Double Sunshine IPA - Lawson's Finest Liquids

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev -16%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed On tap at Prohibition Pg. White foam on yellow suds. A DIPA level of bitterness. Good drinkability, above average mouthfeel. Only a faint hop aroma. What a way to start, with a DIPA in the afternoon. Lots of citrus flavour, fruity. The alcohol is there.

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2012 11:40:50 | More by northyorksammy

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.93/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

seriously one of the best beers i have had in the style, not even a question and by far the highlight of the bbq on thursday night. poured into a nonic and split with calton, this was a rare treat indeed.

the pour was a wonderfully decadent hazy golden amber color with a smooth head of three inches in height and lacing that dripped down the side of the glass. crazy good look to it.

the aroma will simply knock you over, so fresh, so clean and simply stunning, fresh citrus abounds with a juiciness and ripeness that is unparelled. amazing pineapple, orange, tangerine, mango, i mean it was like straight juice pouring out of the bottle. so smooth and so fresh the hops just roll across the palate and settled on the tongue with the most mellow feel i could imagine. light grains are in the mid palate as it warms but it is the deep fruit freshness that is simply amazing here.

overall this has to be one of the best beers i have ever had. simply stunning and soo happy i got to try it.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2011 05:03:49 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Huge, huge thanks to imagineiii for sending this bottle my way. I've been looking to try this for awhile now. Served in a Bruery tulip.

Pours a bright, clear golden yellow color with a good white head and plenty of lacing as it goes down. The nose immediately lets me know that this is going to be delicious. It has loads of citrus character along with a bit of pine; slightly dank. Great hoppiness. The flavor carries the same notes, and the citrus hop character pairs really well with a great amount of bitterness. Very good. Light to medium body with a great dry finish. Very, very nice overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2011 00:39:18 | More by Thorpe429

UCLABrewN84

California

4.4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle pour courtesy of Wowcoolman at Woodshop 7 held at Beachwood BBQ & Brewing in Long Beach, CA.

Pours a clear light orange with a foamy beige head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of citrus fruit, citrus zest, and some very nice tropical fruit aromas. Taste is exactly the same and comes with a medium amount of hop bitterness that lingers on the palate after each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer that is super tasty and really easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 01:17:33 | More by UCLABrewN84

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a Lancaster shaker pint glass.

Thanks to baconsausage for this bottle!

Rare Batch #208, bottle #57. I've read some interesting comparisons involving this beer and other highly-rated DIPAs, so I'm glad to have a chance to potentially debunk them. Tee-hee. It pours a clear copper topped by two fingers of white foam. The nose comprises grapefruit, orange, light pine, very light leek, pineapple, light watermelon, and light caramel. The taste brings in more of the same, along with some orange rind, grapefruit peel, and light lemon zest. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a dry, sticky finish. Overall, a very nice DIPA, heavy on the fruit without somehow overdoing it. This stuff deserves a good portion of the praise it gets.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2011 18:59:42 | More by TMoney2591

drabmuh

Maryland

4.43/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared by Thorpe recently, thanks. The few beers I've had from this brewery I've been impressed with. I'd like to get more of their IPAs to try. They seem to have that figured out well.

Beer is really light in color, shockingly light yellow and mostly clear with a decent head of small white bubbles that leaves a little lacing on the glass. The carbonation is moderate to low.

Since this is an IPA this is where I'm suppose to say that it smells hoppy. In my experience there are four distinct hop aroma families, fruits (this can be divided further into tropical and citrus), pine, earth, and noble. This one is definitely of the fruit (citrus) variety with the pine playing catchup. Smells like simcoe, I should have read the label. Smells really nice, it's aggressive without being distracting.

