Lawson's Finest Liquids Triple Sunshine

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA, Triple IPA
ABV: 10.5%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.63/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.65/5 (Top 250: #31)
- RateBeer: 4.02/5

"This lupulin-laden India Pale Ale is packed with juicy tropical fruit character, bright floral aromas, and exceptional layers of flavor. Store cold, pour carefully, then close your eyes and enjoy a tropical vacation in a glass."

Pours a beautiful sunset orange with a completely murky body and a finger of white head.

Pure orange juice with acidity bursts from the glass to my nose. It's not very bitter, but a citrus hop presence is here as well as orange rind and grapefruit. It has a hop syrup smell to it, but at over 10%, it isn't surprising.

The taste is a showcase of sweet citrus. Mango and tangerine come to me first, but the overall flavor is a thick juice extract. Elements of both earthy and grassy hops are just as influential as the citrus as I get pine, moss, and tree bark as accents to the orange and grapefruit flavors. Like the nose, pure hop juice and syrup seem to be the go-to flavors on this one. This wasn't bitter on the nose, but a bitter hop presence is emerging here, especially on the end of each sip and it even lingers in the aftertaste. A heavy malt presence adds another layer of flavor, and given the overall sweetness, they probably used a lot of it.

Mouthfeel is full and thick at times, but again, it's an IPA clocking in at over 10%, so I am not going to act surprised. There is a touch of alcohol here and there, but it is not going to ruin the beer. That syrupy feel lets you know it is a Triple IPA, but in turn, it doesn't make it the most drinkable offering you'll ever see.

Triple Sunshine came as advertised: A massive Triple IPA with a thick body and plenty of sweet, citrusy hops. The hop presence was subdued due in part to the lupulin powder, but it didn't stop this from showing all the characteristics of a 10 % Imperial IPA. In comparison to other TIPAs, the lack of true bitterness helps with drinkability, but the massive nature of the beer itself still makes it a sipper. I'd say this is better than most Triple IPA's that try to go balls to the wall with the amount of hops as this was easier to drink, but was still flexing its muscles.

Rating
8.5/10

Trillium/Lawson's Finest Liquids Pow Pow

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 7.7%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.44/5
- RateBeer: 4.13/5

"The idea for Pow Pow was born when 2 very passionate individuals joined forces during the epic 2016 beer festival Beer Camp Across America. Devil’s Backbone, Dogfish Head, Sierra Nevada, Stoudt’s, Lawson’s Finest Liquids, and Trillium collaborated to create one of the festival’s signature beer Pat-Rye-Ot, a pale ale that pays tribute to America’s original homebrewers. During the process two brewers in particular were fascinated by a new hop product that was used in Pat-Rye-Ot. The product: lupulin powder. The fascinated brewers: Sean Lawson and JC Tetreault.

Lupulin powder is essentially a super concentrated hop product made by flash freezing and then shattering intact hop flowers. In early November, the team experimented with different ways of utilizing the lupulin powder in both the whirlpool and during the dry hop, taking into account beer and wort temperatures, contact time, lupulin powder temperatures, and consistency of the powder"

It pours out a hazy, sunset orange color with two fingers of bright, white head.

The aroma is a bouquet of fruit juices with orange, mango, and melon leading the charge. It's tough to detect some hop bitterness as the fruit juices overload the senses.

I think the overall flavor I get on the taste is acidic mango fruit juice. It's not bitter with hops, but rather bitter like pulpy citrus. It's also noticeably sweet enough to make you think this was aged on fruit, but it was not. The Lupulin powder has cut down the bitterness and left the juicy hop flavors to do their work. As it warms, the trademark Trillium orange sherbet comes through nicely. While hop bitterness is put on the back burner, the finish and lingering flavors do contain a good amount of it to help balance out the beer.

Mouthfeel is full and soft. At 7.7%, a lot of people wouldn't classify this as a Double IPA, but as a DIPA, it is easy to drink and (obviously) feels more like a single IPA.

