TiHKAL - All Mosaic
Ascension Brewing Company

 

16 ounce can into tulip glass, canned in 8/2019. Pours opaquely hazy golden/orange/green/amber color with a 1 finger dense and rocky off white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big mandarin orange juice, red grapefruit, lemon, lime, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, honeydew melon, guava, blueberry, citrus peel/rind, wood, peppercorn, pine, wheat, biscuit dough, toast, honey, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops and bready malt notes; with big strength. Taste of huge mandarin orange juice, red grapefruit, lemon, lime, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, honeydew melon, guava, blueberry, citrus peel/rind, wood, peppercorn, pine, wheat, biscuit dough, toast, honey, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Light pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of mandarin orange juice, red grapefruit, lemon, lime, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, honeydew melon, guava, blueberry, citrus peel/rind, wood, peppercorn, pine, wheat, biscuit dough, toast, honey, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops and bready malt flavors; with an awesome malt/bitterness balance, and no cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitterness. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/bready/grainy, and fairly sticky/resinous/rindy mouthfeel that is fantastic. Minimal warming alcohol for 7.2%. Overall this is a fantastic NEIPA. All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops and bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the mellowly bitter/resinous/drying finish. Fantastic soft feel, and not overly aggressive. Amazing Mosaic showcase. Extremely juicy, vibrant, and fairly dank/earthy hops; with a perfectly balanced wheat/oat/malt backbone. Mild residual sweetness with lingering resin dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and outstanding style example. Loved the hop profile as expected.