Way back in 2003, I got my hands on my very first bottle of beer from the Dutch microbrewery Jopen of Haarlem, their Adriaan Gruit Witbier. It was included in a sampler of imported beers at Costco, and I didn’t realize at the time it was from an upstart brewer there and not from an old and established brewer. Aren’t all breweries from the old world old? Apparently not.

No, Jopen was actually established in 1994, and they claim to be part of a revival of brewing tradition in Haarlem. Of late, their beers have started popping up frequently in liquor stores and I’ve even seen them on tap at Taco Mac. Not even realizing I had had anything from this brewer before, I picked up a few bottles and a glass at the growler shop (of all places to buy bottled beer).

One of them was Jopen Extra Stout, a beer I’m enjoying this evening. I’m going to quote here from the label and website, and also intersperse a bit with my own comments because I actually find the history they give quite fascinating. First, the label text:

This Extra Stout has a dry and roasty character. Brewed in the typical Dutch style as in the late 1800s Jopen is the first European Craft brewer that reinvents this darkly malted, dry-finishing, full bodied beer. The breweries name, Jopen [Yo pen], is the Dutch word for the barrel used for beer during the Middle Ages.

OK, well, that’s all pretty interesting actually. In all my 32 or so years of beer drinking I’ve never heard of Dutch stout, but heck, the Dutch have been brewing a lot longer than I’ve been drinking, so what do I know?

On their website, Jopen says this about Dutch Extra Stout:

It’s a heavier version of the Irish Stout, which usually contains around 4.5% alcohol.

OK, but to be fair, the Irish have Extra Stout as well, and it is stronger than their dry stout.

In the Netherlands the last existing Stout was van Vollenhoven Stout. After the take-over of its brewer by Heineken this beer was last produced in the year 2000.

Shame on you, Heineken, for that! Well, Dutch stout is here again, and I’m about to have my first go at it. It has an alcohol content of 5.5% and 45 IBUs. I paid $2.75 for my 11.2 ounce bottle, which has a best by date of August 2014 (I think it can go longer well stored).

Jopen Extra Stout pours to a jet black (but not opaque) color with a thick creamy tan head and a tempting nose that tickles the olfactory senses gently with roasted malt and licorice. A thick layer of Brussels lace coats the sides of my glass and follows it all the way to the bottom.

Taking a sip, the body is slightly thinner than I expected, but the flavor certainly is robust-the beer is loaded with licorice, chocolate, and an in your face roasted barley harshness. This one isn’t all that dissimilar from Guinness Extra Stout, though it has its own unique character. A very roasty bitter finish and at the last the minty bitter hops emerge too, add an ever so gentle sourness, too.

If this is typical of Dutch stout, then I want more of it, because this beer really blew me away. I’ll be back for more, and should I tell you the second half of my glass paired oddly well with a dinner of pasta covered with homemade sauce made from fresh garden tomatoes and herbs? The acidic sauce and dryness of the stout paired amazingly well.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

(G)=Growler

 



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