Land Ski
Watermark Brewing Co.

Canned on 6/4/20

Pours an opaque dark gold body capped with multiple fingers of fluffy white foam; good head retention yields a frothy finger of cap, moderate collar, and full spread of splotchy, webby lacing walling the glass.

Aromas burst forth with blue raspberry accented by a slight mango zest before enveloping in a sweeter overtone of peach baked goods; pineapple syrup and lemon tart offer further detail to a bouquet almost creatively confectionery, though a balanced dryness brings it to nuance.

Taste shows blueberry, overripe peach, and mango skins upfront, while an encroaching raw hop presence with lingering hints of tree bark eventually phases back into sweeter dark berries and tropical tones past the mid-palate and on through the finish.

Mouthfeel brings a medium-light body with an upper-level yet fleeting carbonation; a pillowy slick texture pairs well with a vague hop acidity across the mid-palate; a building, slight bitterness leads into a mildly gritty hop finish against a sweeter saturation, leaving a juicy final impression to dry out quickly.

Perhaps on the more one-dimensionally sweet side, this NEIPA succeeds in expanding on some heavily saturated hop tones refined by a crisper, more defined edge; the shortcomings are there, but not enough to detract from a reasonably pleasurable, if blunt, drinking experience.