750mL growler filled and drunk 4/22/17.
Minimally hazy, very light, straw-blonde-golden body topped by a large, white head with moderate to moderately strong retention.
The absolutely stunning, juicy, but still light and elegant Ella hops greatly outdo the mosaic, thankfully. Not that mosaic can’t be done very well too, but I greatly prefer Ella. It’s not a hop bomb by any sense, though and the bright, juicy character quickly gives way to rustic grains, light apple and pear esters and a bit of tartness from Brett and possibly light amounts of lactic acid. There’s a strong mineral character and general fresh, vibrant, intangible character, as well, to the beer. No oak or anything aggressive at all, really. Just tons of yellow fruits, strong minerals and snappy grains.
Bright and tart in the mouth, but the tartness eases off a good deal as the lightly watery, very drinkable and soft character of the beer asserts itself with plaster, mineral and dry, yellow fruit notes through the middle. Just enough Brett-like tartness to add some more complexity while still allowing the Sacch yeast to do most of the work. Low bitterness, tight carbonation and just an unbelievably flavorful and highly drinkable experience.