Walk up to the bar at Tidal Creek on any given night and you’ll find roughly 17 beers on tap, with a new beer release almost every week. That amount and variety can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.
Beer styles have names that can sound intimidating — Double IPA, New England IPA, West Coast IPA — but behind every name is a pretty simple idea about what the beer tastes like and how it was made. Once you know a few anchors, the tap list starts to feel less like a pop quiz and more like a menu full of things you want to try.
This is that guide. No jargon, no snobbery. Just a plain-language walkthrough of the styles you’re likely to see at Tidal Creek and what each one tastes like.
Start Here: The Big Fork in the Road
Most beers split into one of two families: lagers and ales. The difference is how they ferment and the strain of yeast that is used; lagers ferment cool and slow, ales ferment warm and steady, and it changes the flavor profile pretty dramatically.
Lagers tend to be crisp, clean, and refreshing. Their flavor is often subtle and elegant, with a clean and nuanced profile. Ales are broader and more expressive, they can be fruity, roasty, or bitter, featuring an intensity of flavor often more robust than that of lagers.
This is really just the tip of the iceberg; there are over 120 recognized beer styles. Tidal Creek brews many of these, with new flavors and interpretations being added each week. Here’s a quick primer on a few of our popular styles to help guide you when picking your next TCB beer.
Pilsner — The Crisp Starting Point
A Pilsner is a lager, and it’s the style most people already know without realizing it. The difference is that a craft-brewed Pilsner has substantial flavor: a clean malt backbone, a light bitterness from noble hops, and a dry finish that makes you want another sip.
If you’re newer to craft beer, or you’re the designated driver who wants something refreshing without a lot of alcohol, start here. Tidal Creek features two pilsners on its year-round lineup: La Cala Mexican-style Lager, and Liberatore Pils. Reach for La Cala if you want a lighter, beach-friendly option with a hint of corn sweetness. For a hoppier, fuller, more food-friendly option, then ask for a Liberatore.
Blonde Ale — The Easy Introduction to Ales
If Pilsners are the entry point on the lager side, Blonde Ales are the gateway on the ale side. They’re light in color, mild in flavor, and broadly approachable. Not too hoppy, not too malty, not too anything — just an easy, pleasant beer.
Tidal Creek’s flagship Breezy Blonde Ale is an excellent representation of the style. Crisp, clean, but full flavored; it’s a good pick if you’re not sure what you want, or if you’re ordering for a group that leans toward lighter tastes.
Brown Ale — Where the Roast Comes In
Brown Ales are where you start to taste the malt. There’s a nuttiness, sometimes a light chocolate or caramel note, and a warmth that makes them a natural match for food — especially anything grilled or savory.
Backwater Brown Ale is one of Tidal Creek’s regulars in this style. It’s the beer to reach for when you want something with more body than a Pilsner but without the bitterness of an IPA. Pairs beautifully with wings, burgers, and anything coming off the Craft Kitchen’s dinner menu.
West Coast IPA — The Bitter, Bright One
IPAs (India Pale Ales) get a reputation for being intensely bitter, and on the West Coast style, that reputation is at least partly earned. West Coast IPAs are clear, dry, and hop-forward — the hops come through as citrus, pine, and a clean, sharp finish.
Coastlines IPA is Tidal Creek’s West Coast offering. If you’ve had one of the big national IPAs and decided you liked it, this is your lane. If you tried an IPA once and found it too bitter, hold off and try a NEIPA first (more on that next).
New England IPA (NEIPA) — Hazy and Tropical
New England IPAs changed a lot of people’s minds about craft beer. Where West Coast IPAs are clear and bitter, NEIPAs are hazy and soft — they can look like pulpy orange juice and taste more tropical than bitter. The hops are big but they read as juicy and fruity rather than sharp.
If you’ve been avoiding IPAs because of the bitterness, a NEIPA is the one to try. Beam Reach Hazy IPA by Tidal Creek is the go-to, full or tropical aromas with a soft body, gentle sweetness, and just enough hoppy bitterness for balance.
DIPA — The Big Version
DIPA stands for Double IPA — meaning more hops, more malt, more alcohol than a standard IPA. Hazies in this range can look deceptively gentle in the glass, but they pack real punch. The flavor is usually rich and tropical with a warming finish. West-coast interpretations will be more bitter, but have a drinkability that can make even this intense style bright and refreshing.
Mean High Water DIPA is Tidal Creek’s flagship in this category. It’s a beer to linger over — not a session drink. Pair it with something rich from the kitchen and take your time.
Hefeweizen — The German Wheat Beer
A Hefeweizen is an unfiltered German wheat beer with a distinctive character: notes of banana and clove that come not from additives but from the yeast itself. It’s cloudy, light in body, and slightly fruity in a way that surprises people who’ve never had one.
Harmonic Hefeweizen is Tidal Creek’s take on the style. It’s a great summer beer — refreshing enough for a hot day, interesting enough to slow down and appreciate.
Coffee Blends — Combining Two Crafts
Tidal Creek operates a full coffeehouse alongside the taproom, and features several coffee beers, including Brewhouse Blend #1 (Porter based), Brewhouse Blend #7 (Brown Ale based) and a Coffee Blonde, using Breezy as the base beer. These are all beer/coffee hybrid — brewed with real coffee, with the roasty richness of both in balance.
If you’ve ever thought “I want my morning coffee and my afternoon beer to have a conversation,” this is that conversation. It’s distinct from any style category and worth trying at least once.
How to Order When You’re Not Sure
The fastest shortcut: tell your bartender what you already know you like. Something like “I usually drink light beers, what do you have in that range?” or “I like coffee and dark chocolate — what would you recommend?” gets you to something good faster than reading the whole tap list cold.
You can also ask for a sample. Tidal Creek is happy to let you taste before you commit.
The tap list rotates week to week, our brewers mill malt in-house and brew in small batches, so the beer list is genuinely always changing. What’s on tap today might not be here next week, and something new might have just come off the tank. That’s worth showing up for.
Come Explore the Tap List
The best way to learn the styles is to taste them. Tidal Creek’s rotating taps give you a lot of ground to cover, and the team knows the current list inside and out.
Find us at 3421 Knoles Street in The Market Common District, Myrtle Beach, SC. Full menu, hours, and events at tidalcreekbrewhouse.com.