Beer Review: Cellarmaker Mo’ Nectaron
Brewery: Cellarmaker Brewing Co. (Oakland/SF, CA)
Style: West Coast IPA
“A High-Frequency Collision of Fruit and Funk”
Cellarmaker has long been a pioneer in identifying “it” hops before they go mainstream, and their mastery of the New Zealand Nectaron variety is on full display here. Mo’ Nectaron isn’t just another West Coast IPA; it’s a high-definition exploration of what happens when Southern Hemisphere fruit meets Pacific Northwest “dankness.”
The Pour: The beer pours with the signature Cellarmaker brilliance—perfectly clear, honey-gold, and topped with a stiff, eggshell-white head. The carbonation is lively, sending constant streams of bubbles to the surface, replenishing the aromatic foam.
The Nose: The aroma is remarkably “loud.” Before the glass even hits your lips, you are met with a vivid wave of grape cotton candy and fuzzy peach skins. However, as you dive deeper, the Mosaic influence grounds the sweetness with a complex, earthy “ganja” funk and a unique cedar-wood terpene note that adds a sophisticated, savory layer to the bouquet.
The Sip: On the palate, Mo’ Nectaron is lean and muscular. It avoids the “juice bomb” sweetness of a Hazy IPA, opting instead for a zippy, lime-zest acidity and a crisp mouthfeel. The Nectaron provides a lush stone fruit mid-palate, while the Mosaic brings a classic piney resin and blueberry undertone. The bitterness is firm but refined, providing a clean “snap” that wipes the tongue clean of the heavy hop oils.
Mo’ Nectaron is a textbook example of modern West Coast brewing. It manages to pack in an incredible amount of “juicy” character while remaining bone-dry and transparent. The interplay between the candy-like Nectaron and the dank, woody Mosaic makes for a fascinating, multi-layered drinking experience that evolves as the beer warms slightly in the glass.
For fans of the “new-school” West Coast style, where clarity and bitterness meet explosive, modern aromatics, this is a must-try.