Double Sunshine IPA - Lawson's Finest Liquids

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

4/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From notes. Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a tulip.

Out of the bottle, my pour is a golden sunshine color with a generous white cap. A bit of sticky lace clings to my glass as I work my way through it.

The aroma is hop forward. Grassy, herbal, with grapefruit, some tropical fruits, and a bit of pine.

Up front a little bit of sweet caramel malt hangs on for a little while, providing a balance that I don't need in my DIPA's. Grapefruit, mango, peach, tangerine, and apricot all provide a strong fruit presence, which overlays a generally grassy bitterness. The malt maintains a bit of sweetness and a chewy breadiness throughout.

The carbonation is creamy and on the full side. Although there is a grainy nature to the beer itself, it also has a smoothness about it. There is no real alcohol presence noticeable in the taste. The bitterness grows with each sip, but there is not an overwhelming aftertaste or anything.

This is definitely a solid beer, but I was not as blown away by it as many other people have been. This is a mystery that may only be resolved with a follow up tasting.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 02:16:28 | More by KickInTheChalice

mriley1984

Vermont

4.9/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Another tasty creation from Lawsons finest. I have only had this once just because its hard to come by, seeming how the winooski beverage only lets you buy 1 bottle at a time and driving to warren is a pain. But the taste hits you in the face with massive hop notes and grapefruit after bite. I can't wait to get more of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 16:25:15 | More by mriley1984

thampel09

New Jersey

5/5  rDev +8.2%

05-25-2013 02:03:14 | More by thampel09

mtrog313

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev -2.6%

05-24-2013 01:45:56 | More by mtrog313

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.3/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to Kyle for this one. 22oz. bottle into a Brooklyn Brewery snifter. Shared with schen9303.

Pours a 1 finger foamy white head with moderate retention. Beer is a cloudy sunset. Lacing is stringy and patchy with decent stick. Average.

Nose is mango, papaya and pineapple. Big citrus hop notes along with some cane sugar malt sweetness. Aromatic and very appetizing. Just what I'd expect a VT IIPA to be.

Opens citrus, resin, tree sap hop bitterness. Some papaya and mango in the middle with a big, cane sugar malt presence. Some spruce tips and grapefruit too. Finishes sappy and dry with a resiny, hop bitter aftertaste. Juicy, dry hop perfection!

Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Resiny and sticky in the mouth and goes down dry and sappy. Messy finish with a lingering, sticky, dry aftertaste. Nice.

If you had to pick 3 DIPAs to represent The Alchemist, Hill Farmstead, and Lawsons, you'd probably pick Heady Topper, Ephraim, and Double Sunshine respectively. DS is not in the same conversation as the other two. However, that doesn't mean its not a world class beer. Worth trying and easily the best hoppy offering I've had from Lawson's.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 01:43:38 | More by SpeedwayJim

DevilsCups

New York

4.75/5  rDev +2.8%

05-22-2013 02:32:36 | More by DevilsCups

dcloeren

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +2.8%

05-21-2013 20:47:48 | More by dcloeren

patm1986

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev -8%

05-20-2013 16:55:31 | More by patm1986

Dyelawn

Maine

5/5  rDev +8.2%

05-19-2013 19:12:12 | More by Dyelawn

jbeervt

Vermont

4.75/5  rDev +2.8%

05-19-2013 16:52:17 | More by jbeervt

aslamm75

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -8%

05-18-2013 22:10:31 | More by aslamm75

jvillefan

California

4.75/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A: It has a hazy golden yellow body with an off white two finger head that hangs around for a long time.

S: One of the more complicated hop profiles I've ever had. There is a citrus dominate front that contains heavy lemon and grapefruit. It then transitions to a Simcoe pine heavy finish. There is a subtle caramel note running throughout the entire nose.

T: Nearly a perfect blend of malt and hops. The flavor is uniform from start to finish. There is a sweet caramel and bready flavor that is what an IPA backbone should be. The hops match the nose pretty well. There is citrus (lemon, apricot, and grapefruit), pine, and that dank hop flavor that is delicious.

M: Perfect body. It is very smooth and has a great carbonation bite.

O: I was expecting this beer to be good but overrated. I was wrong. This beer lives up to the hype. Well worth actively pursuing if you are a fan of well balanced IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 05:19:08 | More by jvillefan

EricTheRed

New York

5/5  rDev +8.2%

05-17-2013 20:15:35 | More by EricTheRed

irv2424

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +2.8%

05-17-2013 19:54:08 | More by irv2424

Dirtinabottle

New York

4.75/5  rDev +2.8%

05-17-2013 01:31:53 | More by Dirtinabottle

vinnie

Texas

5/5  rDev +8.2%

05-17-2013 00:33:33 | More by vinnie

mjohnson17

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +2.8%

05-15-2013 17:58:11 | More by mjohnson17

flipdog0

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +8.2%

05-13-2013 18:42:26 | More by flipdog0

thezoobrew

New York

5/5  rDev +8.2%

05-13-2013 18:32:23 | More by thezoobrew

ShanePB

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +2.8%

05-13-2013 17:05:52 | More by ShanePB

Hugonaut13

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev -2.6%

05-13-2013 01:32:02 | More by Hugonaut13

lpayette

Vermont

4.75/5  rDev +2.8%

05-12-2013 19:50:38 | More by lpayette

Tibs

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev -8%

05-12-2013 10:32:50 | More by Tibs

Hopbully

Virginia

5/5  rDev +8.2%

05-12-2013 05:50:52 | More by Hopbully

writerLJBerg

Oregon

3.94/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Found this review from a long time ago in my notebook. 22oz bottle courtesy of LoPo87 at a tasting.

A: Cloudy straw yellow and lacks lacing.

N: Sweet and hoppy. Grapefruit, pine, biscuit, and mango.

T: Sweet malt, pine, some drying floral hops. Little bit of spice and pepper.

M: Very drying and it's very clean. There's definitely some alcohol here.

O: A worthy DIPA, but it's not a beer I'd gush about. Certainly a recommend if you like this style scraping and pine-filled. Definitely better than Heady Topper which we had at the same time.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 04:07:02 | More by writerLJBerg