Pineapple Express
Terrapin Beer Company

Pineapple ExpressPineapple Express
Rate It
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Terrapin Beer Company
 
Georgia, United States
Style:
Helles
ABV:
5.4%
Score:
77
Avg:
3.35 | pDev: 15.22%
Reviews:
31
Ratings:
176
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Feb 06, 2017
Added:
Jan 01, 2014
Wants:
  4
Gots:
  6
SCORE
77
Okay
Pineapple ExpressPineapple Express
Notes: None
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of mothmanscott
Reviewed by mothmanscott from Georgia

3.67/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
From Notes: Pours a deep straw producing 2 fingers of somewhat lasting, pillowy, white foam head that leaves only a few blotches & streaks of lace. Aroma is sweet, doughy wheat, pilsner malt, a little grass & lemon (hallertau hops?), yeast & a hint of yeasty fruit esters & thin smoke. Pineapple is present but backstage. Taste is a little bitter, slightly tart, yeasty & smokey up front. Wheat in middle with a hint of clove, hoppy grass & lemon combine with cracker & biscuit of Pilsner malt to produce a clean but snappy pepper, dry finish. The smoke is detectable throughout the sip but the pineapple is very subtle. Aftertaste is bittersweet, clean & shortlived. Mouthfeel is light bodied or if you are really pushing it light-medium bodied, lively with carbonation, crisp, dry & oh so drinkable. Pineapple Express (Side Project 21) is the winner of Terrapin's first annual Employee Homebrew Challenge.
Feb 06, 2017
 
Rated: 3.84 by lemmy187 from Missouri

Jul 14, 2015
Photo of thebeers
Reviewed by thebeers from Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
A big burst of carbonation when opened. Fairly clear, light-golden color with an overly huge white head filling the entire glass. Smoke and pineapple heavy in the nose, along with some nutmeg and medicinal notes. More of a rauchbier than a helles in the flavor. Big smoke upfront with a helles taste in the background. The pineapple is subtle, but present, and the entire beer is pretty-well balanced on the whole. Rauchbiers aren't really my thing, but I can appreciate how well-crafted this is and think a lot of people would really enjoy it.
Jun 07, 2015
 
Rated: 3.84 by Budlum from Maryland

Apr 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.69 by Justdoit1234 from Minnesota

Mar 08, 2015
Photo of Hopheadjeffery
Rated by Hopheadjeffery from Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Tasted from draft at Firkin on February 27, 2015.
Feb 27, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by DrMindbender from South Carolina

Jan 08, 2015
 
Rated: 2.5 by Mark5252 from Pennsylvania

Nov 16, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by RavenForBeer from Georgia

Nov 05, 2014
Photo of OrestesMethuon
Reviewed by OrestesMethuon from Montana

4.06/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4
I give this beer a lot of credit for being both (a) a beer that maybe shouldn't work, but strangely does, and (b) really going out on a limb, as far as I'm concerned, while somehow strangely keeping its wilder impulses fairly reigned.

While ostensibly a Helles Lager, the overall effect and composition of Pineapple Express lends itself more to smoke beer discrimination than anything else. The nose is sugary, with pineapple overtones, but its heart is all campfire and wood; the flavor matches, but moreover extends the sentiment, with a cascading and clarion assertion of its smoked malt base—a brewing decision that keeps the texture and the malt-load light and fluffy, but adds a dark, burnt richness to the body of the beer. Meanwhile: true to its Helles Lager inspiration, the beer is a very blonde golden complexion—echoing the grilled-pineapple notions that suffuse the brew—but it's paired with a somewhat sediment-heavy turbidity, a payload of yeast that helps accentuate the subtle tropical-fruitiness provided by the pineapple addition.

