For this New England Style DIPA (8.2%) we decided to go back to the roots and portray one of the many great places that once were in our beautiful city of Groningen: the Oosterpark Stadion.
The Oosterpark was home to many epic football matches from FC Groningen, GVAV, BRC, Oosterparkers and even Oranje. The stadium closed in 2005 and is now a residential area. But if you listen carefully, you can occasionally hear the singing and cheering of the many thousands of supporters who once populated the stands.
For this particular occasion, we chose to use three of the most fundamental grassroots hops for the signature hazy style: Citra, Nelson Sauvin and Simcoe. Citra and Simcoe contribute to the well-known citrus backbone with earthy undertones. The name of the eccentric Nelson Sauvin is derived from the Sauvignon Blanc wine grape, which many agree has the same taste and aroma characteristics. Thanks to the different types of hops, a balanced but pronounced blend of citrus and white grape aromas and flavors is created. To ensure the silky mouthfeel, we made extensive use of different types of oats and wheat for the malt bill. The beer is fermented with the Fruit Bowl blend, with which we recently had very good experiences.