Lawson's Finest Liquids
Lawson's Finest Liquids is an American craft brewery based in Waitsfield, Vermont, founded in 2008 by Sean and Karen Lawson. The company became widely known for its "Sunshine" family of IPAs, especially Sip of Sunshine, which is brewed under an alternating proprietorship at Two Roads Brewing in Stratford, Connecticut. The brewery opened a destination facility with taproom and retail space in Waitsfield in 2018 and has earned medals at the World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival.
History
Lawson's Finest Liquids sold for the first time on St. Patrick's Day in 2008. At the time they were a one-barrel nanobrewery next to the founders' home in Warren, Vermont, before expanding operations throughout the Mad River Valley. In 2014, the company began brewing Sip of Sunshine and other beers at Two Roads Brewing in Connecticut through an alternating proprietorship arrangement to meet demand beyond Vermont.The brewery opened a taproom and retail store in Waitsfield in October 2018. In 2024, the company named Adeline Druart, former president of Vermont Creamery, as chief executive officer to lead its next phase of growth.
Operations
Lawson's Finest operates its brewery and taproom in Waitsfield, Vermont. At the time of its opening, the site included a 34-barrel brewhouse. Sip of Sunshine and the Super Session series are brewed at Two Roads Brewing in Stratford, Connecticut, using Lawson's recipes and ingredients, while other year-round and seasonal beers are produced in Vermont.By 2021 the brewery's distribution covered nine Northeastern states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. In August 2024, an expansion into North Carolina marked the company's first move outside the Northeast.
In 2023 Lawson's Finest achieved B Corp certification and completed a 100% renewable-energy transition that included installing what was reported as Vermont's largest solar canopy at the time.