Overall, I'd have to say this is a success—though I'm a non-trivially big fan of smoke beers—and a surprising success, at that, given the adventurousness of the concept (not to mention the employee homebrew provenance). It's tasty, yes, but bonus points are due for nailing a beer that was born from what could have been a sketchy premise.
Nov 05, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by bhudlow23 from Georgia

Oct 29, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by RHB33 from Maryland

Oct 10, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by GeorgiaBeerGuy from Georgia

Oct 09, 2014
 
Rated: 2 by chadwicktorres from District of Columbia

Oct 02, 2014
 
Rated: 3.08 by JStewart00 from New Jersey

Sep 27, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by Nichols33 from Massachusetts

Sep 25, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by vwbus7 from North Carolina

Sep 19, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by runner72 from Massachusetts

Sep 16, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Washuffizi98 from Tennessee

Sep 15, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by WarEagle04 from Georgia

Sep 02, 2014
 
Rated: 1.5 by Shake from Maryland

Aug 21, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by wfowlks from Massachusetts

Aug 16, 2014
 
Rated: 1.5 by Nobcefus from Pennsylvania

Aug 14, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by LukeGude from Iowa

Aug 12, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by lisahope27 from Pennsylvania

Aug 09, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by thereal_adam from Texas

Aug 07, 2014
 
Rated: 1.75 by cmpashia

Aug 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by KathrynD from New Jersey

Jul 31, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by AmericaGWShark from Oklahoma

Jul 29, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by ScottJWing from Ohio

Jul 25, 2014
 
Rated: 2 by malfunxion from New York

Jul 25, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by Chuffbomb from Ohio

Jul 23, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by augustwest from Georgia

Jul 14, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Drknight from Virginia

Jul 13, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by CUbeerfan from Georgia

Jul 13, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by DeadWalkerAir from South Carolina

Jul 10, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Gonzoillini from Illinois

Jul 04, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by muskiesman from New Jersey

Jun 27, 2014
Photo of Jadjunk
Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia

3.58/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pulling into Terrapin Beer Co.'s station is Pineapple Express, the winner of our first annual Employee Homebrew Challenge. Inspired by a late night grilling session with friends, a couple chunks of pineapple got thrown into the mix, and an idea for a new beer style was born. The team brewed up a Helles lager for the base brew and used real pineapple and smoked malt to conduct the winning recipe." Brewed in the style of a German Münich Helles Lager with pineapple and smoked malt added. Entry number 21 in the side project series, released in 22 oz. bottles and on limited draft early 2014.

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a Terrapin snifter. Served above 55º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a frothy lemon-tinged white head over a hazy golden yellow body. Dense speckled sediment and dense haze impede clarity. Retention is good, lacing is light and spotty. 3.75

(Smell) There's no mistaking pineapple and other fleshy tropical fruits are front and center in the aroma. Secondary notes include biscuity pale German malts, a pinch of smoked malt and a modest grassy hop bitterness. Potency is moderate. 3.75

(Taste) Cracker malt profile with a mild dryness and light sweetness paired with a grassy hop profile and a moderate bitterness. The unique flavors come through in the finish with a pinch of smoke and some charred pineapple, neither profound nor underwhelming. I personally think that the malt and hop base of this style were ideal for these two additives, as they shine wonderfully against the simplicity of a lager yeast strain and generate a moderate acidity and smokiness that I enjoy. 3.5

(Mouthfeel) Texture is smooth, chewy, light. Carbonation generates a moderate crispness for a soft, fluffy mouthfeel. Body is medium+ for the style, medium overall. Balance is slightly acidic and dry over sweet, smokey and bitter characteristics. Alcohol presence is light with no off flavors. 3.5

(Overall) I don't get enough beers that dabble with pineapple, but this one does a pretty good job at blending pineapple and smoke to a style that keeps ingredients fairly light and simple, thus the pineapple and smoke are difficult to miss and quite enjoyable. I didn't find much to dislike about this beer personally but it didn't blow me away either. The pineapple, smoke and malt/hop profile were right on par with my expectations. I could see why this was at least justified to win a brewery-level competition. 3.5

Terrapin Beer Company's
Side Project 21: Pineapple Express
3.56/5.00
Jun 25, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by david18 from New York

Jun 22, 2014
Pineapple Express from Terrapin Beer Company
Beer rating: 77 out of 100 with 176 ratings