Beer is medium in body, on the lighter side of medium, with a nice level of carbonation on the palate. Not as bitter as I expected but it is bitter to an extent. The hop flavors in the midpalate mirror what you would smell in the aroma, nice citrus presence with a pine backing that carries the hops to the bittering end, this makes me think that a piny hop was used as the bittering hop and the fruit / citrus hops were late additions. Overall a great DIPA. I'd have it again for sure.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2011 19:50:43 | More by drabmuh

MasterSki

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Chris (spycow) for sharing this one. Served in a Stone IRS tulip. Most recent batch (#192?) - two weeks old in any case.

A - Pours with a finger of white foam that eventually settles to a thin cap and collar, leaving spotty lace behind. Hazed golden sunshine color - surprise!

S - Very dank, with some citrus, tropical fruits, and a slight chive aromas as well. A light burnt sugary malt character reveals that it's a DIPA, but I initially would have pegged it as a regular IPA, as there's no alcohol and it's very hop-forward.

T - Taste is laden with grapefruit, pine, and a minimal malt backbone. Alcohol is again non-existent. Initially restrained in bitterness, although it mounts over the course of a glass.

M - Medium bodied, medium carbonation, smooth texture, dry finish, and light residual resins. No alcohol warmth.

D - Just an all-around great beer. Best beer I've had from Lawson's for sure and competitive with upper tier offerings from San Diego. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2011 23:18:59 | More by MasterSki

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.59/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

This poured out as a very nice looking yellow color with a fluffy white head on top. The head retention is strong and the lacing is very good too. The smell is loaded with floral, fruity and citrus aromas. The smell is almost addictive. The taste of the beer is solid as well, lots of piney citrus and melon flavors with a great malt backbone as well. The mouthfeel of the beer is very drinkable, soft and refreshing. Overall it's excellent. Very happy to have tried this beer finally.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 02:57:08 | More by Knapp85

emerge077

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks Brian for bringing a couple bottles to share!
Review from written notes.

Into a small tulip glass it pours a saturated orange tone, with a slight haze to it. Lasting cap of white foam, with a ring of lace crowning the rim of the glass.

Dank... and I mean Dank aroma, lush and resiny, super pungent fresh hops taking on an almost cheesy quality. Phew!

Big citrus notes lead off initially, lush with bitter orange peel and leafy greenery. Again an almost cheesy quality about the hop varietals used. Lasting aftertaste, dry and bitter, resiny and clinging to the teeth and gums. Super fresh impression, very resiny with lush citrus. This is great stuff, thanks again for sharing Brian!

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2011 02:07:04 | More by emerge077

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Reservoir in Waterbury, VT. Stopped by with friends for dinner on the way back from Stowe, and damn this hit the spot. The body is on the lighter side for the style, which I prefer, and the hop character is heavy on floral citrus, with an earthy undertone. The hops vary between fruity and juicy to a more herbal lemon, with a hit of spice. Damn tasty overall. Very hoppy, but I could enjoy a few glasses. You should.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2012 03:35:13 | More by tempest

mdfb79

New York

4.35/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From 03/19/11 notes. Bottled shared by Thorpe429; thanks Mike, always excited to try new Lawon's beers. Batch 192, bottle 88, poured into a tulip.

a - Pours a murky golden color with less than one inch of white head and light carbonation evident.

s - Smells of citrus hops, grapefruit, honey, pine hops, fruity malts, tropical fruits, and melon. Wow, this has to be one of the best IPA's I've ever smelled. We had Ephraim from Hill Farmstead earlier in the night which was amazing, but I liked the nose on this one even better.

t - Tastes of citrus hops, fruity malts, grapefruit, light pine hops, and tropical fruits. Some moderate bitterness up front. I think I enjoyed Ephraim's taste better but this was still a very nice DIPA.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation, Some bitterness up front, crisp finish.

d - Overall this was an awesome DIPA and another great beer from Lawson's; it made me really want to try more of their stuff. I've had two of their IPA's now and they've both been very good. The nose was so hoppy and fruity it was perfect to me. Would love to have it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2011 18:39:30 | More by mdfb79

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Tap at black back pub in Waterbury, VT.

nice big head, fades slowly with nice soapy lacing, hazy golden carrot orange color.

