Importer Morgenrot is introduing non-alcoholic Playground IPA from Dutch craft brewer vandeStreek, as Britain looks at more Dry January choices.
Brewed using five types of American hops, including Mosaic, Citra and Cascade, the beer taps into the demand for the IPA style and is available immediately to the on- and off-Trade in 33cl bottles.
It is described as amber in colour with a persistent, lacy head, offering citrus and tropical flavours and good levels of bitterness.
The brewery was set up by brothers Roland and Sander Van De Streek, who began brewing in 2010 in their flat in Utrecht. At first, the brothers had no intention of brewing commercially, but in 2013 they started a crowdfunding campaign and the brand was born.
International recognition
The first beers introduced to the public were Broeders and Dark Roast, at the Utretch Beer Brewers Festival, and since then many others have followed, including their HopArt series and Playground editions.
The brewery received international recognition at the World Beer Awards in 2016, with its BlackBock, Dark Roast and Koper beers all receiving prizes.
Morgenrot’s commercial director, John Critchley, said: “There’s a huge opportunity in the UK market for flavour-rich non-alcoholic craft beers, and with more and more consumers switching to low-alcohol options, we’ve been on the lookout for a unique brand to help fill this void.
“The Netherlands has been developing a fantastic reputation in the craft beer world and the vandeStreek Brouwerij has been at the heart of this.
“Their Playground IPA is an incredible low-alcohol beer, capturing the essence of a classic IPA without sacrificing the flavour. It tastes great, looks great, and I believe will be a big hit with discerning UK craft ale drinkers, whether they want alcohol or not.”
