Lawson's says of their Double Sunshine IPA: '"his American Double India Pale Ale is packed with juicy tropical fruit
flavors and bright herbal aromas, thanks to the abundance of US-grown
hops. ~8% a/v"
Check out what I finally got to try! This has been on my most wanted probably ever since I started exploring the wide world of craft beer, but its limited production out of Vermont made it difficult for me to ever procure a bottle. Finally I was able to trade for it this March, so I can tick this one off. I did taste this back in March when I received it, so this review is for the fresh bottle despite not posting it until now!
Appearance: This DIPA takes on a light copper hue, and a head is a pretty clean white of medium density that doesn't leave much lacing or rings on the glass.
Smell: I found the nose on this one to be pretty subtle. I got this bottle shortly after the most recent release of Kern's Citra (which I still count as my favorite beer) and a lot of people include that beer and Double Sunshine in their favorite IPAs, so I couldn't help but compare them even though they are really completely different IPAs. One of the biggest differences was that Citra, on the nose, is explosively fruity. Double Sunshine has some nice lemon and tangerine citrus character and a solid backbone of resin and pine, but as I mentioned earlier, it's subdued.
Taste: I get the citrus and pine character like I got from the nose, but I also taste more of the tropical notes that were promised on the bottle, including mango and pineapple. The flavor is juicier and punchier than the nose, which I liked. The malt backbone is noticeable to me, not in an overly sweet way, but it's present enough to provide noticeable balance.
Mouthfeel: For the style, the mouthfeel is actually pretty thick. It's oily and does seem to leave behind a bit of a residue that's reminiscent of a thick juice. It's got the effect of ripe richness, which isn't bad, but I think I personally prefer a more dry finish.
Overall: This was a delicious DIPA that I'm fortunate to have tried; however, now that I have, I can safely say that I don't think I'll be needing to seek it out again. I traded away some Citra for it, but I know now I'd rather have the Citra. Since there is no shortage of fabulous IPAs here in California, and since Heady Topper is available year-round from Vermont, I have plenty of other options! I think I preferred Lawson's Triple Play IPA, which may be an unpopular opinion, but to me and my preferences this one didn't quite live up to the hype.
3.5/5
Check out what I finally got to try! This has been on my most wanted probably ever since I started exploring the wide world of craft beer, but its limited production out of Vermont made it difficult for me to ever procure a bottle. Finally I was able to trade for it this March, so I can tick this one off. I did taste this back in March when I received it, so this review is for the fresh bottle despite not posting it until now!
Appearance: This DIPA takes on a light copper hue, and a head is a pretty clean white of medium density that doesn't leave much lacing or rings on the glass.
Smell: I found the nose on this one to be pretty subtle. I got this bottle shortly after the most recent release of Kern's Citra (which I still count as my favorite beer) and a lot of people include that beer and Double Sunshine in their favorite IPAs, so I couldn't help but compare them even though they are really completely different IPAs. One of the biggest differences was that Citra, on the nose, is explosively fruity. Double Sunshine has some nice lemon and tangerine citrus character and a solid backbone of resin and pine, but as I mentioned earlier, it's subdued.
Taste: I get the citrus and pine character like I got from the nose, but I also taste more of the tropical notes that were promised on the bottle, including mango and pineapple. The flavor is juicier and punchier than the nose, which I liked. The malt backbone is noticeable to me, not in an overly sweet way, but it's present enough to provide noticeable balance.
Mouthfeel: For the style, the mouthfeel is actually pretty thick. It's oily and does seem to leave behind a bit of a residue that's reminiscent of a thick juice. It's got the effect of ripe richness, which isn't bad, but I think I personally prefer a more dry finish.
Overall: This was a delicious DIPA that I'm fortunate to have tried; however, now that I have, I can safely say that I don't think I'll be needing to seek it out again. I traded away some Citra for it, but I know now I'd rather have the Citra. Since there is no shortage of fabulous IPAs here in California, and since Heady Topper is available year-round from Vermont, I have plenty of other options! I think I preferred Lawson's Triple Play IPA, which may be an unpopular opinion, but to me and my preferences this one didn't quite live up to the hype.
3.5/5
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