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I know that I have had beer from 4 Hands before, but I didn't bother looking up to see how well they have been doing. Sometimes, a little mystery in life is a joy. This beer is going to be unusual from two perspectives, as I, once again, don't recall how good or bad they are at making beer, and this also has pineapple added to an IPA. I have definitely not had pineapple added to an IPA before, so I'm looking forward to a taste sensation.
The yellow-gold beer produces a white head of mixed sized bubbles that stays around for quite some time. It also appears to be capable of leaving a lot of lacing. It's not a particularly sticky head, but lacing in any respect is always welcome. I do get a whiff of pineapple coming out of my IPA, and I certainly expected that. Other scents are hidden underneath, but I'm pretty sure I smell other citrus mingling in with it. This should be very good, and I desperately want to be.
First sip is pineapple forward, and other fruits seem to be hiding. As a result, the pineapple husk seems to be a little prominent while the cracker malt seems to be able to peek around the corner. The bitterness from the, presumably, hops is really taking this sweet pineapple and turning it into something it should probably not be. Of course, one of the things that probably shouldn't be is a sip. Good beers can reveal their nature in a good gulp.
Tip-in is bitter pineapple husk with mild carbonation intrusion and very little else to speak of. The middle gets delightfully smooth, as the pineapple becomes more sedate and some orange and lemon seems to join it as the malt gives heft. The finish is a delight of pineapple smashing against the malt rocks before a bitter trail off settles in.
Bottom Line: I encourage people to draw outside the lines. Sometimes it only kind of hits.
2.25/5
