vandeStreek Playground 0.5% IPA Can (24 x 33cl) Utrecht, Netherlands.
A truly ‘craft’ non-alcoholic IPA from the Dutch brewer vandeStreek Brouwerij. It manages to have a minimal taste variation from other regular versions of a hop forward IPA.
Playground is first and foremost an IPA. Huge dry hopping aromas and a punchy bitterness that follows. The non alcoholic character in the beer is completely forgotten when you give this beer a try. What you will not forget, is what you did last night.
The low alcohol is achieved by using a very unique yeast variety and specially installed brewing equipment. Key to packing so much flavour into this beer is that nothing has been taken out. No dealcoholization, no weird ingredients.
VandeStreek Brouwerij is a new craft brewery based in Utrecht in the Netherlands. The beers are modern, full of flavour, challenging and creative – above all, top quality.
After viewing Brewdog’s ‘Sink the Bismarck’ video (at that time the world’s strongest beer – 41%abv) brothers Sander and Ronald Van de Streek started home brewing in 2010. Production was still just 50 ltr per brew in May 2013 when their beers were introduced to the public at the Utretch Beer Brewers Festival.
By 2016 a crowdfunding campaign allowed Ronald and Sander to become full time brewers, settle on a core range of beers and draw up plans for their own brewery, which opened for production in 2017.
vandeStreek brew a core range of seven beers including the Playground Non Alcoholic IPA. Then, in addition, they brew a ‘special’ every other month, complemented by both collaborations and ‘Barrel Aged’ beers from their growing stock of barrels.
ABV: <0.5%
Hops: Columbus - Mosaic - Citra - Cascade
Malt: Barley
IBU: 50
Tasting notes: Amber in colour with a persistent lacy head. Plenty of vibrant citrus and tropical aromas and flavours as well as strong hop bitterness and a lasting finish. Hop-forward and forceful US style IPA with no discernible lack of character from the missing alcohol.
Pairing Suggestions: cold meat, cheeses, salads, aperitif
Brewer: Vandestreek Brewery