I had a hard time coming up with a more descriptive review for this one, but honestly, is is another great IPA from Trillium (and Lawson's) and that's really what you've come to expect. I personally wouldn't put up there with the best of the best Trillium IPA's, but if it was a regular offering, yeah, I would grab a 4-pack when it was available.

Rating
8.3/10

Lawson's Finest Liquids Double Sunshine IPA

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 8.0%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.57/5 (Top 250: #27)
- RateBeer: 4.11/5

"This American Double India Pale Ale is packed with juicy tropical fruit flavors and bright herbal aromas, thanks to the abundance of US-grown hops."

My last trip to Vermont was in 2014 and I was able to pick up several bottles of Lawson's most highly acclaimed beer: Double Sunshine. Cracking it open for the first time had me apprehensive as I was certain the hype had far exceeded the actual product, but boy was I glad it was as good as advertised. I remember it being such a juice and hop explosion before breweries in Massachusetts were emulating the same thing. Recently Lawson's held their 8th anniversary party and Double Sunshine was available for purchase and I was lucky enough to snag a bottle in a trade. Unfortunately, I wish I had a DeLorean to go back two years and enjoy the beer I once loved.

Pours a mostly transparent, dark orange with two fingers of bright white head.

Ok, right away the aroma is throwing me off. It's incredibly sweet as if it is made of 100% malts and there's some sort of caramel or butterscotch smell to it. There's maybe a touch of herbal hops and ripe peach, but this is most certainly not a hop-forward aroma. As it warms it smells like burnt firewood.

This is really weird like that Anthony Michael Hall movie about science. I would describe the taste as candy...like a butterscotch candy. I'm almost thinking the beer has gone bad, but it's only a couple of weeks old. After the initial overload of sweetness the grassy and herbal hops are back from the aroma, but they are more present on the taste. Aside from that small sliver of hope for a hop presence, the rest of the beer tastes like melted movie theater butter for your popcorn with some thick pine sap and dried pine needles.

Mouthfeel is where it should be for a 8.0% DIPA, but those odd flavors stick to my tongue for far too long. On the plus side there's no alcohol to be found, but drinkability comes at a premium with this odd duckling.

This is not the beer I remember so fondly. The first time I had this beer, it was a citrus bukkake, but now it feels more like a premature ejaculation of overly sweet malts. I'm almost a loss for words at how this beer (must have) changed over the past several years. I remember planning my trip to Vermont around this beer's release two years ago. Today, this is certainly not worth the work you have to put in to acquire it. It can't possibly be an expired bottle, so this must be how it's supposed to taste. What a letdown.

Rating
6.2/10

Lawson's Finest Liquids Fayston Maple Imperial Stout (Rum Barrel Aged)

The Stats
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 11.00%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.42/5
- RateBeer: 3.94/5 (mean)

A variation on their standard Fayston Maple Imperial Stout (which is made with over two gallons of maple syrup per barrel), this version was aged in rum barrels from Mad River Distillers in Warren, VT. I got this in a trade a few months ago with some other Lawson's stuff. Thanks, Tyler!

Pours pitch black with no light getting through at all. I got a finger of light brown head that stuck around surprisingly well.

Aroma has roasted malts, chocolate, vanilla, marshmallow, oak, and some subtle coffee. It's very sugary sweet and the rum isn't a sweet, hot, mess, but is spicy and smooth. Very nice, but maple is sadly lacking.

The rum barrel is the star of this show on the taste. Sweet and spicy rum with huge oak and hints of toasted coconut are what I get first. There's almost a licorice flavor followed by tree sap. I think the sap is the closest thing I am getting to maple syrup, but as for maple itself, I really don't pick any up. Maybe it is lost in all of the sweetness of the rum, which would be unfortunate. After that is some molasses and brown sugar with roasted coffee and maybe some slight caramel too.

Mouthfeel is thick and luscious. This is a big beer at 11.00%, but there is no alcohol taste and no warming sensation at all. Considering how sweet this is, nothing clings unpleasantly to the tongue. It's a little sticky after all is said and done, but that's not a deterrent.

