Tropical IPA
Steel Hands Brewing

 

12 oz can from Columbia, SC The ale poured a clear gold with a white foamy head and lacing. The aroma of grapefruit and hints of pine resin are noted. The ale is very flavorful with grapefruit and pine resin balanced nicely with the selected pale malts. The ale has a medium body and average carbonation.

Somewhere in the world where tropical punch meets IPA is where Steel Hands brewers find inspiration for their juicier, fruitier and softer take on hoppy ale.

Medium amber with honey hues, Tropical IPA kicks off with a foamy eggshell froth and and host of tropical aromatics in a perfumy array that includes citrus, spruce and fragrant grasses. Sweet on the palate, notions of honey, caramel, toasty sweetness and candied nuttiness suggests something of granola.

As the ale floods the middle palate, the tropical flavors pull from the malt and give a citrusy taste of pink grapefruit, orange peel and lime before an overcast of tropical fruit flavors bring pineapple, passionfruit, mango and papaya with an almost suntan lotion character. Even hints of coconut show up as the hops round out into a bitter finish with a linger of pine, fresh-cut grasses and danker herbs tease the late palate.

Not fully committed to hazy ale, but using a lot of the hops and smoother bitterness that those beers possess, this old school base IPA shows some upgrades for a taste that's a little of both.

 

Here at Bar Figaro at Newberry in South Carolina as I finished up the National Parks at Congaree today. This was the local beer in cans and thankfully, it was worth my day as this was a tasty beer that was also full-bodied!

The coppery hue to this was just a tad lighter than the brickwork at the bar as it had a sufficient, long-lasting head that never quit during my long session. Lots of layered and thick suds stick around as the lacing was quite extensive. Copper, leather, and acrid hops were in the nose as the taste was full of grapefruit rind, pine, sharp bitterness, and caramel with the end result being a beer that was wonderfully complex, true to form, and easily enjoyable to drink. A lot of earthiness and metallic notes were in the back as this had quite the dry-hopped feel to it.

The purported papaya emerged in the aftertaste as this was just juicy enough in the back to leave me wanting more. Enjoyed this immensely as this was arguably the best beer that I’ve had from the Palmetto State. Solid all-around, I’d reach for this again the next time I’m in these parts!

 

12 oz can from SC with a partially legible 2022 canning date stamped on the bottom. Revisited in August 2022.

Appearance. Hazy copper colored body with a very good off-white head.

Aroma. Pungent mix of tropical fruit and lightly cooked grain notes.

Flavor. Moderate strength and, at most, moderate bitterness for the style with some herbal and earthy notes joining those of tropical fruits. There's a generous load of sweet malts that mix nicely with the fruity hops.

 

 

Picked up in Charleston on a road trip last weekend. Looks the part with a big head and hazy body. Caramel and sweet citrus in the nose. Drinks pretty solid. I find this pretty balanced, with moderate tropical and citrus notes softened by a bit of a bread note. Kind of juicy in the mouthfeel with a touch of white pepper in the aftertaste. Not bad.

My bestie from Charlotte, NC gave me a can of this beer. It poured a clear copper with thin white head that is leaving some lace. The scent had dank fruit marmalade notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with tropical fruit salad presence. The mouthfeel was medium in body and had good carbonation. Overall it is a solid beer.

Poured from a 12 oz can (dated 01 Oct 2020) into a shaker pint. Clear light orange in color with minimal head. Nose is faint orange peel. Taste is strong pine resin and orange peel with a lingering strongly bitter finish. The bitter finish is a bit overwhelming for my taste. Mouth feel is sticky and resinous with minimal carbonation. An interesting, different IPA but not my favorite style.

 

 

 

I tried this beer during a visit to my favorite bar in Newberry, SC because the beer I had previously ordered there was no longer available. I honestly believe this is the best beer I’ve ever tasted (admittedly, I like IPAs). Unfortunately, I have found only one store where it is available (BiLo in Prosperity). I intend to visit the brewery in Cayce sometime early in 2020. If you like IPAs, you should try this one!

 

Appearance - Pours crystal clear golden color with a massive soapy off white head excellent retention. Spotty lacing.

Aroma - Grapefruit, sweet malts, caramel, orange, bitter citrus peel.

Taste - Up front ripe orange, mango, grapefruit. Sweet malts and some light biscuit come out for sure mid way through. Bitter citrus peel on the end that lingers.

Feel - medium bodied carb is very nice dry finish.

Overall - WC IPA flavors really nice looking nose is pretty standard flavors bounce back and forth but really nicely balanced mild tropical fruit and malts.