Nose had light malts, nice tropical fruits, hint of citrus, tangerine, bit earthy, citrus rind, nice light but fruity, hint of malts.

Taste is creamy malts, sweet ish, tropical fruits, nice big citrus orange rind, tangerine, peach, mango, touch pineapple, fairly bitter, nice big long bitter hoppy finish, more lingering citrus and tropical fruit, more bitterness and dry finish.

Mouth is med bodied, decent carb.

Overall great, bit too dry on the finish, but great hops and nice touch of a malty balance, great tropical fruits and fruits in general. And amazingly drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2011 23:00:42 | More by jlindros

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.63/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to koopa for sharing this one.

Pours a cloudy, golden sunshine color with orange and lemon yellow hues and a one finger white head that slowly settles into a lasting ring. Spotty lacing left behind.

Sweet citrus hop aroma with dank, resinous hop oils and tons of citrus and tropical. fruit. Slightly piny with lots of pineapple, grapefruit and lemon peel.

Medium bodied with a blast a dry, earhy hops which provide a perfect dry bitterness that lingers over the sweet fruit notes into a bone dry finish.  Lots of grapefruit and sweet pineapple along with zesty lemon peel.  Pale malt backbone with biscuit and cracker providing a nice counter without taking away from the hop bitterness.  Simply put, this beer tastes amazing.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2011 07:45:47 | More by corby112

HopHead84

California

4.5/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

6/25/2011

Big thanks to yourefragile for sending me this bottle out of the blue. I've been wanting to try this for some time as I'd heard a lot about it. Poured into a snifter. Rare Batch #211, Bottle #4.

A: The bomber has gold foil on the top and a simple label that becomes somewhat obscured as the moisture smears the ink. I pry off the cap and am greeted with a commendable hiss. A hard pour into the snifter yields a slightly hazy dark orange body with an enormous sea foam white head that exhibits excellent retention and leaves thick sheets of lacing on the sides of the glass.

S: Honeydew melon and cantaloupe meet peach, nectarine, tangerine, orange, and mango. The hop profile is vibrant, bright, and expressive. Malt takes a back seat to the hops but lends a subtle breadiness to the background. No evident alcohol or harsh notes, just a lot of hop expression taking many forms. Mango becomes more pronounced as the beer opens up. There's a little pine and just a whisper of onion (not at all detracting).

T: Orange, mango, honeydew melon, nectarine, grapefruit, apricot, and peach. The beer exhibits an abundance of hop flavor with a lower moderate bitterness. It's smooth and gentle while delivering lots of hop characteristics. There's a dash of pine, and that subtle and ephemeral malt caramel/breadiness that's quickly forgotten. The finish is smooth and hoppy with no evident alcohol. Bitterness waxes in the drying finish.

M: Lower medium in body with upper moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is smooth, sticky, and dry.

Overall: A fantastic Double IPA. It's mellow and restrained, but it deserves the praise it receives.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2011 03:36:40 | More by HopHead84

Brad007

Vermont

4.33/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a yellowish-gold color with a frothy head.

Grassy hops with a touch of citrus as well. Perhaps a hint of mint as well.

The taste is full of a citrus blast that overrides the grassiness. Its just where it should be.

Mouthfeel is full of lingering citrus and perhaps a smidgen of malt.

Deceptively drinkable with more of a balance than I expected. I would certainly buy it if it were more readily available.

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2011 01:49:11 | More by Brad007

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a white head. Color is a hazed bright golden orange.

Aroma: Lots of floral and herbal hops. Huge tropical citrus flavors. Pineapples, mangoes, oranges. No malts show.

Taste: Super tropical fruit flavor. Massive floral, earthy, and fresh hop profile. No malts again. Awesome.

Mouthfeel: Bitter and smooth. Medium bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends sticky.

Overall, a great dipa. So fruity with no malts showing. Very tasty and very drinkable. Wish more east coast dipas were like this (disregarding HF of course).

