The Success Story Of Tropical Hop Beers

Trop Hop Beer is a tropical India Pale Ale (IPA) with grapefruit and passionfruit flavours. It was founded in Charleston, South Carolina, by Austen Kroll, a star of the reality TV show Southern Charm. Kroll's aim was to create a great-tasting beer with a tropical influence. Since its launch in 2019, Trop Hop has expanded from South Carolina into North Carolina and Central Florida, with plans to launch in Alabama and Tennessee. It has received positive reviews for its taste, with one journalist describing it as mildly sweet with enough kick and hops to avoid giving me heartburn. However, some Reddit users have criticised the beer and questioned Kroll's business acumen.

Trop Hop's popularity and expansion

Trop Hop was founded in Charleston, South Carolina, by Austen Kroll, a cast member of the reality TV show "Southern Charm". Kroll's involvement in the show gave Trop Hop significant exposure and helped boost its popularity. In addition to the show, Kroll also utilised social media platforms like Instagram to promote the brand and engage with customers.

The idea for Trop Hop stemmed from Kroll's passion for craft brewing and his desire to create a great-tasting beer with a tropical influence. The result was an India Pale Ale (IPA) with grapefruit and passion fruit flavours, described as light and fruity, making it an appealing choice for warm days. The beer is brewed with Mosaic Hops, giving it a tropical fruit flavour, and dry-hopped with Citra hops for an added citrusy aroma.

Trop Hop's initial release in 2020 faced some challenges due to strict brewing laws in South Carolina, limiting its distribution. However, the brand gained traction and became a staple on tap in local bars in Charleston. In 2022, Trop Hop expanded into North Carolina and Central Florida, and Kroll expressed plans to launch in Alabama and Tennessee, indicating the rapid growth and expansion of the brand.

The popularity of Trop Hop can also be seen through the success of its merchandise, with fans eager to represent the brand even if they couldn't access the beer itself. Additionally, Trop Hop has received positive reviews from customers and journalists, praising its taste and smooth finish.

With the growing success of Trop Hop, Kroll has continued to expand the business, releasing new flavours such as a lager and a wheat beer, and considering expansion beyond IPAs into ready-to-drink options. The brand's popularity and expansion demonstrate the success of Kroll's venture into the craft brewing industry, taking Trop Hop from a local favourite to a wider audience across multiple states.

The taste and flavour of the beer

Trop Hop Beer is a tropical-infused, fruit-forward IPA with a smooth and refreshing taste. It has a unique flavour profile that sets it apart from regular IPAs.

The beer has a crisp, clean, and smooth taste, with predominant citrus notes, giving it a seltzer-like quality. It also has subtle biscuit-like and spicy flavours, accompanied by a mild hoppiness that reminds you that it is indeed a beer. The hoppy notes are not too pronounced, making it a great choice for those who prefer their beer less bitter.

The aroma and flavour of Trop Hop Beer are mostly of passionfruit and grapefruit, and other citrus essences, such as lemon and guava. There's also a hint of spice, reminiscent of ginger, and a yeast-like, doughy note that brings biscuits to mind. The malt and hoppy characters are present but subdued, creating a well-balanced blend of flavours.

Trop Hop Beer has a medium body and moderate carbonation, resulting in a crisp, clean, and full mouthfeel. It leaves a dry finish, with a mild bitterness that lingers behind the citrusy flavours. The beer has a 6.1% alcohol content, which provides a slight burn or alcoholic warmth.

The overall taste of Trop Hop Beer is fruity, with a subtle biscuit-like taste, and it is easy to drink due to its smooth and refreshing qualities. It is the perfect beverage to enjoy on a breezy night out or to pair with spicy dishes from Asian, Mexican, Jamaican, or Italian cuisines.

The marketing and branding of Trop Hop

Trop Hop is a beer brand founded by Austen Kroll, a star of the reality TV show *Southern Charm*. The brand's flagship beer is a tropical IPA with grapefruit and passionfruit flavours. The beer was developed to be "approachable, tropical, and easy drinking".

The name Trop Hop was created by Kroll and his business partner, Ryan, who is the reality star's brother-in-law. The pair wanted to create the perfect summer beer, so they landed on a tropical fruit IPA, and the name is a play on the word "tropical". The beer is brewed with Mosaic Hops, which gives it its tropical fruit flavour, and it's dry-hopped with Citra hops, adding a deeper citrusy aroma. The can artwork, featuring stingrays swimming through clear blue water, was designed by Carolina-based artist Adam Lynch.

