Famous Belgium Anti-establishment brewery smashing out Iconic BA Beers.
Based in Oostvleteren, Belgium, De Struise are considered to be one of the most reputable craft breweries in the world. With beers like their cherished ‘Black Damnation’ series scoring highly on beer ratings sites and finding advocates and enthusiasts the world over.
Based on their infamous ‘Black Albert’ Russian Imperial Stout, that was first brewed in 2011 as a beer especially for the Begium specialist Ebenezer pub in Maine, the beer has since then seen multiple barrel aged versions hit the craft beer market. Whereas many modern breweries only began their barrel ageing projects in more recent years, the team at De Struise have been nurturing their barrel program since 2005.
As a result the brewery have unravelled the mysteries of barrel ageing and as such now always use a one year minimum to age their beers. As one would imagine they put a huge inference on process – including even roasting their own coffee beans to get the exact flavour profile that is required for the Black Albert Imperial Stout.
It’s this attention to detail that makes their beers so unique and super desirable. Add into the equation minimal and often limited runs and you get a brewery that is highly regarded and sought after.
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 – as they own a nearby Ostrich tourism farm in Lo-Reninge. Who knew?!
Originally the concept was to provide visiting guests with their own beer, hence the brewery was born – initially with help from winemaker Carlo Grootaert and then as a contract brewery with Caulier Brewery. However in 2014 the team moved into their own site, and as they say…the rest is history.
They have also collaborated with other European artisan brewers such as Denmark’s Mikkeller, Estonia’s Põhjala, fellow Belgians Picobrouwerij Alvinne and Brouwerij De Molen of the Netherlands, as well as American brewers. Look out for our next drops from this über brewery – one to grace the most discerning shelve’s or cellars. You won’t regret it.
Buy De Struise Brouwers Beer from Distant Lands