Thursday, March 1, 2012

Lawson's Finest Double Sunshine IPA

Lawson's Finest Liquids is located in Warren, VT and their beers can only be found near the Mad River Valley. The Double Sunshine is an example of an American Double IPA, also known as an Imperial IPA. This was the second beer sessioned at Three Penny Taproom in Montpelier. I particularly like that all of the beers from the Taproom were offered in the brewery's own special glasses.

Alcohol Content: 8%
IBU: ?
Malts: ?
Hops: ?

Price: 7$ - less than a pint
Medium: Served in a Lawson's I.P.A. glass, smaller version of Magic Hat's Hi.P.A. glass

Aroma: Strong sense of grapefruit citrus with a sort of tropical fruitiness to the hop aromas. Strong floralness probably from dry-hopping. The hop aromas masks the character of malts, but some residual sweetness shines through during the session.
Appearance: Presented an unfiltered or hazy copper/gold hue with an orange glow. Small, frothy white head pour with great retention. Low visible carbonation.
Flavor: Starts out semi-sweet but then immediately turns to a rather "stale" bitterness with a strong sense of floral and citrus grapefruit. The sweet malts bounce back in the finish and balances the strong hop flavors and aromas. The aftertaste is left with only a bit of drying on the sides of the mouth. Overall it feels a little tart/ sour representing a more acidic beer.
Mouthfeel: Lighter body with a very nice mouth-warming effect in the finish and aftertaste. Some resinous feel from the hops. Moderately high carbonation with a light creaminess -  more from an explosion of carbon dioxide.
Overall Impression: Another strongly dry-hopped beer. Delicious in the least but I would suggest switching it up with other beers or pairing it with food to get more fulfillment - savor it (I also couldn't believe it was 8% alcohol!). I picture this with any citrusy seafood type dishes due to its enticing hop aromas and flavors (not necessarily bitterness).


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