As always, the brewers at Coopers love to introduce a new hop variety into Vintage Ale, and this year the star of the show is Mosaic. This American hop has enjoyed immense popularity amongst brewers since its release in 2012, and they’ve chosen to feature it with Cascade hops in both late hopping and dry hopping. This has resulted in an enticing aroma of apricot, citrus fruits and pine notes, that sets the scene for a palate of roasted malt, nuts and toffee, enhanced by a clean bitterness and a smooth, velvety finish.
Like all Coopers ales, this year’s Vintage has undergone natural bottle fermentation, but with a twist. The team decided to continue a re-fermentation step at the end of primary fermentation to enhance the development in the ale of a delicate and smooth flavour. Coopers’ iconic and cherished ale yeast is used in both primary fermentation and in the bottle, enhancing the aroma and flavour of the beer through its distinctive fruity esters. New technology in the brewery has allowed the beer to be bottle-conditioned with the yeast at its absolute healthiest, to ensure the finest flavour development possible.