Czech Pale Lager
A Toast to Big Fuzzy Russian Imperial Stout at 10%
Belgian Blond
Flower Power IPA
4 Kilts Clueless Belgian Strong
One Wort Two Yeast with Wyeast 2206
One Wort Two Yeast with WLP940
Shipwreck Saison
User avatar
mashani
mashani
mashani
Posts: 6743
Joined: Sat Aug 10, 2013 11:57 pm

Re: I don't think I'm a fan of Mosaic hops

Post by mashani »

For me, the only beer I really liked Mosiac in was in combination with Simcoe, where I used 2x more Simcoe. And in a commercial beer, there was one Great Lakes IPA that uses it that I liked a good bit, but I don't have a clue what proportion it is in that beer, but my bet is that it was used in a complementary manner, not as the main hop.

It added something to it that which was nice. I say something because to me the Mosiac is weird, it doesn't taste the same in combination with other hops or by itself. I don't like it much at all with fruity hops, only piney kinds. IE Amarillo. I wasn't a fan of the Mosiac Amarillo beer I made so much. By itself it bores me, it's was like very watered down Simcoe with weak blueberry notes. I do like Simcoe/Amarillo combo though.

Citra, I like (edit: specifically in small amounts) in wheat beers and some Belgians that have a good spicy yeast vibe going on. But it's not a favorite of mine in an American APA/IPA beer, I'm more into Simcoe and C hops, some Amarillo, and some pacific rim hops which are fruity but don't make me think I'm sucking on a peach skin (I don't know how to describe what bugs me about Citra any better then that?)

EDIT EDIT: If you don't like grape, don't use Nelson Sauvin. Depending on where you add them to the boil you can get intensely white grape flavored beer. (I actually do like that, it's not the same as the Mosiac which to me seems more "weak knee blueberry").
User avatar
The_Professor
Uber Brewer
Uber Brewer
Posts: 1018
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2013 4:52 pm
Location: Calif, USA

Re: I don't think I'm a fan of Mosaic hops

Post by The_Professor »

I really like this post. I am familiar with a few hops and know nothing about lots of others, there are a lot of hop varieties.

I have my first IPA going now and just this morning I was fooling around with one using different hops and perusing through the different ones.

It's really helpful to read people just giving their opinion and to keep both sides in mind when sampling the beer made from those hops.

A lot of flavor in beers is nuance and suggestion where different people may taste slightly different flavors.
User avatar
Kealia
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 5588
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2013 10:52 pm

Re: I don't think I'm a fan of Mosaic hops

Post by Kealia »

I've learned that I like Mosiac only in combination with other hops, too. I've had two different SMaSH type beers with Mosaic and they smelled FUH-nomimal but the taste had something in it that wasn't great. Citra on the other hand - load them in. I've done (and had) single-hopped Citra beers and love them.
User avatar
Beer-lord
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9634
Joined: Mon Aug 05, 2013 2:48 pm
Location: Burbs of the Big Easy

Re: I don't think I'm a fan of Mosaic hops

Post by Beer-lord »

I get a wine-grape taste with many Mosaic beers. At first, I thought it was off flavors but it's definitely Mosaic. I get just a hint of it in the Fresh Squeezed but not enough to be a bad thing in that beer.
I do know I didn't like it too much in my Mosaic IPA but I did keg hop that with something else to kick it up a notch.
PABs Brewing
Planning
Brew good beer and live a hoppy life
Fermenting

Drinking
Disfucted
Smelly Hops
(split batch) A Many Stringed Bow
Up Next
Men In Black
User avatar
DaYooper
Braumeister
Braumeister
Posts: 919
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2013 11:09 am
Location: Motownish, Michigan

Re: I don't think I'm a fan of Mosaic hops

Post by DaYooper »

One I really liked was Mosaic Promise by Founders. It is a SMaSH with Golden Promise malt and Mosaic hops. The two really played well together.
Silverleaf Vineyard & Winery / Old Mission Hops Exchange / Porchside Vineyard / The North York Brewing Company
Post Reply