The most popular beers at 6 Beaufort SC breweries that you have to try
Are you a self-proclaimed beer connoisseur, or at the very least, have a general appreciation for the beverage?
Do you prefer to spice up your brew specific to the season or are looking for a local establishment that offers uniquely sourced brews different from your usual grocery store selection?
It can be easy for any beer admirer to get tired of drinking the same, go-to, national or internationally sourced beer brands. For those looking to spice up their selections, breweries in Beaufort County provide just that, as well as a look into their most popular selections and favorites.
Beaufort County has a plethora of breweries for anyone interested in trying either something new or the local, Lowcountry flavors.
Not only is it supporting local, but drinking from local sources brings the Lowcountry straight into your hand and into your home.
Here are six breweries found locally in Beaufort County and details on their most popular beers.
Hilton Head Brewing Company
Hilton Head Brewing Company proclaims to be Hilton Head Island’s first official brewery. By brewing their own craft beers, the company gives guests the chance to “get a taste of Hilton Head, craft beer style.” They offer 16 beers on tap, which are all brewed in-house. The establishment is open daily from noon until 9 p.m. and also offers the opportunity to join a group tour and drink a pint with the brewer on Mondays at 3:15 p.m. Hilton Head Brewing Company is located at the north end of the island and can be found at 1 Cardinal Road, Suite 13.
For beer enthusiasts wanting to try one of the many brews this company has to offer. The establishment’s head brewer, Bob Magliacio, reveals that the best selling beer is their Tropical Lager. As for his favorite, “it would be like picking a favorite child.” All of the brews offered are his favorite.
Side Hustle Beer Company
Side Hustle Beer Co. is a local brewery on Hilton Head Island that claims to be the smallest craft brewery in South Carolina. This owner-operated working brewery serves craft beer brewed locally. There are seven beers currently available that can be enjoyed on draft or cans to-go in 16oz singles and four packs, which can be made into a mixed singles pack. Hard seltzers are also available on draft. In addition, a number of beers will be obtainable soon.
Lee Holyoak, Side Hustle Beer Co.’s head brewer, says that the brewery’s most popular beer is Refraction IPA, which is a 7.6% hazy/New England style IPA brewed with Mosaic and Simcoe hops. “The beer is exceptionally smooth on the palette and provides wonderful aromas and flavors of tropical fruit.”
Following closely behind Refraction IPA is South Island New Zealand-style Pilsner. This selection is a dry hopped lager featuring Motueka hops. “South Island Pilsner differs from traditional spicy/floral Czech or German style pilsners with the hops providing refreshing citrus flavors of lime and lemon.”
As for Holyoak’s favorite beer, that’s a difficult choice.
“It’s like having to pick my favorite child,” Holyoak said. “It really depends on the day. On most days my favorite would be our ‘Point Break IPA’, but after a long, hot brew day, nothing is more refreshing than our South Island Pilsner. In cooler months our ‘Enough Space coffee stout’ really hits the spot.”
Side Hustle Beer Co. can be found toward the south end of the island at 144 Arrow Road.
Lincoln & South Brewing Company
Lincoln & South Brewing Company is a craft brewery on Hilton Head Island. The father-son team that started the company brought New England style IPA to the island through the brewery. The company currently has several beers available for the public, including even a hard seltzer. As guests enjoy their specialty brews and available food options, live music entertainment from local musicians can generally be heard coming from the establishment.
Lincoln & South owner Tom Gadhue said that their Beach City Pilsner was the most popular.
As for his favorite, the Hearts & Arrows IPA takes the crown.
Beach City has an ABV of 4.5%, an IBU of 31.2 and a flavor profile of crisp, snappy, floral hops. It is a house lager with 90% pilsner malt and 10% two different secret ingredients as well as German Perle and German Tettnang hops.
Hearts & Arrows is a Citra IPA that has an ABV of 6.8% and an IBU 32.8 with an orange and peach flavor profile.
