Southern Grist Double Vanilla Pineapple Creamsicle Hill 4Pk

Southern Grist Double Vanilla Pineapple Creamsicle Hill 4Pk is a fruited lactose sour ale brewed with pineapple purees and vanilla beans by Southern Grist Brewing Co. in Nashville, Tennessee. Part of the brewery's acclaimed Hill series, this expression doubles down on vanilla bean additions alongside heavy pineapple puree, targeting a dessert-like drinking experience that recalls a frozen creamsicle bar in liquid form.

Quick Facts: Style: Fruited Lactose Sour Ale  |  Origin: Nashville, Tennessee  |  Format: 4-Pack  |  Brewery: Southern Grist Brewing Co.

Production & Heritage

Southern Grist Brewing Co. was founded in 2016 in Nashville's East Side and has rapidly built a national reputation for its inventive fruited sours and pastry-style ales. The Hill series — named for Nashville's Berry Hill neighborhood — represents the brewery's most fruit-forward lineup, featuring what the team describes as their largest doses of fruit puree in any production run. Double Vanilla Pineapple Creamsicle Hill starts with a lactose-enriched sour base, onto which massive quantities of pineapple puree are layered alongside a doubled charge of whole vanilla beans. The lactose provides body and residual sweetness that anchors the fruit and spice, while the sour base keeps the finished beer from tipping into cloying territory.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Ripe pineapple dominates the nose immediately, followed by a pronounced vanilla custard sweetness. Underneath, a faint yogurt-like tang from the sour base rounds out the aromatics and keeps them from reading purely as dessert.

Taste: The entry is lush and creamy, with tropical pineapple hitting first alongside soft lactose sweetness. At mid-palate, the double vanilla contribution becomes prominent — warm, almost extract-rich vanilla that folds into the pineapple to create a true creamsicle impression. A measured tartness from the sour base emerges on the back palate, providing necessary acidity that lifts the heavy fruit and dairy sugar load.

Finish: Medium in length with lingering vanilla and a gentle pineapple tang. The lactose leaves a smooth, rounded mouthfeel that persists after each sip, with just enough acidity on the close to invite the next one.

How to Drink Creamsicle Hill

Pour cold — around 38–42°F — into a tulip glass or wide-mouth pint to let the aromatics open up. This beer drinks best on its own, treated almost like a dessert course. For a beer float, scoop vanilla bean ice cream into a glass and pour the Creamsicle Hill over it for a fully indulgent pairing. It also works surprisingly well as a base for a beer shandy, cut with a splash of fresh lemon juice to amplify the tartness. A Radler-style mix using equal parts Creamsicle Hill and sparkling lemonade makes a refreshing warm-weather drink that stretches the tropical character further.

Best For

• Sharing at a summer cookout or outdoor gathering where a sweet, approachable beer steals the show
• Dessert-course substitute at a dinner party — served alongside or in place of a traditional sweet
• Gifting to a craft beer enthusiast who gravitates toward pastry-style and fruited sours
• Blind tasting lineups comparing fruited sour ales from different breweries

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Creamsicle Hill taste like? It tastes like a liquid pineapple creamsicle — rich vanilla custard layered with bright tropical pineapple and balanced by a soft, yogurt-like tartness from the sour ale base. The lactose adds a creamy, full-bodied mouthfeel that reinforces the dessert character.

How does Creamsicle Hill compare to 450 North's slushy-style sours? Both target the dessert sour category, but Southern Grist tends to maintain a more defined sour backbone beneath the fruit, while 450 North's Slushy XL series often leans sweeter and thicker with a smoothie-like texture. Creamsicle Hill's double vanilla emphasis also gives it a more distinct custard note than most 450 North variants.

Is Creamsicle Hill good for craft beer beginners? Yes — its sweet, fruit-forward profile and low bitterness make it one of the most approachable sour ales available, though drinkers who prefer dry or hop-forward beer may find it too dessert-like. It serves as a strong gateway into the fruited sour category.

Where is Creamsicle Hill made? It is brewed by Southern Grist Brewing Co. in Nashville, Tennessee. The brewery operates multiple taproom locations across Nashville, and the Hill series is named after the city's Berry Hill neighborhood.

What foods pair well with Creamsicle Hill? Coconut shrimp works well, as the tropical pineapple complements the coconut breading. Key lime pie matches the beer's tartness and vanilla sweetness. Grilled jerk chicken benefits from the cooling fruit and cream character against the spice. Soft, tangy goat cheese creates a pleasant contrast with the pineapple and vanilla. Fresh fruit tarts echo the beer's dessert sensibility without overwhelming it.

What sizes does Creamsicle Hill come in? This release is available as a 4-pack of cans, which is the standard format for Southern Grist's Hill series offerings.

Is Creamsicle Hill worth the price? It positions in the premium craft tier, consistent with specialty fruited sours that use heavy fruit puree additions and whole vanilla beans — ingredients that significantly raise production costs. For drinkers who enjoy the pastry sour style, the intensity of flavor and quality of execution represent solid value within the category.

Why Creamsicle Hill?

Southern Grist's Hill series exists specifically to push fruit puree volume to the brewery's maximum, and the Double Vanilla Pineapple Creamsicle expression takes that philosophy further by layering in twice the standard vanilla bean charge. The result is one of the most committed creamsicle-inspired beers in a crowded fruited sour market. Nashville's rising profile as a serious craft beer city owes a meaningful debt to Southern Grist, and this release demonstrates exactly why — technical sour brewing skill married to bold, uncompromising flavor choices. For anyone drawn to the intersection of dessert and beer, this is a benchmark expression from one of the category's leading producers.