Trop Hop's marketing strategy has been closely tied to *Southern Charm*. The brand first appeared on the show when Kroll gave a tour of his brewery, and castmates were seen drinking the beer. The show's platform has helped to boost the brand's popularity, with fans eager to try the product they'd heard about. The exposure from the show gave Kroll a reason to get started on his brewing venture, although he was wary of being associated with the beer, so he kept his name and the show off the labels.

Trop Hop has also used more traditional marketing strategies, such as hosting launch parties and partnering with bars and grocery stores to get the beer on tap and on shelves. The brand has expanded its distribution from its home base of Charleston, South Carolina, to North Carolina, Central Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee.

Trop Hop has also diversified its product line, adding a lager and a wheat beer to its original IPA. The brand is considering expanding outside of IPAs, with the potential for ready-to-drink offerings, such as a ranch water (tequila, soda, and lime).

The success of Trop Hop has led to the creation of merchandise, including hats, shirts, and other items, which are sold on the brand's website.

The business model and scalability of production

The business model for Trop Hop beer is not entirely clear. It appears that the beer's founder, Austen Kroll, may have collaborated with a brewery to produce the beer, as suggested by a comment on a Reddit forum. This is supported by another comment stating that none of the breweries in Charleston, where the beer is produced, have their own breweries. However, it is unclear what role Kroll plays in the production and distribution of the beer, and the extent of his involvement in the business operations.

The scalability of production for Trop Hop beer is also uncertain. There have been mixed reports about the availability of the beer, with some people claiming to have seen it in stores and bars, while others have never heard of it or seen it available for purchase. This could be due to limited distribution or inconsistent supply, which would impact the scalability of the product.

A successful business model in the craft beer industry involves being different and taking risks. This could mean specializing in a particular style of beer, such as drier, hoppier West Coast-style beers, or focusing on barrel aging to bring higher profit margins. It could also involve unique marketing strategies, such as "guerrilla marketing," which relies on word-of-mouth and grassroots tactics to promote the product.

To scale up production and distribution, a business would need to focus on effective marketing and sales strategies, as well as building relationships with suppliers, distributors, and retailers. It would also be crucial to have a strong understanding of the target market and their needs, and to continuously improve the product based on customer feedback. Additionally, a scalable business should aim for a strong online presence and utilize social media to reach a wider audience and drive sales.

In the case of Trop Hop beer, there appears to be a lack of clarity and transparency about the business operations and production processes. This makes it difficult to determine the scalability of the product and the potential for long-term success. A more defined business model, clear distribution strategy, and consistent supply would be necessary to ensure the scalability and growth of the Trop Hop beer brand.

Austen Kroll's involvement in the beer's creation

Austen Kroll's involvement in the creation of Trop Hop beer began with his desire to craft the "ultimate IPA". As a fan of ice-cold IPAs himself, Kroll, a star of the reality TV show Southern Charm, decided to create his own brewing company from scratch. He established Kings Calling Brewing, a brewery in Charleston, South Carolina, where he could often be spotted and even gave tours on occasion.

Kroll's passion for beer and his entrepreneurial spirit drove him to pursue this venture. He wanted to create a great-tasting beer with a tropical influence, bringing a taste of Charleston to people everywhere. The name "Trop Hop" was created by Kroll and his business partner, Ryan, who is the reality TV star's brother-in-law. They aimed to make the perfect summer beer, and thus, the name "Trop Hop" was born, a playful twist on the word "tropical".

The Trop Hop IPA is brewed with Mosaic Hops, giving it a tropical fruit flavour profile. It is also dry-hopped with Citra hops, adding a deeper citrusy aroma. The artwork on the can, featuring stingrays swimming through clear blue water, was designed by artist Adam Lynch from the Carolinas.

Kroll's journey with Trop Hop began in 2019 when the beer was officially launched and hit the market. Initially, it faced distribution challenges due to strict brewing laws in South Carolina, limiting its availability to Charleston. However, in 2022, the brand expanded into North Carolina and Central Florida, with plans to move into Alabama and Tennessee.

Kroll has expressed his thrill at the support he has received for Trop Hop, both from those close to him and from fans of the product. He has also acknowledged the role that his reality TV show exposure has played in generating interest in the beer. However, he was wary of being too closely associated with the beer, choosing to keep his name and Bravo fame off the labels.

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