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Lawson’s Finest issues IPA of the year candidate in Hop Wired beer

A beer teeming with harmony and hoppy goodness

By Mark Stock Published May 22, 2026

Lawson's Finest Hop Wired IPA. — Lawson's Finest

So far, it’s been a surprisingly good year for beer, at least in terms of quality. There have been numerous noteworthy spring beer releases, spanning the spectrum from light lagers to powerful maibocks. Today, we’re spotlighting one of our favorite new IPAs.

Made by east coast outfit Lawson’s Finest Liquids, the Hop Wired IPA is a remarkable hazy IPA. Balanced, without being overly juicy or tropical with a nice hoppy finish, it’s the way the genre should be. Too many go over the top with candied fruit notes in the name of a cloudy build but this one is dialed-in.

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The beer is available in cans and on draft at various spots in and around the brewery’s Vermont home. Four-packs of the beer are being distributed in eleven states. While we’re very excited for the next 3-Way IPA, this one already has us thinking it’s a worthy beer of the year candidate.

Coming in at 6.8% ABV with a mouthfeel that’s just about perfect, the Hop Wired is a grand beer. Do it right and pour it into a proper glass, preferably one with a broader opening so you can really enjoy the fruit and hops intertwine on the nose. In the ever-crowded world of India Pale Ales, this is one of the best ones this writer has tasted as of late.

Lawson’s Finest has become an east coast legend in the craft beer movement. Launched in 2008 as a nanobrewery, the Vermont outfit has grown to become one of the most esteemed in the region. Beloved for their IPAs, Lawson’s also makes maple stouts and more.

Contributor

Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…

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Liquor, Beer, Wine & Drinks

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