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 01:46:58 | More by mothman

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.53/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Jrae2424 hooked this one up... I shared with a couple of peeps over the weekend... Thanks a ton Jason... there were some eyes opened to the potential of this small brewery.

Batch 189, Bottle #9. Yellowish head... with great retention and lacing... hazed hellow orange brew...

Nose is fantastic mix of tropical fruits.. melon and apricot.. dried pineapple and lime tree blossoms.

Bracing bitterness out of the gate and it lingers through the finish.. hop flavor is still tropical with a bit of citrus... pretty dry with only enough pale malts to play well..

I would swear this is a PNW DIPA... but the bottle says otherwise.. I like it.

Body is a solid medium with a nice carbonation.. Awesome and very fresh.. The "lack" of maltiness may be a minor detriment, but I am not gonna complain. This is a damn good brew.

4/4.5/4.5/4/5

Very cool Jason.. I'm humbled.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2011 05:56:52 | More by JohnGalt1

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.68/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to mikesgroove for dropping bombs on my palate during Hobo Cookout #1 and sharing this with me! Bottle #53 from Batch #174! Served from bottle into a Stone nonic. Poured a hazy yellow-orange with a two finger slightly off-white head that subsided to half a finger slowly. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of swee malt, mango, grapefruit, citrus, and citrus hop. The flavor was of sweet malt, mango, citrus, grapefruit, citrus hop, grapefruit hop, and subtle marijuana. It had a medium feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Overall this was an excellent brew. Really great in all aspects on this one. The flavor completely floored me on how fresh and potent it was... Really glad I got the chance to try this one and if you have not, you should as well as it is definitely worth it!

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 11:52:30 | More by thagr81us

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.6/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared by Thorpe429. Thanks Mike!

The beer is a clear, golden hue with a thick finger of white head that leaves a generous amount of lacing on the glass.

The aroma is awesome, and I know right away that I'm in for a treat. Pine, grapefruit, melon, citrus.

The taste does not disappoint, bringing a healthy dose of fresh hops and citrus fruits. Alcohol content is masked extremely well in both the aroma and flavor. At 8% abv, this beer is dangerously easy to quaff. Hoppy grapefruit juice. Mmm.

The feel is light to medium bodied with a very nice feel on the palate. The finish brings a healthy dose of dryness and bitter hops.

Overall, a terrific beer and well worth trying. I've been pretty impressed with everything I have had from Lawson's Finest Liquids so far.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2011 23:56:01 | More by Huhzubendah

largadeer

California

4.4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cloudy blond body topped by a thin head that recedes to a crown. Big pineapple nose backed by grapefruit and orange. Little malt presence. Tastes really nice; pineapple and grapefruit with some earthiness in the background. Body is light and malt is noticeable but integrated, slightly bready. A really good DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2012 21:55:43 | More by largadeer

gford217

Georgia

4.7/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bomber from caguiar.

Pours a hazy golden orange with a small wispy white head that recedes to a swirl of foam and thick collar.

Aroma is massively hoppy with mostly juicy citrus hops - pithy white grapefruit and orange zest. Some lemongrass and pien resin underneath the citrus. There is a bit of bready malt sweetness but definitely not a lot of balance in the nose.

The taste has a mix of oranges and pineapple citrus with a hefty floral dankness with some herbal and grassy notes. The finish is bitter and resinous.

Mouthfeel is medium to full bodiied and well carbonated. I do get a hint of alcohol burn in the finish which surprised me a little but didn't take away from the beer.

Another outstanding hoppy beer from Lawson's. I was a big fan of the Triple Play I just tasted and this is even better I think.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 23:05:34 | More by gford217

jrallen34

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Props to Chris for this super fresh bottle, batch 192, bottle # 117... Pours a murky light gold, dark in the middle, a little ugly. A nice white head, great retention and lacing... The aroma is fantastic, so fresh, just plucked pine needles with pineapples and an assortment of tropical fruits... Taste is equally great, bitting pine and alcohol of a dipa, but muted and so drinkable. This is awesome, must try.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2011 14:30:07 | More by jrallen34

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.9/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I was very surprised and lucky that Tim (thegrogbog) pulled this out on a random weekday in northern OH (thanks so much Tim!). Bottle 137 from batch 196. This was many months old but tasted extremely fresh and hoppy, the miracle of modern refrigeration.

