Surly Mosaic Kettle Sour
I’ve only recently started to cross paths with dry-hopped sour ales. It’s a micro-trend that I have thoroughly enjoyed and fully endorse. I believe Almanac was the first one that I encountered, followed by a few from Trinity Brewing. Surly Brewing now have their own version of this subset style with Mosaic Kettle Sour. The 5.5% ABV small-batch beer features Saccharomyces Trois in fermentation and a healthy dry-hopping with Mosaic hops.
Mosaic Kettle Sour’s aroma is packed with luscious citrus, pine and tropical notes as expected with the pronounced dry-hopping. Once the beer hits the tastebuds, the assertive sour tartness takes hold, but as the senses adjust to the presence, it’s much more manageable and works incredibly well with the hoppy profile. Pineapple, grapefruit, citrus peel and piney notes rush as quickly as possible to match that initial surge of sourness. The flavors eventually balance out nicely before fading incredibly slowly to the long lasting finish where a good bit of hop bitterness leaves a lasting tingle in conjunction with the linger tartness.
This is one of those beers that takes the best aspects of multiple styles and blends them well for a cohesive and dynamic drinking experience. Mosaic Kettle Sour isn’t going to be a beer for everyone, but for those more adventurous drinkers, the flavor profile is definitely something to experience — and enjoy while sitting outside in the warmth waiting for your grill to come to temperature. At least, that’s what I did.
This is a review of a promotional sample.