microbrewery
Craft beer is a beer that has been made by craft breweries. They produce smaller amounts of beer, typically less than large breweries, and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as having an emphasis o ...
Owners of a nearby ostrich-raising farm in Lo-Reninge 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
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until 2014, after beers were brewed at their own brewhouse. The firm has reported that their own microbrewery and tasting room in ''Het Oud Schooltje'' (a renovated school building) located in Oostvleteren, is open and operational.
The company takes its name from the historic Flemish word for
ostrich
Ostriches are large flightless birds of the genus ''Struthio'' in the order Struthioniformes, part of the infra-class Palaeognathae, a diverse group of flightless birds also known as ratites that includes the emus, rheas, and kiwis. There are ...
, 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 brewery Brouwerij 't IJ.
Following 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 European artisan beer scene such as Denmark's Mikkeller, Estonia's Põhjala, fellow Belgians
Picobrouwerij Alvinne
Alvinne is a small brewery in the hamlet of Moen near the Belgian city of Zwevegem, founded in 2002.
The brewery creates a range of beers, including versions of 'traditional' Belgian styles such as strong golden ales, abbey-style beers and s ...
and
Brouwerij De Molen
Brouwerij De Molen () is a small brewery, distillery and restaurant in Bodegraven, the Netherlands. The brewery, whose name means The Mill, is in a windmill called De Arkduif, built in 1697. The premises also include the brewery taproom and a ret ...
of the
Netherlands
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, as well as American brewers. While their Black Albert was originally conceived in concert with United States-based Ebenezer's Pub, a joint effort to create a "Pannepot Cafe" in Brunswick, Maine was abandoned in May 2009.
Awards and recognition
Craft beer
Craft beer is a beer that has been made by craft breweries. They produce smaller amounts of beer, typically less than large breweries, and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as having an emphasis o ...
fan rating website
Ratebeer
Beer rating is assessing and evaluating beer using a point system. The process is similar to that used in beer judging competitions, such as those organised by the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) in America, though the participants are cons ...
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 Westvleteren.
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% ABV): 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 bruxellensis yeast.
*''Pannepot'' (10.0% ABV): a strong dark ale whose name references a traditional style of fishing boat in the
De Panne
De Panne (; french: La Panne ) is a town and a municipality located on the North Sea coast of the Belgian province of West Flanders. There it borders France, making it the westernmost town in Belgium. It is one of the most popular resort town dest ...
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 bruin
Oud Bruin (Old Brown), also known as Flanders Brown, is a style of beer originating from the Flemish region of Belgium. The Dutch name refers to the long aging process, up to a year. It undergoes a secondary fermentation, which takes several weeks ...
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 "
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
", the label depicts an intoxicated long-haired figure in a Santa hat. This caused it to be rejected by the American TTB.
*''Tsjeeses Reserva'' (10.0% ABV): a barrel-aged version of the Tsjeeses.
*''Outblack'' (10.0% ABV)
*''Sint Amatus Vintage 2010'' (10.5% ABV)
*''Black Albert'' (13.0% ABV): a strong stout inspired by the British
Imperial Stout
Stout is a dark, top-fermented beer with a number of variations, including dry stout, oatmeal stout, milk stout, and imperial stout.
The first known use of the word ''stout'' for beer, in a document dated 1677 found in the Egerton Manuscript ...
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 II.
*''Cuvée Delphine'' (13.0% ABV): a limited bottling of the Black Albert aged in
Four Roses
Four Roses is a brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey produced in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Its Spanish Mission-style distillery was built in 1910 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Old Prentice Distillery. The c ...
Bourbon Bourbon may refer to:
Food and drink
* Bourbon whiskey, an American whiskey made using a corn-based mash
* Bourbon barrel aged beer, a type of beer aged in bourbon barrels
* Bourbon biscuit, a chocolate sandwich biscuit
* A beer produced by Bras ...
barrels. Named after the eponymous king's alleged illegitimate daughter, Belgian artist
Delphine Boël
Princess Delphine of Belgium (''Delphine Michèle Anne Marie Ghislaine de Saxe-Cobourg''; born 22 February 1968), known previously as ''Jonkvrouw'' Delphine Boël, is a Belgian artist and member of the Belgian royal family. She is the daughter ...
. 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 Nieuwpoort, where the brewmaster from Struise was born, who was reportedly convicted of
witchcraft
Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have us ...
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
IPA commonly refers to:
* India pale ale, a style of beer
* International Phonetic Alphabet, a system of phonetic notation
* Isopropyl alcohol, a chemical compound
IPA may also refer to:
Organizations International
* Insolvency Practitioners ...
style. 130 IBU. Made in collaboration with Mikkeller.
*''
Xenophon
Xenophon of Athens (; grc, wikt:Ξενοφῶν, Ξενοφῶν ; – probably 355 or 354 BC) was a Greek military leader, philosopher, and historian, born in Athens. At the age of 30, Xenophon was elected commander of one of the biggest Anci ...
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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'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
Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
in collaboration with
Allagash Brewing Company
__NOTOC__
Allagash Brewing Company is a brewery in Portland, Maine. The brewery specializes in Belgian style beers.
History
The brewery was founded in 1995 by Rob Tod in Portland, Maine. He observed that while both German and British style be ...
. 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 Porter brewed at Twickenham Fine Ales in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
.
The "Black Damnation" project
This project was conceived by the brewmaster at Struise. Their dark
Russian imperial stout
Stout is a dark, top-fermented beer with a number of variations, including dry stout, oatmeal stout, milk stout, and imperial stout.
The first known use of the word ''stout'' for beer, in a document dated 1677 found in the Egerton Manuscript ...
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 six 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
Brouwerij De Molen () is a small brewery, distillery and restaurant in Bodegraven, the Netherlands. The brewery, whose name means The Mill, is in a windmill called De Arkduif, built in 1697. The premises also include the brewery taproom and a ret ...
.
*''Black Damnation II: Mocha Bomb'' (12.0% ABV): a blend of 50% ''Black Albert'' matured on 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 whisky barrels.
*''Black Damnation IV: Coffee Club'' (13.0% ABV): ''Black Albert'', matured for 6 months on very old rum 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.
*''Black Damnation XI: Special Kay'' (22.0% ABV): a mix of ''Black Albert'' and ''Kate the Great'' (
Russian imperial stout
Stout is a dark, top-fermented beer with a number of variations, including dry stout, oatmeal stout, milk stout, and imperial stout.
The first known use of the word ''stout'' for beer, in a document dated 1677 found in the Egerton Manuscript ...
s) aged on Noval Port barrels for 10 months, then put through the Eisbock process.
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:As found on the ratebeer.com search engine.
*''Black Damnation VI: Messy'' (39.0% ABV): ''Black Mes'' put through the Eisbock process twice, ending up with 39% ABV. Brewed in honor of the wedding celebration of the man that inspired the original brew.
*''Black Damnation VII: Single Black'' (2.0% ABV): with only 2% ABV, this very light stout beer is called a ''BOB stout'' by Struise, meaning it can also be enjoyed (in moderation) by designated drivers.
*''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''. This blend of a Russian imperial stout and an IPA results in a black IPA.
*''Black Damnation IX. Beggars' Art'' (18.1% ABV): Black Damnation aged on Ardbeg cask.
*''Black Damnation X: Double Wood'' (15.0% ABV): after adding fresh yeast during aging, it ages on Balvenie sherry casks.
A number of other seasonal and limited-edition beers are also produced.