Art #30 (Sour Mosaic)
Night Shift Brewing

My last bottle of Art 30, sour mosaic finally getting its due. I drank many fresh for the intense mosaic presence but saved one bottle to let the wild yeast have proper time to showcase itself. Lots of anticipation for this one. 375ml bottle split with Hab11. Bottled on 7/27/2014, shared on 7/23/2015.

Appearance: Golden lemon yellow with hints of sunbeams shining through the half finger head intertwining with the suspended yeast. Active carbonation, great lacing, even some impressive legs on this beast sticking to the side of the glass.

Smell: I am shocked at how much the mosaic is still present and how well the hop aromas are combined with the quite tart smell from the yeast. Grassy, citrusy, tropical melon. Slight phenols. Tart alkilines. No noticeable barrel notes. So glad I held on to this one.

Taste: Wow. Just wow. Unfortunately they don't make beer like this anymore. The mosaic is still highly represented...grassy, bubble gum, tropical flowers and citrus fruits with a lactic tang from the aged souring yeasts....my word. Glad we are drinking this when we are. On the cusp of turning into a monster. Not band aids or dirty diaper but there are slight suggestions that they are coming. Really intense sour without being overly sour and great hop archive.

Mouthfeel: For how much this beer danced in the glass when it was being poured it is quite still now. That is to be expected with a year old wild yeast but still....the appearance gave a misrepresentation. Tart...puckering but not overly strong. Wish I had a case of these or that they made the art series like this anymore.

Overall: Well what can I say? This brewery loves their hops, loves even more their fresh fruit, can make a mean stout and go on lots of beer adventures and beer odysseys on their way to making great beer. Unfortunately they just don't make beer like this anymore and I miss it. Art 30, sour mosaic was one of my most favorite offerings from them and it really shines with a year of cellaring. No adjuncts just water, malts, yeast and hops combined to make a really outstanding beer. Even after all this time the hops shine, the wild yeast has really matured and well....it's just a great beer. I have no complaints only requests: Please make this again.

Reviewed with Three Lions. 4.7 ABV bottled 7/27/14.
Appearance: half finger wicket white head. Great lacing. Good leg, slight resin. Thin lemon drop appearance.
Smell: Soooouuuurrr! Really yeasty like rising bread dough. So much going on here. Smells like moss baking in the sun after a heavy night rain. Musty, some pepper. Not much fruit in the nose.
Taste: wow well lots of fruit in the taste, lemon, lime (a lot of lime actually) grapefruit, kiwi, nectarine, lemon grass, kiwi, passion fruit. Slight hints of pepper and pineapple. Farmhouse bread flavor at the finish. Little to no after taste.
Feel: pleasant, refreshing, good carbonation at the front and hits all the different parts of the tongue sweet, sour, etc.
Overall: I like this a lot. To bad more is not an option. This a Big Papi down by two runs three run homer to beat the Yanks in game 7 type of beer.

 

 

Appearance: Slightly hazed gold. Head is white, bordering on bright-white, with little retention. Small clumps of a cap with a tiny bubbly collar. Moderate carbonation on the pour.

Smell: Big fruity tropical push from the Mosaic hops. Loaded with peach and pineapple. Carries the distinct Night Shift blend of strong lactic tartness coupled with a softer citric edge. Malts are light and a touch sweet. Some very mild bready notes. Pale malt sweetness. Hits in two layers - hops up front followed by a ton of citrus. Lime in abundance - flesh and zest. Slightly oily. Bright.

Taste: Lime juice. Mosaic pushes through the nose dropping mango and epach in good measure with a touch of pineapple. Carries a solid lactic tart edge through the entire sip. Deep citric bite as well. The hops clash with the tart edge on the initial sip, but blend a little as the beer warms. Mosaic is heavy. Pale malt sweetness coupled with some light bread crust and cracker. Yogurt on the back of each sip. So much lime. Touches of pineapple.

Mouthfeel: Light side of medium body. Moderate carbonation. Clean finish. Slightly dry.

Overall: Bits and pieces.

The hops ride over the top of the now expected Night Shift funk. It's novel.