In addition, new seasonal beers will be out soon for the autumn season. The soon-to-be-released fall spirits will feature a new beer every week.
Lincoln & South can be found on Hilton Head at 138 Island Drive.
Southern Barrel Brewing Company
Located in Bluffton, off of Buckwalter Parkway, Southern Barrel Brewing Company works to combine “the beauty of old with a taste of the new.” The establishment, which claims to be Bluffton’s first brewery, offers a bar, beer garden and tavern restaurant serving local brews and fresh beer directly from Southern Barrel’s brewery. Southern Barrel has year-round core beers on tap as well as seasonal selections and limited runs being offered to curious guests.
According to Southern Barrel’s chef, Jessica Snider, the brewery’s top selling beer is their Damn Yankee IPA, which is a New England style IPA with an ABV of 6.4% and an IBU of 55. The most popular is their Wild Bramble, which is a Tart blackberry and raspberry Berliner Weisse style sour ale with an ABV of 4.5% and an IBU of 2.
In addition, Southern Barrel’s currently featured beer, the Beach Bully Pale Ale, “took home the gold again” in the 2022 South Carolina Beer Awards presented by the South Carolina Brewers guild. The ale is described as an “easy drinking hop-forward pale ale with Citrus, Melon, and Stonefruit flavor with aromatics from El Dorado and Citra hops.”
Southern Barrel Brewing Company is open daily and can be found in Bluffton at 375 Buckwalter Place Boulevard.
Lot 9 Brewing Company
Lot 9 Brewing Co. is a craft, nano-brewery in Bluffton that is “devoted to bringing people together for the love of great beer made right.” The nano-brewery brews each of its beers in small batches. This is so that the quality of each beer remains fresh and the taste is always at its peak. The company divulges that guests will see some favorites on tap as well as a few newcomers each time they visit. Described as a craft beer test kitchen, the company considers itself as having a “revolving door of different styles and flavors” for each of their beers on tap.
Lot 9’s owner and brewer, Walter Trifari, relayed that the beer Hurts So Good Hazy IPA is the company’s best seller.
As for picking a favorite at the brewery, Trifari replied, “As the father of four children, it’s never a wise thing to pick a favorite, but I will say that I love our Lotoberfest Märzen Lager, especially at this time of year.”
Hurts So Good Hazy IPA is a New England/Hazy with a 7.1% ABV and a 22 IBU. This IPA is “brewed with wheat and malted oats for a solid haze.” In addition, it is “hopped with Mosaic in the brewhouse and dry hopped with a blend of Mosaic & El Dorado hops.”
Lotoberfest Märzen Lager is a 6.1% ABV and a 21 IBU, which is described as a “delicately bold Lager” that is “brewed with 100% German ingredients and Lagered cold for 6 weeks. Copper/amber in color with a smooth toasted bread like flavors accented with hints of light caramel tones.”
Lot 9 Brewing Co. is open Wednesday through Sunday and can be found in Bluffton at 258 Red Cedar Street, Suite 14.
Shellring Ale Works
Shellring Ale Works is a newer brewery in Port Royal that offers a space “for those that crave beer in an inviting atmosphere” from a company that is “passionate about crafting uncommonly creative beer.” The brewery replaced a shrimp processing establishment in a now-refurbished building on Port Royal’s waterfront. The establishment states that guests can always count on having Aria’s Amber Lager, Hop Dr. Hazy IPA, Jelly Fruited Sour Ale and Nautical Light 98 an ultra session ale to be on tap. Guests should also expect “an additional revolving door of other brews that will continue to evolve so there’s always something new for you to taste.” The brewery consistently keeps many different beers on tap.
Nick Borreggine, co-owner of Shellring Ale Works, said that the brewery’s most popular seller is their Hop Dr. Hazy IPA.
What’s his current favorite at the brewery? It’s new for the season.
“My current favorite is our Kellerbier,” he said.
This brew was recently released at the company’s Oktoberfest on the River.
Shellring Ale Works is open daily and can be found at 1111 11th Street.
