De Struise Brouwers
Encyclopedia
De Struise Brouwers is a microbrewery
located in Oostvleteren
, Belgium.
with accommodations for vacationers, Urbain Coutteau and Philippe Driessens developed an interest in making distinctive regional beers to serve to their guests. In 2001 they began doing so with help from local wine maker Carlo Grootaert, and this project eventually developed into its own independent commercial concern.
Upon its inception in 2003, Struise produced beers at the Caulier brewery in northern Hainaut. Since 2006, they have been made at the Deca brewing facility in Woesten-Vleteren
in West Flanders. The firm has reported that their own microbrewery and tasting room in a renovated school building in Oostvleteren
, is currently open & operational.
The company takes its name from the historic Flemish word for ostrich
, which also is a contemporary slang term meaning "tough". They render the name into English as "The Sturdy Brewers", and many of their labels feature ostriches, a trait they share with Dutch microbrewery Brouwerij 't IJ
.
Following current industry trends made popular by American craft brewers, the brewery has recently ventured into stronger, more flavorful beers and also barrel-aging.
They have also collaborated with other recent arrivals on the European artisan beer scene such as Denmark
's Mikkeller
, fellow Belgians Picobrouwerij Alvinne
and Brouwerij De Molen of the Netherlands
, as well as American brewers. While their Black Albert was originally conceived in concert with USA-based Ebenezer's Pub, a joint effort to create a "Pannepot Cafe" in Brunswick, Maine
was abandoned in May 2009.
.
In 2008, RateBeer declared Struise to be the best brewers in the world per their annual members' poll. This was met with mixed opinions in the world of beer enthusiasts. Many of those critical of the award cited the recent founding of the company as well as the fact that DSB did not own a brewing facility at the time.
DSB also received 7 separate awards from Ratebeer in 2007, including accolades for the Aardmonnik and Pannepot.
Joint Ventures / Blended Products
These brews have been completed, but are yet to be commercially released and have only been available for tasting at the brewery or at various beer festivals or other occasions:
A number of other seasonal and limited-edition beers are also produced.
Microbrewery
A microbrewery or craft brewer is a brewery which produces a limited amount of beer, and is associated by consumers with innovation and uniqueness....
located in Oostvleteren
Vleteren
Vleteren is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Oostvleteren, Westvleteren and Woesten. On January 1, 2006 Vleteren had a total population of 3,636. The total area is 38.15 km² which gives a population density of 95 inhabitants...
, Belgium.
Origin
Owners of a nearby ostrich-raising farm in Lo-ReningeLo-Reninge
Lo-Reninge is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Lo, Noordschote, Pollinkhove and Reninge. On January 1, 2006 Lo-Reninge had a total population of 3,306...
with accommodations for vacationers, Urbain Coutteau and Philippe Driessens developed an interest in making distinctive regional beers to serve to their guests. In 2001 they began doing so with help from local wine maker Carlo Grootaert, and this project eventually developed into its own independent commercial concern.
Upon its inception in 2003, Struise produced beers at the Caulier brewery in northern Hainaut. Since 2006, they have been made at the Deca brewing facility in Woesten-Vleteren
Vleteren
Vleteren is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Oostvleteren, Westvleteren and Woesten. On January 1, 2006 Vleteren had a total population of 3,636. The total area is 38.15 km² which gives a population density of 95 inhabitants...
in West Flanders. The firm has reported that their own microbrewery and tasting room in a renovated school building in Oostvleteren
Vleteren
Vleteren is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Oostvleteren, Westvleteren and Woesten. On January 1, 2006 Vleteren had a total population of 3,636. The total area is 38.15 km² which gives a population density of 95 inhabitants...
, is currently open & operational.
The company takes its name from the historic Flemish word for ostrich
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
, which also is a contemporary slang term meaning "tough". They render the name into English as "The Sturdy Brewers", and many of their labels feature ostriches, a trait they share with Dutch microbrewery Brouwerij 't IJ
Brouwerij 't IJ
Brouwerij 't IJ is a small brewery in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is located in a former bath house named Funen, next to the De Gooyer windmill...
.
Following current industry trends made popular by American craft brewers, the brewery has recently ventured into stronger, more flavorful beers and also barrel-aging.
They have also collaborated with other recent arrivals on the European artisan beer scene such as Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
's Mikkeller
Mikkeller
Mikkeller is a so-called "phantom"microbrewery founded in 2006 based in Copenhagen, Denmark. The company brews at a variety of host facilities in several different countries, including Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and the United States....
