vandeStreek Playground IPA Review: The First Dutch Alcohol-Free IPA

Published May 2026 · 6-minute read · by Rich, founder of Unhopped

Short answer

vandeStreek Playground IPA is the alcohol-free flagship from Utrecht-based Dutch craft brewery vandeStreek, founded by brothers Sander and Ronald van de Streek (started homebrewing 2010, professional 2013, own brewery 2017). Playground was the first Dutch non-alcoholic IPA — 0.5% ABV, brewed using a unique yeast variety (no dealcoholisation), with Columbus, Mosaic, Citra, and Cascade hops.

vandeStreek Playground IPA is one of those AF beers craft drinkers cite as proof that the category has matured. The first Dutch non-alcoholic IPA when it launched, from a brewery whose full-strength beers regularly appear on Dutch craft lists. Hop-forward, properly bitter, no dealcoholisation — it drinks like the brewery's full-strength IPAs, just without the booze.

What is vandeStreek Playground IPA?

Playground IPA is the alcohol-free flagship of vandeStreek, a Dutch craft brewery based in Utrecht. It was the first Dutch non-alcoholic IPA when it launched, and it's remained one of the most respected Dutch alcohol-free beers since.

vandeStreek as a brewery has an interesting origin. Brothers Sander and Ronald van de Streek started homebrewing in 2010 — reportedly inspired by watching BrewDog's 'Sink the Bismarck' video. They scaled up gradually: 50-litre batches by 2013, contract brewing at other Utrecht breweries through to 2016, then their own purpose-built brewery in Utrecht from 2017.

Today vandeStreek are one of the Netherlands' largest independent craft breweries — beer in over 22 countries, taproom on Oudegracht 50 in central Utrecht, and a reputation for modern craft styles. Playground IPA fits firmly into that tradition: hop-forward, properly bitter, recognisably craft despite the 0.5% ABV.

How Playground IPA is brewed

vandeStreek take a specific approach to alcohol-free brewing: nothing is removed from the finished beer. Instead, Playground uses a unique yeast variety combined with custom-installed brewing equipment to produce a 0.5% ABV beer without the dealcoholisation step that most major AF brewers rely on.

The advantage is preservation of hop aromatics. Vacuum distillation (used by Heineken 0.0) and cold filtration (used by Guinness 0.0) inevitably remove some of the volatile aromatic compounds along with the alcohol. Yeast-based AF brewing — the approach Playground, Beavertown Lazer Crush, Mikkeller's Mikkellensis range, and most modern UK craft AF beers use — sidesteps that problem.

The hop bill is four American varieties: Columbus (citrus, pine, dank), Mosaic (tropical fruit, blueberry), Citra (grapefruit, tropical), Cascade (grapefruit, floral). This is the classic American craft IPA hop signature — and at 0.5% ABV, the hop expression is closer to a full-strength West Coast IPA than most alcohol-free options can match.

Tasting notes and what to expect

Appearance and aroma: Amber-gold in colour with a persistent lacy head. Aroma is hop-forward and assertive — citrus (grapefruit, lemon) leads, tropical fruit underneath (mango, pineapple), with a fresh pine note from the Columbus hops. Less sweet on the nose than fruit-infused AF pale ales; more bitter and resinous.

Palate and finish: Plenty of vibrant citrus and tropical character on the palate, with strong hop bitterness through the middle (more assertive than most AF IPAs). The bitterness lingers into a long finish — properly West-Coast-shaped rather than soft and hazy. The body holds up well thanks to the no-dealcoholisation brewing process.

How it compares: Bitterer and drier than Beavertown Lazer Crush (which leans softer and more tropical). More West-Coast than BrewDog Punk AF (which is closer to a hazy IPA in character). Comparable in hop intensity to Athletic Run Wild but with more European brewing pedigree. See our AF IPA showdown for category context.

Where Playground wins and where it doesn't

Pick Playground when

You want a properly hop-bitter AF IPA in the West Coast tradition; you appreciate craft brewing pedigree from a respected Dutch independent; you want a beer brewed without dealcoholisation; or you want to drink an AF IPA that's recognisably craft rather than mainstream.

Pick something else when

You prefer softer, sweeter, hazier AF IPAs (Beavertown Lazer Crush, Northern Monk Holy Faith, BrewDog Punk AF will all feel less aggressive); you have any gluten sensitivity; or you want supermarket-level distribution (Playground is more often found in specialist AF retailers).

How Playground compares to the wider European alcohol-free IPA category

In European craft AF brewing, Playground sits alongside Mikkeller's Weird Weather Hazy IPA, Brulo's Lust For Life, and Lervig's No Worries IPA as the leading craft AF IPA imports to the UK. Each takes a different brewing approach (yeast strain, recipe, hop bill); Playground's distinctive contribution is hop-forward West Coast character without dealcoholisation. For category comparisons, see our alcohol-free IPA hub.

Beers to explore

Playground IPA plus the rest of the vandeStreek alcohol-free range, and a few other AF IPAs at the same level:

Ipa

vandeStreek Playground IPA

vandeStreek · Netherlands

0.5% ABV—

Buy on Dry Drinker →

Hazy Ipa

vandeStreek Fun House NEIPA

vandeStreek · Netherlands

0.5% ABV—

Buy on Dry Drinker →

Pale Ale

vandeStreek Bumper Blond

vandeStreek · Netherlands

0.5% ABV8.0

Buy on Dry Drinker →

Ipa

Athletic Brewing Run Wild IPA

Athletic Brewing · USA

0.5% ABV8.8

Buy on Dry Drinker →

Frequently asked questions

Where is vandeStreek brewed?

vandeStreek is based in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The brewery opened its own production facility in 2017 (after years of contract brewing at Brouwerij De Leckere). They run a taproom on Oudegracht 50 in central Utrecht.

How is Playground IPA brewed?

Playground uses a special yeast variety combined with custom-installed brewing equipment to produce an IPA at 0.5% ABV without removing alcohol from the finished beer. Nothing is taken out — no dealcoholisation, no weird ingredients — so the hop expression and body are preserved.

Is Playground IPA vegan?

Yes — Playground IPA is vegan-friendly. The recipe uses standard craft ingredients with no animal-derived fining agents.

Is Playground IPA gluten-free?

No — Playground is brewed with malted barley and contains gluten. Not suitable for coeliacs.

Who founded vandeStreek?

Brothers Sander and Ronald van de Streek started homebrewing in 2010 in an apartment in Utrecht's Kanaleneiland. They went professional in 2013, raised funding through a crowdfunding campaign in 2016, and opened their own brewery in 2017. Today vandeStreek is one of the largest independent craft breweries in the Netherlands, with beer in over 22 countries.

What hops does Playground use?

Playground IPA is brewed with four American hop varieties: Columbus, Mosaic, Citra, and Cascade. This is a classic American craft IPA hop bill — citrus, tropical fruit, and pine character — which gives Playground its hop-forward profile.