Fall might be on the horizon, but IPA season isn’t slowing down. In this week’s Beers to Know, Topa Topa brings back a fan favorite in a tall can for its 10th anniversary, Lawson’s Finest celebrates ten years of Sip of Sunshine with a bold new hazy, and Indeed Brewing splits the difference between orchard and brewhouse with a hybrid Apple Crisp Ale.
Weekender West Coast IPA joins Topa Topa’s year-round lineup
Ventura’s Topa Topa Brewing Co. just expanded its year-round roster to eight with the official return of Weekender West Coast IPA, now available in 19.2 oz cans. Brewed with a juicy mix of Mosaic, Citra, Ekuanot, and Cryo Mosaic, and clocking in at 7.2% ABV, Weekender is a fruit-forward, dry-finishing West Coast IPA designed for long weekends and big pours.
This new year-rounder was years in the making. Director of Brewing Ops Graham Strong tested five modern IPA variants on draft at all five taprooms to learn what local fans really wanted. Weekender departs from flagship Chief Peak’s piney notes, focusing instead on aroma, brightness, and classic West Coast bitterness.
The tall can release follows a busy year of growth for Topa Topa. Weekender is the second core addition of 2025, following Sunburst White Ale in January. Meanwhile, their new Solitude IPA mixed packs and Good Good Hazy IPA series are introducing creative hop expressions and sustainability-driven collaborations through their 1% for the Planet partnership.
Before year’s end, Weekender will appear on draft at Disney California Adventure and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, with strategic packaging tweaks planned for 2026. And if you’re in Ventura on Sept. 14, you can toast Weekender at Topa Topa’s Overland & Off-Road Swap Meet, a brand-aligned outdoor event celebrating travel, adventure, and IPAs in the great outdoors.
Lawson’s Finest unveils Hop Wired Hazy IPA
Fresh off celebrating the 10-year anniversary of Sip of Sunshine, Lawson’s Finest Liquids is back with a new Vermont release: Hop Wired Hazy IPA. This 6.8% ABV hazy IPA brings a burst of citrus and tropical hop flavor, made with a well-balanced blend of El Dorado, Simcoe, Cascade, and Citra.
“Every step was designed to ensure this hazy IPA truly represents ‘the finest,’” said Adeline Druart, Lawson’s CEO. The final recipe came after months of pilot batches and feedback from Lawson’s Waitsfield taproom crowd. Available now in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans and on draft statewide, Hop Wired is already proving itself in a summer where Lawson’s IPA sales have posted double-digit growth in the Northeast.
According to VP of Sales Seth Talmon, Hop Wired “is a bigger ABV than we’ve brought to a Hazy IPA before,” delivering layered juice and a soft, cloud-like mouthfeel. As always, Lawson’s brews are Cold Stored. Cold Shipped. Cold Shelved.™, and the brewery remains committed to giving back: Its SIP (Social Impact Program) has contributed over $2.5 million to nearly 400 nonprofits.
Indeed Brewing’s Apple Crisp Ale blends beer and cider
Is it a beer? Is it a cider? It’s both—and neither. Indeed Brewing Co. of Minneapolis just released Apple Crisp Ale, a 6.7% ABV hybrid that drinks like a cider, brews like a beer, and smells like pie.
Crafted from Pilsner and Munich malts with real apple juice, the ale is fermented using Fresco cider yeast, a non-sulfide-producing strain from Renaissance Yeast. The team at Indeed lightly dry-hopped with Sultana for subtle pineapple aromatics and then added a light touch of cinnamon and nutmeg for that apple crisp effect.
“Apple Crisp Ale is a beer that tastes a lot like a cider. And it’s delicious,” said Ryan Bandy, Chief Business Officer at Indeed. “Craft beer is coolest when it pushes boundaries and circles back to something approachable—and that’s what we’ve done here.”
The result is a seasonal crossover that’s ideal for these in-between weeks: apple orchard vibes with lager-like drinkability. Perfect for those not-quite-summer, not-quite-fall days.