, fellow Belgians Picobrouwerij Alvinne
Picobrouwerij Alvinne
Picobrouwerij Alvinne is a tiny craft brewery located in the small hamlet of Heule near the Belgian city of Kortrijk. The name of the brewery derives from a female spirit of local folk tales, who can be seen depicted on the brewery's logo and labels....
and Brouwerij De Molen of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, as well as American brewers. While their Black Albert was originally conceived in concert with USA-based Ebenezer's Pub, a joint effort to create a "Pannepot Cafe" in Brunswick, Maine
Brunswick, Maine
Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,278 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, , and the...
was abandoned in May 2009.
Awards and recognition
Craft beer fan rating website Ratebeer selected beers from DSB for 9 of their Top 100 Best Beers of Belgium in 2009. Struise was edged out for the #1 slot only by the venerable Trappist brewers of WestvleterenWestvleteren Brewery
The Westvleteren Brewery is a Belgian brewery founded in 1838 inside the Trappist Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren in the Belgian municipality of Vleteren, not far from the hops-producing town of Poperinge and the medieval city of Ypres. The brewery and its beers are usually referred to as...
.
In 2008, RateBeer declared Struise to be the best brewers in the world per their annual members' poll. This was met with mixed opinions in the world of beer enthusiasts. Many of those critical of the award cited the recent founding of the company as well as the fact that DSB did not own a brewing facility at the time.
DSB also received 7 separate awards from Ratebeer in 2007, including accolades for the Aardmonnik and Pannepot.
Beers
De Struise Brouwers Products- Struise Witte (5.0% ABVAlcohol by volumeAlcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
): a Belgian-style Witbier brewed with wheat and spices. - Struise Rosse (6.0% ABV): an unfiltered and unpasteurized amber beer of high fermentation.
- Struiselensis (6.0% ABV): a blonde sour ale finished with wild Brettanomyces bruxellensisBrettanomyces bruxellensisBrettanomyces bruxellensis is a yeast native to the Senne valley near Brussels, Belgium. It is one of several members of the genus, which was discovered at the Carlsberg brewery in 1904 by N. Hjelte Claussen, who was investigating it as a cause of spoilage in English ales, hence the name...
yeast. - Pannepot (10.0% ABV): a strong dark ale whose name references a traditional style of fishing boat in the De PanneDe PanneDe Panne is a municipality located along the North Sea coast of the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Adinkerke and De Panne proper. On 1 January 2006 De Panne had a total population of 10,060. The total area is 23.90 km² which gives a population...
area. This beer is considered Struise' highest selling and most popular product. - Pannepot Grand Reserva (10.0% ABV): a barrel-aged version of the Pannepot released each year and vintage dated.
- Aardmonnik (8.0% ABV): its name meaning literally "Earthmonk", a barrel-aged strong sour ale in the Flemish Oud bruinOud bruinOud Bruin, also known as Flanders Brown, is a style of beer originating from the Flemish region of Belgium. The name literally translates as "old brown", referring to the long aging process which can take up to a year. It undergoes a secondary fermentation, which takes several weeks to a month,...
tradition with red wine-like character and earthy, chocolate-y notes. - Tsjeeses (10.0% ABV): an oak-aged strong golden-colored ale. Playing on the similarity of the beer's name to "JesusJesusJesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
", the label depicts an intoxicated long-haired figure in a SantaSanta ClausSanta Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
hat. This caused it to be rejected by the American TTBAlcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade BureauThe Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, statutorily named the Tax and Trade Bureau and frequently shortened to TTB, is a bureau of the United States Department of the Treasury....
. - Tsjeeses Reserva (10.0% ABV): a barrel-aged version of the Tsjeeses.
- Black Albert (13.0% ABV): a strong stout inspired by the British Imperial Stout tradition as revived by American microbrewers. Described as a "Belgian Royal Stout" and made with ingredients of only Belgian origin. Bitterness of 100 IBU, deep black color of 160 EBC. Named for Belgian King Albert IIAlbert II of BelgiumAlbert II is the current reigning King of the Belgians, a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
. - Cuvée Delphine (13.0% ABV): a limited bottling of the Black Albert aged in Four RosesFour RosesFour Roses is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey brand owned by the Kirin Brewery Company of Japan. The brand was established in 1888. The trademark was probably named for company founder Rufus Mathewson Rose, his brother Origen, and their two sons, although it is somewhat unclear, as several...
BourbonBourbon whiskeyBourbon is a type of American whiskey – a barrel-aged distilled spirit made primarily from corn. The name of the spirit derives from its historical association with an area known as Old Bourbon, around what is now Bourbon County, Kentucky . It has been produced since the 18th century...
barrels. Named after the eponymous king's alleged illegitimate daughter, Belgian artist Delphine BoëlDelphine BoëlDelphine Michèle Anne Marie Ghislaine Boël is a Belgian artist who specializes in papier maché sculpture. She is alleged to be the illegitimate daughter of Albert II of Belgium. Sometimes in the media Delphine is incorrectly titled as a Baroness, because of her mother's title...
