Citra and Mosaic solve different aroma questions. Citra is the more citrus-led of the pair in Yakima Chief Hops' current profile, while Mosaic adds a berry-led dimension alongside citrus, tropical fruit and stone fruit. Neither variety “wins” every IPA. Choose from the aroma target, the analysis printed on the packets and a controlled trial that changes one variable.
Citra vs Mosaic at a glance
| Planning field | Citra® HBC 394 | Mosaic® HBC 369 |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier aroma groups | Citrus, stone fruit, tropical, woody | Berry, citrus, tropical, stone fruit |
| Typical alpha acids | 10–16% | 10–15% |
| Typical beta acids | 3–4.5% | 3–4.5% |
| Typical total oil | 1–3 mL/100 g | 0.5–3 mL/100 g |
| Released | 2007 | 2012 |
These are variety reference ranges from Yakima Chief Hops, not a certificate for the hops in your freezer. Crop year, farm, processing and storage can move a particular lot within or outside a familiar expectation. Read the alpha-acid percentage and product form on the actual packets before calculating an early-boil change. Smell both lots before planning an aroma trial.
Choose by the question you want the beer to answer
Use Citra as the clearer starting point when the brief is bright citrus supported by tropical and stone-fruit character. Use Mosaic when the brief needs berry in the supplier-described mix. That distinction is a planning hypothesis, not a guarantee that every assessor will name the same fruit. Wort, yeast, timing, dose and lot condition influence the finished result.
For a blend, write the purpose of each part before choosing a ratio. A 60:40 Citra–Mosaic split means that a hypothetical 100 g aroma charge contains 60 g Citra and 40 g Mosaic. It does not mean that 60% of the perceived aroma will be Citra-like. The arithmetic describes mass only.
Keep bittering math separate from aroma
Suppose an early-boil recipe calls for 30 g of a Citra lot marked 13% alpha acids, but the available Mosaic packet is marked 12%. Holding hop form, timing, wort volume and the rest of the bitterness model constant, the narrow alpha-acid-mass adjustment is:
30 × 13 ÷ 12 = 32.5 g Mosaic
This hypothetical calculation equalises labelled alpha-acid mass. It does not predict identical IBUs and it does not make the aroma equivalent. Use the hop substitution calculator with the packet values, then keep the original assumptions with the result.
Run a fair Citra–Mosaic comparison
- Split one finished base beer into three equal, sanitised trial vessels.
- Label them with neutral codes rather than variety names.
- Add the same product form and the same mass per litre: Citra to one, Mosaic to one, and the planned blend to the third.
- Hold contact conditions, temperature and packaging method constant.
- Record aroma intensity and named descriptors separately. Compare notes before revealing the codes.
This is an experiment design, not a dosage recommendation or a record of a BrewMyBeer tasting. Check supplier handling guidance and use a rate appropriate to your recipe and product. Save the packet analysis, calculation and coded observations in your Beer Lab notes. For varieties beyond this pair, use the source-linked hop replacement guide.
Sources and limits
- Yakima Chief Hops: Citra® HBC 394 profile and typical values
- Yakima Chief Hops: Mosaic® HBC 369 profile and typical values
BrewMyBeer has not brewed or tasted the lots in your possession. The supplier descriptors and ranges support a repeatable starting hypothesis; your labelled lot and controlled observations decide what belongs in your recipe.
Learning check: does matching alpha-acid mass match hop aroma?
No. It is a narrow bittering calculation under fixed assumptions. Aroma depends on the variety, lot, product, timing, process and sensory context, so compare that separately.