Arlington Brewing Company finds a home, and Lawson’s Finest releases two new beers

The location also gives Allen and his team a chance to build their ideal brewery, complete with a taproom and kitchen. It’s something Allen has been building toward since he started tinkering with the homebrewing kit he was given for Christmas more than 20 years ago. Last year, Allen launched Arlington Brewing Co. with an event at the Arlington Reservoir. Expecting 500 people, they ended up selling to more than 3,000.

“Since then, we’ve been steadily growing and mostly trying to keep up with demand. We’ve been looking for a permanent home the whole time,” says Allen.

Arlington Brewing Co. currently contract brews beers like Spy-P-A and First Love Dortmunder Lager, as well as more limited releases like Marley’s Ghost Christmas Ale. Allen hopes the new physical brewery, taproom, and restaurant will open during the summer of 2025.

Freestyle IPA and Mogul Masher

The first time I tried a beer from Lawson’s Finest Liquids, I made the winding, 28-minute drive from Waterbury to Warren, Vt., asked the clerk at the Warren Store if they had any of the good stuff, and crossed my fingers.

The site of those first bottles wrapped in gold-foil brought a dopamine boost, and the first sip of any Lawson’s beer today is still a treat. And while beer fans are now very familiar with Sip of Sunshine, two new Lawson’s offerings might also be of interest. The first, an IPA called Freestyle, is the Vermont brewery’s newest limited-release beer. Freestyle is brewed with a unique hop variety called Tallus, which gives off notes of fleshy fruits like lychee and mangosteen. A lighter malt build ensures that the hop flavors shine through.

Another new Lawson’s release, Mogul Masher, will prove harder to find. That pale ale, a collaboration with J Skis , sold out at the initial release party last week. The Lawson’s folks are expecting Mogul Masher to be re-released in December, so plan your Vermont trip then.