Maplewood Son of Juice Review: Solid IPA With Complex Taste

Maplewood Son of Juice is a really juicy NEIPA that will remind you of drinking fruity orange juice on top of an ale base. The delicious beer bursts with fruity flavors due to the hops, while the malts offer a solid base.

It is a juicy and low-bitter IPA that offers delicious waves of orange juice and citrusy flavors with every sip that you take. In our detailed review below, we cover all you need to know about this juicy IPA, including the tasting notes and food pairings. 

Maplewood Son of Juice Stats

Country	United States
Brand	Maplewood Brewery & Distillery
Style	New England IPA
Taste	Citrus, hoppy
Body	Light Body
ABV	6.3 percent
Flavors & Aromas	Citrus, orange, banana, tropical fruits, hoppy
Serving Temperature	45 – 50 degrees Fahrenheit

Tasting Notes

Maplewood Son of Juice Review 

Son of Juice is an American pale ale made by Maplewood Brewing & Distillery. The fruity beer stays true to its name, giving you a very juicy and wet flavor from start to finish. It features an alcohol content of 6.3 percent, with a fresh, hoppy, and appealing character from start to finish. 

The beer has a pale orange appearance and a light and crisp body for easy drinking. It has flavors and aromas of citrus, orange, tropical fruits, and hoppy hints, and there’s a lot of hoppy bitterness that follows into the finish. Plus, it feels smooth and dry, inviting you to take another sip. 

Serve the beer in a pint glass, as it is designed with a wide opening at the top and slims down towards the bottom. The opening holds the foamy head in place and retains the aroma. You can also serve it in a snifter, chalice, or goblet. The brew is best served at temperatures ranging from 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. 

– Appearance 

On the pour, the Son of Juice already meets up to its name with a juicy and wet appearance. The beer pours a pale orange color into your glass and features a hazy appearance that is befitting of the style.

Atop the beer is a massive frothy white head that will remind you of a milkshake. As it dissipates, the beer leaves scattered, spotty lacing against your glass. It has an attractive appearance.

– Aroma 

Bring the beer to your nose, and the first thing that you notice is the juicy citrus fruits that will appeal to your senses. You will notice hints of orange, tangerine, and grapefruit, which offer a sweet and tart aroma.

The beer smells very hoppy and fresh, with an appealing scent that invites you to take another sip. There is a faint aroma of pine and orange juice balanced out with a bit of creaminess. 

– Mouthfeel 

On the palate, the beer feels crisp, smooth, and light, causing it to go down very easily with every sip. The body is light and offers easy drinking, with a clean finish that cleanses your palate. 

Towards the finish, the beer tastes quite dry and bitter, inviting you to take another sip. Although it is light, the beer is also quite creamy and feels smooth. It is also very drinkable, even with the slight bitterness in the flavor notes. 

– Flavor 

The flavor of the Son of Juice ale follows the aroma very closely and is even more juicy and hoppy than you’d expect. The first thing that you taste when you drink beer is the flavors of fruits, and this is dominated by a lot of citruses. You can enjoy hints of orange, mango, guava, banana, tangerine, and papaya. 

Towards the finish, the beer offers flavor notes of hoppy bitterness, and there are a lot of citruses too. The citrus flavors continue toward the end. There isn’t much bitterness throughout the flavor, but it is quite woody and not dank. Even in the aftertaste, the hoppy flavor continues to express itself. 

– Food Pairings

When having the Son of Juice NIEPA, there are different flavors to expect, all of which you can match and contrast with different kinds of food. The ideal food pairing for the beer is roast chicken, as the crisp and toasted flavor of the meat goes well with the malty base of the beer. 

Another food pairing that you can have with beer is oily fish like mackerel or salmon. It goes well with the creamy flavor of the beer. You should top the fish with traditional lemon or mango salsa. Crunchy foods like crisp potato salads and corn on the cob, or bright produce like asparagus, go well with the beer.

For cheese, you should have the beer with creamy blue cheese that contrasts the crispness of the beer or goat cheese. If you want to get dessert, the beer goes great with a crème brulee and blood orange sorbet. 

Ingredients 

The ingredients used to make the beer include hops, malts, yeast, and water. The malts used to make the beer include pilsner malts, golden naked oats, malted oats, and white wheat. It offers a smooth and malty base that remains until the end of the flavor.

There are also hops used to make the beer, including Mosaic, Simcoe, Mosaic Cryo, and Simcoe Cryo Nugget. The hops offer a fruity flavor with low bitterness that follows into the aroma. Although the beer is light, it is also a bit creamy due to the pilsner malts and oats that contribute to the body. 

Nutrition Facts 

The Son of Juice ale features an alcohol content of 6.3 percent, and this barely contributes to the flavor and aroma you drink. There is no alcohol warming in the flavor too. You can expect there to be a high IBU due to the hoppiness in the flavor. 

In every 12 ounces of beer, you get 210 calories and 20.7 grams of carbs. The beer also has 1.5 grams of protein and 20 mg of sodium. It’s important to consider this when calculating your daily dietary requirements. The beer is not ideal for those on a keto diet. 

History 

The Son of Juice is a creation of Maplewood Brewery & Distillery and was first released in 2016. The delicious beer bursts with tropical fruits from the hops, while the malts give it a solid body. 

Maplewood was released in 2014 and had been brewing craft beer and spirits since then. It was founded with the mission to push the beer through the neighborhoods near it. The brewery is based in Illinois and is the first of its kind to establish a brewing and distilling company at once. 

Conclusion

You can expect a good balance of juiciness and fruitiness with every sip that you take of the beer. Here’s a rundown of our beer review:

• Son of Juice is an American pale ale with a 6.3 percent alcohol content. 
• The brew has flavors and aromas of citrus, caramel, tropical fruits, hops, orange, and bananas, with a light and creamy feel.
• It is made with pilsner malts, malted oats, white wheat, golden naked oats, Mosaic, and Simcoe hops. 
• Serve the beer in a pint glass at a temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Pair it with roast chicken, oily fish, crunchy dishes, bright produce, creamy blue cheeses, and a crème brulee. 

If you’re curious about the beer, you can purchase it online or in person at liquor stores near you. You can also get it right from the tap at the brewery.