. Featuring a label by the artist reading "Truth Can Set You Free". - Dirty Horse (7.0% ABV): A spontaneously-fermented sour ale aged in wood.
- Red-haired Jeanne (7.0% ABV): an amber ale, brewed for a festival in remembrance of "Red-haired Jeanne", a woman from the coastal town of NieuwpoortNieuwpoortNieuwpoort is the name of:* Nieuwpoort, Belgium** Battle of Nieuwpoort * Nieuwpoort...
, where the brewmaster from Struise was born, who was reportedly convicted of witchcraftWitchcraftWitchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
and burned at the stake.
Joint Ventures / Blended Products
- Struise Mikeller (9.0% ABV): a very bitter and potent beer in the American Double IPA style. 130 IBU. Made in collaboration with MikkellerMikkellerMikkeller is a so-called "phantom"microbrewery founded in 2006 based in Copenhagen, Denmark. The company brews at a variety of host facilities in several different countries, including Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and the United States....
. - XenophonXenophonXenophon , son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, also known as Xenophon of Athens, was a Greek historian, soldier, mercenary, philosopher and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates...
’s Wine (11.0% ABV): a barrel-aged version of a Barleywine originally titled "Xeno's Ale" with hopping adjusted by representatives from ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's Pipeworks Brewing Company. - Hopverdomme (7.5% ABV): a strong, bitter ale brewed in concert with Pipeworks Brewing Company.
- Fedeltá (8.2% ABV): a strong blonde ale brewed in MaineMaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
in collaboration with Allagash Brewing CompanyAllagash Brewing CompanyAllagash Brewing Company is an American brewery located in Portland, Maine.Founded in 1994 by Rob Tod, Allagash sold its first batch of beer in the summer of 1995. Tod had been working in breweries around the U.S. and recognized a void in the craft brewing movement...
. Made with 15% wheat malt, cane sugar and honey. Hopped with Cascade and Amarillo to 35 IBU. - Twickenham Struise Porter (5.0% ABV): a Brown PorterPorter (beer)Porter is a dark-coloured style of beer. The history and development of stout and porter are intertwined. The name was first used in the 18th century from its popularity with the street and river porters of London. It is generally brewed with dark malts...
brewed at Twickenham Fine Ales in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
The "Black Damnation" project
This project was conceived by the brewmaster at Struise. Their dark Russian imperial stout beer Black Albert serves as the base for a number of experimental brews that are to be released over a period of two years (2010-2012). As of June 2011, the following five brews have been released to the public:- Black Damnation (13.0% ABV): a bottled blend of the Black Albert with the Hel & Verdoemenis (Hell and Damnation) of Brouwerij De Molen.
- Black Damnation II: Mocha Bomb (12.0% ABV): a more complex blend of 50% Black Albert matured on whole Columbian coffee beans, 25% of the Dutch-brewed Hel & Verdoemenis matured in JD barrels for 6 months, and 25% Cuvée Delphine.
- Black Damnation III: Black Mes (13.0% ABV): a version of Black Albert aged for 3 months in whiskyWhiskyWhisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
barrels. - Black Damnation IV: Coffee Club (13.0% ABV): Black Albert, matured for 6 months on very old rumRumRum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
barrels. - Black Damnation V: Double Black (26.0% ABV): aged Black Albert (Cuvée Delphine) of which the contents have been concentrated through the Eisbock process, effectively making it one of the strongest beers in the world.
These brews have been completed, but are yet to be commercially released and have only been available for tasting at the brewery or at various beer festivals or other occasions:
- Black Damnation VI: Messy (39.0% ABV): similar to Double Black, but gone through the Eisbock process twice, ending up with 39.0% ABV.
- Black Damnation VII: Single Black (2.0% ABV): with only 2% ABV, effectively making it a "tafelbier" (English: "table beer": an official Dutch term for any beer with an ABV of 1-4%, traditionally only as a food accompaniment), this has been dubbed by Struise as a "more drinkable dwarf".
- Black Damnation VIII: S.H.I.T. (12.0% ABV): a blend of Black Albert and Shark Pants. S.H.I.T. stands for Super High Intensive Taste.
- Black Damnation IX. Beggars' Art (18.1% ABV): Black Damnation aged on Ardberg cask.
- Black Damnation X: Double Wood (15.0% ABV): after forcing fresh yeast up its throat during ages, the Black Damnation gets treated to a rest on Balvenie sherry casks.
A number of other seasonal and limited-edition beers are also produced.