I had always wanted to visit Barbados, the island of sun, sea, and sand. I had heard so much about its beautiful beaches, friendly people, and rich culture. But there was one thing that intrigued me the most: its craft beer scene.

I had read online that Barbados had a few craft breweries that produced a variety of hand-crafted ales, such as IPA, stout, porter, and pale ale. One of them was DreadHop Brewery, which was founded in 2014 by Charles Mackenzie, who started out brewing in a small electric system in a shipping container. In 2019, he expanded the operation to a larger system next door and renamed the brewery DreadHop.

I decided to check out DreadHop Brewery on my first day in Barbados. I took a taxi from my hotel to the brewery, which was located in Gibbons Industrial Park, a short drive from the airport. As I arrived, I saw a sign that said “DreadHop Brewing Tap Room” and a logo that featured a dreadlocked hop cone. I entered the taproom and was greeted by a friendly bartender, who introduced himself as Charles, the owner and brewer.

“Welcome to DreadHop, mate. What can I get you?” he asked.

“I’m new here. What do you recommend?” I replied.

“Well, we have 10 different beers on tap, all brewed on site. You can have a flight, which is four small glasses of any of the beers you want, or you can have a pint of your choice. We also have some snacks and soft drinks if you’re hungry or thirsty.” he explained.

“I’ll have a flight, then. Surprise me.” I said.

“Alright, coming right up.” he said and went to pour the beers.

He came back with a wooden tray that had four glasses of different colors and aromas. He placed it in front of me and pointed at each glass.

“This is DreadHop IPA, our flagship beer. It’s a hoppy and bitter ale with citrus and pine notes. This is DreadHop Stout, a dark and roasty ale with chocolate and coffee flavors. This is DreadHop Porter, a smooth and malty ale with caramel and toffee hints. And this is DreadHop Pale Ale, a light and refreshing ale with floral and fruity aromas.” he said.

“Wow, they all sound amazing. Thank you.” I said and picked up the first glass.

I took a sip of the DreadHop IPA and was immediately impressed by its flavor and balance. It had a crisp and bitter taste that was complemented by a citrus and pine aroma. It was refreshing and satisfying, just what I needed after a long flight.

I moved on to the DreadHop Stout and was equally impressed by its richness and complexity. It had a smooth and roasty taste that was enhanced by a chocolate and coffee aroma. It was warming and comforting, just what I needed on a cool evening.

I continued with the DreadHop Porter and was pleasantly surprised by its smoothness and sweetness. It had a malty and caramel taste that was offset by a toffee and nutty aroma. It was smooth and satisfying, just what I needed after a busy day.

I finished with the DreadHop Pale Ale and was delighted by its lightness and freshness. It had a floral and fruity taste that was matched by a crisp and clean aroma.

Overall, DreadHop Brewery seems to be a successful and innovative craft brewery in Barbados that offers something different from the mainstream beer brands. It has attracted loyal customers who enjoy its unique beers and taproom experience. However, it also faces some challenges such as competition from other local breweries and bars, customer preferences for different styles of beers, and lack of food or delivery options.