Okay, first off I didn’t understand why Muskoka was sending me another bottle of a beer I’d already tasted, the Moonlight Kettle Summer Saison, much less why they would do so with a summer beer at the end of summer. But then I noticed the small print ‘Mosaic Single Hop’ and realized that this is a new beer in the series. (Might want to make that a bit more obvious in the future, guys.) Unfiltered and slightly hazy, this has a bright, tropical citrus aroma holding just enough oily herbs and car tire to make it really interesting. So much so, in fact, that I’m salivating for a sip. The start is peach and mango and orange, leading to a more complex body with a somewhat oily disposition, blackberry and strong herbs joining the initial fruitiness, and an impressively clean, just off-dry finish. I seem to recall someone tweeting about this being a more summery beer than was their Moonlight Kettle Series Summer Saison, and I’d agree. Doesn’t make my thirst for another glass any less, though.
Update: Having had that second glass, I’m compelled to note that the Mosaic hop is very assertive in this beer and that, by the end of the 750 ml bottle, I was feeling some Mosaic fatigue. For maximum enjoyment, then, it’s probably best to share this with someone.