Tasting

When you pour a Vermont IPA into a glass, the color is the first thing you notice. It's cloudy and glows somewhere between lemon yellow and orange, the head stands tall and lingers a while. On the nose come citrus peel, ripe mango, and sometimes a hint of grass. In the mouth, the body is round, and the finish stays short and surprisingly soft.

The first example is Heady Topper from the Alchemist. The cans hold 473 ml, and the brewery's label asks drinkers to drink straight from the can, since that's said to release the aroma best. That's the maker's recommendation, not a rule, and many brewers take a more relaxed view. The second is Focal Banger, the Alchemist's second canned beer since January 2013, somewhat lighter and without the weight of a Double.

Another example is Sip of Sunshine from Lawson's Finest Liquids, an IPA loaded with Citra that's been brewed since 2014 and turned Lawson's into the face of the region. Hill Farmstead, by contrast, is best experienced on tap at the farm itself, offering Pale Ales as well as Saisons named after family relatives.

The usual glass is a pint glass holding about 470 ml. For more aroma, go with a tulip glass, since it concentrates the scents. Serving temperature is 6 to 8°C. Much colder and you barely taste the fruit; much warmer and the beer turns heavy. Pour slowly into the center of the glass to build the head, then let the beer rest briefly before drinking.