Mosaic Session IPA comes from the days when the Mosaic hop did not even have a name yet. Karl Strauss got its hands on the experimental hop known then as HBC 369, and this beer was the result: a lower-alcohol IPA built to let one hop do all the talking.

The basics

• Brewery: Karl Strauss Brewing Company (San Diego, CA)
• Style: Session IPA
• ABV: 5.5%
• IBU: 43

What to expect

Mosaic Session IPA pours pale golden with a bright white head. The aroma is the whole show: vibrant grapefruit, citrus zest, and tropical fruit, with a light malt backbone that stays out of the way. The brewery’s dry-hopping keeps the hop character front and center without pushing the bitterness into punishing territory.

The body is light and drinkable, as a session beer should be, and the finish is clean with a lingering citrus note. It will not fill you up or slow you down, which makes it a genuine session beer rather than just a weaker IPA wearing the label.

Our rating

6.67/10

Rated by Alex (6, 7) and Nick (7). Alex tried it twice and landed on both sides of the middle, at 6 and 7, while Nick came in at 7. The consensus is a good, easy-drinking hoppy beer that delivers exactly what the label promises: big Mosaic aroma in a lighter package. It will not change how you think about IPA, but it is a very pleasant glass.