Rum Barrel Fayston might have been lacking in the maple department, but it's almost forgivable considering the buffet of other flavors at your disposal. If Bourbon County was aged in rum barrels, then I would dare say this is comparable. It hits all of the notes on the barrel-aged stout scale, but as opposed to other offerings, this has incredible balance and the barrel isn't overpowering or bland. Thumbs up!

Rating
9.1/10

Lawson's Finest Liquids Sip of Sunshine

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 8.00%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.59/5 (Top 250: #28)
- RateBeer: 4.09/5

Lawson's Finest is one part of what many consider "The Big Three" of craft breweries up in Vermont (along with The Alchemist and Hill Farmstead). Their hoppy beers are things of legend and Sip of Sunshine has made its mark within the past year. It was originally available in 22oz bombers, but now comes in 4-packs of 16oz cans and is brewed at Two Roads Brewing in Stratford, CT.

Classic hazy, golden orange on the appearance with a finger of white head.

The aroma has some subdued tropical fruit juice with a slight grassy hop character and a subtle caramel sweetness.

Resinous (but not syrupy) hops are the first thing to hit my tongue. A nice piney and herbal bite is a welcome first impression. This also has its fair share of juicy hops as I get some nice pineapple and orange. It finishes with just a hint of garlic/onion which isn't overpowering and doesn't overtake the more prominent juice and herbal characters.

For such a hoppy brew, this is not an intimidating IPA to drink and it finishes rather clean to boot. The 8.00% abv just carries it into Imperial IPA territory and that shows with a soft body and easy drinkability.

Sip of Sunshine is a well-crafted Double IPA that has serious hop bite that won't destroy your palate. The hopheads will love the diversity in the hops used and the resin-forward taste. Those who want a juicier Imperial IPA will also enjoy the array of tropical fruits and comfortable mouthfeel.

Rating
8.7/10

Lawson's Finest Liquids/Tree House Shhhhhhh...!

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 8.00%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.45/5
- RateBeer: 4.13/5 (mean)

Around this time a year ago, Tree House Brewing teamed up with Lawson's and brewed a beer for Great American Beer Fest called "YAHHHRRRGGG!" which was a Double IPA. Weeks later, Tree House held a release at their brewery which I attended. It was without question the largest gathering of people for a beer release that I had ever seen. They opened at 11:00am and me and a buddy of mine ended up waiting seven hours to get our growlers.

Pictured: Clusterfuck

This time around, the gang from Tree House made the trip to Vermont and did another collaboration with Lawson's which is what I have today. It's another Double IPA, but I could not find the hops used anywhere. The name Shhhhhhh...! is a play on the battle cry of YAHHHRRRGGG!. Will the beer be subdued like its namesake?

Pours a slightly hazy glowing orange with less than two fingers of white head. It doesn't have that classic unfiltered look like many great New England IPA's.

The aroma has a big resinous character, but it doesn't dominate. Some nice spruce/pine and a little bit of peach with hints of garlic and onion.

Yeah, the taste matches the nose fairly well. It's an even combination of pine needles and hop resins and oil. The label says it's brimming with tropical fruits, but for me, I get earthy, herbal hops as opposed to anything juicy, but it still tastes good. There isn't peach on the taste like the little I got on the nose, but the biggest fruit component I pick up is similar to red apples, or apple juice which is very juicebox-like. The finish has a resurgence of hops with bitter grassy notes lingering beautifully.

With a beer big on hop resin, this isn't thick or syrupy. Mouthfeel is spot on for 8.20% as it isn't thick or chewy and it doesn't get thin at any point in time. It is noticeably dry on the finish, but an Imperial IPA with a big resinous character is bound to produce such a feeling. No alcohol smell or taste and this bomber can be knocked out in no time.

Shhhhhhh...! doesn't exactly follow the trail blazed by so many New England IPA's, but the end result is a satisfying experience. Big herbal hops and piney resin could have been a combination for a thick, chewy, undrinkable IPA, but this has the drinkability of lighter IPA's while giving you maximum flavor.

