Maplewood Son of Juice 4Pk

Maplewood Son of Juice 4Pk is a New England-style hazy IPA brewed by Maplewood Brewery & Distillery in Chicago, Illinois, at 6.3% ABV. Rated 93/100 by Beer & Brewing Magazine and scoring 91 on BeerAdvocate, Son of Juice has established itself as one of the Midwest's most respected hazy IPAs, built on a fruit-saturated hop profile and a pillowy oat-driven body.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.3%  |  IBU: 25  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois  |  Style: New England IPA  |  Brewery: Maplewood Brewery & Distillery

Production & Heritage

Maplewood Brewery & Distillery operates out of Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, running both a brewhouse and a craft distillery under one roof. Son of Juice is built on a grain bill of pilsner malt, flaked oats, golden naked oats, and white wheat — a combination specifically designed to produce the soft, full body and persistent haze that define the New England IPA style. The hop schedule layers Mosaic, Mosaic Cryo, Simcoe, Simcoe Cryo, and Nugget hops, with the cryo variants delivering concentrated lupulin oils for intense tropical character without harsh bitterness. At just 25 IBUs, the emphasis is entirely on hop flavor and aroma rather than bite.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The pour releases a rush of fresh citrus and tropical fruit — white grapefruit, orange juice, and passionfruit lead, followed by darker berry undertones and a faint herbal pine note. A subtle creaminess from the oat-heavy grain bill rounds out the nose.

Taste: The first sip delivers an immediate burst of white grapefruit and under-ripe orange, giving way quickly to passionfruit, kiwi, and lime at mid-palate. The mouthfeel is notably soft and full, with the pilsner malt and triple-oat base creating a smooth, almost silky texture that carries the hop juiciness without any astringency. Stone fruit notes emerge toward the back, balancing the brighter citrus.

Finish: Medium in length with lingering tropical fruit and a gentle herbal dryness. The low bitterness allows the juicy hop character to persist cleanly without any harsh or resinous aftertaste.

How to Drink Son of Juice

Pour into a tulip glass or stemless wine glass at around 40–45°F to open up the aromatic complexity of the hop oils. Son of Juice is at its best consumed fresh, as the volatile hop aromatics that define the style fade over time. For food-adjacent drinking, this hazy IPA pairs naturally with spicy dishes — the soft body and fruit-forward character counter heat without clashing. It also works well alongside a backyard grill session where the citrus hops complement smoky, charred flavors.

Best For

• Introducing a lager drinker to the hazy IPA style with an approachable, low-bitterness entry point
• Weekend cookouts where a juicy, sessionable IPA complements grilled food
• Gifting to a craft beer enthusiast exploring top-rated Midwest breweries
• Stocking a curated beer fridge with critically acclaimed hazy IPAs

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Son of Juice taste like? Son of Juice delivers a juicy wave of white grapefruit, passionfruit, kiwi, and orange over a pillowy, soft-bodied base built from oats and wheat. The bitterness is restrained at 25 IBUs, letting tropical and citrus hop flavors dominate from start to finish.

How does Son of Juice compare to Tree House Juice Machine? Both are highly rated New England-style IPAs with tropical fruit profiles and soft mouthfeels, but Son of Juice sits at a slightly lower ABV of 6.3% compared to Juice Machine's higher intensity, making it somewhat more sessionable. Tree House operates out of Massachusetts and carries a cult following in the Northeast, while Maplewood represents Chicago's answer to the same hazy IPA movement.

Is Son of Juice good for someone new to hazy IPAs? Yes — its low 25 IBU bitterness and juicy, fruit-forward flavor profile make it one of the more approachable entries in the New England IPA category, without sacrificing the complexity that experienced craft beer drinkers expect.

Where is Son of Juice made? Son of Juice is brewed at Maplewood Brewery & Distillery in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, a dual-operation facility that produces both craft beer and spirits.

What foods pair well with Son of Juice? Fish tacos with citrus slaw complement the beer's tropical hop character. Spicy Thai dishes like green curry benefit from the soft, cooling mouthfeel. Grilled chicken with mango salsa mirrors the stone and tropical fruit notes. Creamy burrata with fresh peaches echoes the beer's soft texture and fruit-forward profile. Sharp cheddar provides a savory counterpoint to the citrus-heavy hops.

What sizes does Son of Juice come in? Son of Juice is commonly available in a 4-pack format, which is the standard packaging for this expression.

Is Son of Juice worth the price? Son of Juice positions as a mid-premium craft IPA — competitively placed among other critically acclaimed hazy IPAs. With a 93/100 from Beer & Brewing Magazine and a 91 on BeerAdvocate, it delivers quality that meets or exceeds many higher-priced entries in the New England IPA category.

Why Son of Juice?

What separates Son of Juice from the crowded hazy IPA field is Maplewood's specific grain architecture — pilsner malt layered with flaked oats, golden naked oats, and white wheat creates a body and haze that feel engineered rather than accidental. The dual use of standard and cryo hop varieties (Mosaic and Simcoe in both forms) concentrates lupulin flavor while keeping vegetal harshness out of the glass. A 93/100 score from Beer & Brewing Magazine and over 75,000 ratings on Untappd confirm that this isn't regional hype — it's a genuinely well-built IPA that has earned national attention from one of Chicago's most versatile craft producers.