Good Brews for a Cause: Lawson’s Finest Liquids Supports Diversity in Beer With Two Limited Release Collabs

In celebration of Black Brewers Day on Oct. 10, Lawson’s Finest Liquids, makers of the iconic Sip of Sunshine IPA, presents two collaborative, limited-release brews that both support diversity in brewing: Illumin-8 West Coast-style IPA, brewed with Inglewood’s Crowns & Hops Brewing Co., and Change in the Air IPA, brewed with New England Brewing Co. 

Illumin-8 West Coast-style

A vibrant, modern take on a West Coast IPA, Illumin-8 was brewed with a curated blend of New Zealand hops. This beer bursts with bright notes of citrus and tropical fruit, balanced by subtle pine undertones. Crisp, clean, and full of flavor, Illumin-8 shines with every sip.

Illumin-8 was brewed to benefit 8 Trill Initiative, Crowns & Hops’ nonprofit focusing on the growth and sustainability of Black entrepreneurs in and around craft beer. 8 Trill offers Black craft beer brands access to funding, industry leaders, resources and educational tools to help them build and sustain successful businesses.

You can try Illumin-8 during the Great American Beer Festival on October 10, which is also Black Brewers Day, followed by limited time distribution on draft and in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. 

Change in The Air

Two of New England’s favorite breweries have once again joined forces to release Change in The Air IPA (5.8% ABV, ~45 IBU), a must-try yearly collaboration brewed with purpose.

The beer pours a pale straw to golden hue with brilliant clarity and is stone fruit-forward, showcasing notes of pear, mango, and passionfruit, complemented by light citrus and pineapple. With a lower ABV and balanced bitterness, Change in The Air is an easy-drinking IPA with character. Its vibrant can artwork was designed by New Haven, Conn.-based Black artist and Change in the Air Foundation team member Shavon Gales.

Proceeds from Change in the Air will benefit the Change in the Air Foundation and its mission to create a more inclusive beer industry. Change in the Air Foundation works to make education in the brewing sciences more accessible to Black and Brown brewers. To provide a pathway to resources, New England Brewing Co. and The Connecticut Brewers guild, along with Sacred Heart University, created the CT Brewers Guild African American Brewers Scholarship. Proceeds from the beer’s sale will benefit the Change in the Air Foundation and the scholarship fund. 

Change in the Air and Illumin-8 are both part of Lawson’s Finest’s Good Brews For a Cause, a series of small-batch collaborations brewed to raise funds for great causes. Like every Lawson’s Finest brew, Change in the Air Illumin-8 West Coast-style IPA is Cold Stored. Cold Shipped. Cold Shelved.™ to stay brewery-fresh. 

ABOUT LAWSON’S FINEST LIQUIDS

Lawson’s Finest Liquids crafts and delivers the finest and freshest beer possible to delight fans and to cultivate healthy, vibrant communities through its Social Impact Program. The SIP has raised more than $2 Million for important causes since 2018. The brewery is a values-driven business with a commitment to excellence, authenticity, community, sustainability and fun. Founded by Sean and Karen Lawson, the company boasts a growing collection of award-winning beers brewed with passion and precision including the renowned Sunshine family of IPAs. Beginning as a home-based 1-barrel nanobrewery in 2008, Lawson’s Finest expanded production capacity in 2011 and 2014, growing to include distribution across nine states in the Northeast. In 2018, Lawson’s Finest opened its popular destination Brewery, Taproom and Retail Store in central Vermont’s Mad River Valley town of Waitsfield. For more information on Lawson’s Finest Liquids, visit lawsonsfinest.com or follow the company on Instagram (@lawsonsfinest) and Facebook (@lawsonsfinestliquids).