Rating
8.7/10

Lawson's Finest Liquids Maple Tripple Ale

The Stats
Style: American Strong Ale
ABV: 12.00%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.39/5
- RateBeer: 3.77/5

Now here is an intriguing offering. Stylistically, the most common genre it belongs to is the American Strong Ale, but even Lawson's website and beer description doesn't put a label on this rare beast. Instead of using water, this is brewed with 100% maple sap and aged for a year in oak. This is a first for me, but for review #100, it's only appropriate that I think outside the box.

Pours a murky, dark copper with practically no head.

The aroma is definitely more sap than maple syrup. There's also some big pine and a heavy amount of barley.

Whether it's maple sap, or maple syrup, this is just swimming in Vermont's finest. As much maple as there is, there's also a dark fruit, raisin, fruitcake quality that reminds me of a solid doppelbock. Hidden deep is a sawdust character that I can attribute to the oak-aging. If you were asking me what style this belongs to, I think it draws more comparisons to American Barleywines with it's similarities to iced tea and hops. As is with a lot of East Coast beers (especially Vermont), this has a big pine tree quality which is no surprise with the maple sap in the recipe. The more I sip on this and the longer it warms up, more flavors come out and it's one of the more intricate brews I've had in a while. Having said that, it needs to said that not one flavor bursts out of the glass and onto my tongue. Nothing in particular stands out, they're all just there hanging around. I can't deny their presence, but none leave a lasting impression. It's so weird that it so so complex yet so underwhelming at the same time.

The mouthfeel is thicker than most other American Strong Ales. I want to refrain from using the word "syrupy" in fear of making a bad pun, but there is a molasses-like consistency to this. I do actually pick up some decent carbonation on my tongue, which helped move the thick feel of the beer along. That pine and spruce taste tends to stick to the back of my tongue and the maple sap sticks to my lips. It sticky and carbonated yet also goes down smooth with no alcohol presence.

Maple Tripple on first smell and sip didn't indicate it would be that special. Allowing the beer to warm up brought out the array of flavors and aromas that I have not seen in the style (whatever the style is). Actually, it combines the better qualities of assorted styles into one, but stays true to Vermont with the abundance of maple and pine. Unfortunately it doesn't all come together for a robust flavor explosion. Every flavor and aroma is a pretty standard offering which are all combined into a better-than-normal melting pot. It's complexity gets it big points, but I wouldn't go as far as to call it mind-blowing on the aroma or taste spectrum. The flavors are all there, but they're all rather pedestrian. Again, complex as all hell, but no real "Wow Factor".

Here's to 100 more!

Rating
8.7/10

Otter Creek/Lawson's Finest Liquids Double Dose IPA

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 8.50%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.38/5
- RateBeer: 3.96/5

Last year New England was hit with a collaboration that sent waves through the Northeast. Those outside of Vermont have rarely had the opportunity to try a beer from Lawson's, so this offering was many people's first chance. The best part was that the style they chose to do (Double IPA) was right in the Lawson's wheelhouse. Sometimes when brewers team up, they choose to collaborate on a style they aren't accustomed to, but it's always good to see two great brewmasters stick to something more traditional and knock it out of the park. This year marked batch two of Double Dose and I could not be more excited after last year's home run.

Pours a beautiful hazy, golden orange giving off almost two fingers of white head.

The aroma is a lot of bitter, piny, hops with splashes of orange and mango.

This year's batch seems to be more bitter than juicy, but I'm not saying that in a negative way. Not sure of they changed anything, but I am getting significantly more floral and grassy notes than last year. The juicy flavor is big on the finish and has an acidic quality like fresh-squeezed orange juice. It's a really solid combination of earthy, piny, and citric hops with just a touch of onion and garlic.

Mouthfeel is medium with a slight syrupy quality at times, but also good carbonation. The bitterness lingers for a while on the palate, but the finish remains relatively clean.

Double Dose was a winner again this year, but for different reasons. As I said before, I remember this being a hell of a lot juicier the first time around, but I'm not going to lodge any complaints with this year's batch as the hop oils and resins produce a satisfying, piny bitterness that I will be looking forward to next year (hopefully!).

Rating
8.7/10