Shark Pants | Double IPA 9% ABV 300 IBUs(!!!)
Struise Brouwers Oosvleteren 🇧🇪

Ordered from Great Beer Experiment 🇸🇬

Oh man, I have waited years for the return of De Struise to +65. Much love to The Drinking Partners for getting them in again!

This is an eccentric double IPA. It pours seemingly watery with little head. It’s curiously dark despite not containing rye on the malt bill. Untappd says it’s got 300 IBUs. What is going on???

But close your eyes and trust your tastebuds and you have the makings of a balanced and drinkable IPA. You’ll notice a juicy “green” hoppiness. Is that Citra in the kettle? Introduce blue cheese to the equation like I did and the wonderful caramel malt sweetness shines through. Perceived bitterness is not that high.. kinda reminiscent of Mikkeller’s IBeatyoU from back in the day.

That Shark Pants was originally a collaboration with 3 Floyds Brewing back in 2011 makes it all the more like opening a craft beer time capsule and peering into what constituted IPA norms over ten years ago. Props to De Struise for re-brewing this; it was a very nostalgic ride indeed.

@hopviously