Landscaping Duty
Mast Landing Brewing Company

 

 

16 oz can dated 7/21/17

Pours an opaque, flat orange gold color, much like orange juice with a little pineapple mixed in. 3 finger sudsy linen-colored head settles into a nice lumpy thick blanket.

The aroma is the closest I've seen with a beer that actually smells like orange juice, however there is a little more piquant smell like grapefruit mixed in. It draws you in pretty damn well.

The taste has a noticeable sweetness up front suggestive of tropical fruits like orange or papaya - It is an interplay of the hops with a well done caramel malt base. By midway through some lemon and grapefruit flavors start coming through and linger to the finish along with a mild bitterness.

Mouth feel is smooth and creamy like orange juice. Just a little seltzer makes it very refreshing.

I have to say that I am blown away by this one. I hada 10 oz taster at the brewery and was not as happy - it seemed too sharp with citrus and the tropical sweetness just did not come through. From the can this is a huge treat and I am psyched I picked up the two 4-packs now. This one delivers the sweet hop flavor that Dash didn't and it's great to see these guys improving on an incalculably successful start of great beers. I know Night Shift had much to do with this -
and I love the beer out of NS - but I see great things coming from ML I think. Stay tuned.

From a 16oz can, canned 07/21/17. Served in an imperial pint pub glass.

Pours a thoroughly hazed, opaque, flat-out orange with three fingers of sudsy, bubbly, lumpy, cream-coloured head - looks like a lightly-toasted marshmallow. Retention is excellent settling down to a half-finger after five minutes with scattered clumps of lacing.

Clean, pleasant nose of fruit juice and toast. Herbal, earthy and sharp.

Taste is juicy and biting. Orange juice, grapefruit pith, kiwi, lime, mint, green tree leaves and a little something spicy like maybe cinnamon, with a detectable, biscuity malt presence. Juicy, acidic, herbal, starts with medium-plus bitterness and ends with a mildly sweet, juicy, fruity hop tingle.

Feel is sharp and refreshing, medium bodied and brightly carbonated.

I'm not going to lie, I've had (ahem) more than a few of these by now and, jaded palate aside, it seems to me that the character has changed just after a few days in the can - on day one, it was much more bitter tree leaves and now I perceive it as being much more juicy. Either way, it's a terrific beer, sort of like Wessie but with the dial cranked two or three notches to the right.

A collaboration between Mast Landing and Night Shift, I don't think I'd thought about how similar each brewery's IPAs are in style until I tried to decide which one Landscaping Duty was most like.