The beer is golden colored and just a little murky, a result of the sediment poured into our glasses as we tried to get every bit of the bottle out. What an incredible smell, this is massively hoppy, fresh and citrusy, pine needles and dank week, everything you could ask for.

Luckily this tasted just as delicious as it smells, so resiny and hoppy, only the faintest struggle for balance given by the pale malts, excellent. Jesus but this tastes nice, and the alcohol is not discernable in any way.

So glad to get a chance at this again, would love to try it any time in the future too.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2011 01:24:28 | More by TurdFurgison

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Wow, seriously? Brewed out East, and holding its own against any beer without Pliny in its name? Thanks, Mike.

Crystal clear pour with a dense, white head with excellent retention and lacing, this looks gorgeous. And the nose is fuckamazing. Big, resiny, citrus and pine goodness, incredibly bright, resiny, fruity but decidedly bitter, Pretty much perfect for a DIPA, the only reason I haven't bumped the score is 'cos I tried it at a tasting. The palate follows, with a burst of hop goodness, big, bitter, bright, pungent and resiny, with citrus and pine with no real malt character to speak of. Dense, hop resins linger on in the finish, coating the palate and emphasizing some of the fruity aspects of the beer. Drying, bitter finish, this is awesome. Very highly recommended. Fuck yeah!

**Edit 21 July 2012**
Thanks again, Michael.

Looks great, this smells great too! An amazing, juicy, fruity tropical fruit nose with mango, papaya, peach and tangerine, this is just bursting with hop goodness. Bright and pungent without being grassy and herbal, the hop nose is close to perfect.

The palate is an explosion of hops, big, fruity, sweet and amazing. Tangerine, mango, melon, nectarines, peach and ripe oranges run riot on the palate. Bitterness is low here, but there is an oily, resiny hop character that more than makes up for it. The hops are so juicy that they make this beer sweet, a feat considering that the base pale malt lends nothing more than a mild biscuit note. Light in body with moderate carbonation, this feels pretty great on the palate. While I'm tempted to lump this in with the San Diego DIPAs, this still is unique in the hop profile. It amplifies the fruity hop nose that the best ones have, and tones down the bitterness for a very unique beer, and while my scores stand, my palate was clearly compromised when I wrote my original review above. Clean, fruity and refreshing, this is outstanding stuff.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 02:04:42 | More by DefenCorps

FosterJM

California

4.38/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

1385th Review on BA
Bottle to HF Stem
22oz

Thanks to BA Tony32408 for this one

App- More of a dark orange with a good haze to it being unfiltered. A little murky and a little heavy looking. A small one finger white head with fast receding bubbles formed and left some good lace lines, not great but was nice.

Smell- When you open the cap you get little whiffs of the citrus inside the bottle. Nice aromatics with tropical notes coming forward early. A bit of pineapple, mango and tangering. A stronger pull leaves some of the impending creamy hops and pine flavors with a little bit of the thicker booze from the 8%

Taste- This was a very balanced large abv DIPA. The 8% is there but is very well layered in between what I am going to a a lush creamy hoppy flavor intermixed with a small smidgen of pine and resin flavors. For a large DIPA, not overly dry either. The creaminess brings the flavors together very nicely.

Mouth- This really was a very good beer on the palate. A bit of a thicker medium body with a creamy hoppy and fruity residual flavor. A good amount of bubbles but more of a thicker carbonation as well.

Drink- An outstanding DIPA from VT. Becoming a trend and I like it!! I am glad I live near alpine and have access to it, because I'd go broke trading for this guy all the time.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 15:25:09 | More by FosterJM