Vandestreek Playground
Parental supervision obsolete, playground rules still apply — share, play fair, no alcohol. This is the world's most awarded non-alcoholic IPA, and it earned every single trophy by tasting like a proper 5% craft beer while clocking in at 0.5%. Tropical, juicy, and impossibly full-bodied.
Aroma & Taste
Tropical · Juicy · Full-bodied
The VandeStreek Playground opens with explosive tropical aromas — peach, mango, and lychee hit you immediately, layered with resinous hop character that smells like you just walked into a brewery.
On the palate, it delivers a medium-to-heavy body that feels impossibly substantial for 0.5% ABV, with juicy fruit flavors backed by a smooth, rounded mouthfeel and subtle malt sweetness.
The finish is dry and bitter, leaving behind a clean, hoppy aftertaste with just enough bitterness to remind you this is an IPA — not a fruit juice with delusions of grandeur.
Story & Design
Bestseller · Utrecht · Netherlands
Brewed by brothers Sander and Ronald van de Streek at their Utrecht-based brewery, Playground has become one of the most awarded non-alcoholic IPAs in the world.
The beer was born during the pandemic when both brothers were expecting babies and wanted to keep brewing without drinking. It quickly became their flagship, now accounting for over 50% of production.
The secret lies in a custom low-alcohol yeast that barely converts sugar into alcohol, paired with American hops — in blind tastings, people regularly guess it's a 5—6% craft beer.
The vibrant can design captures the brewery's ethos: serious about quality, never about itself.
Ingredients & Value
IPA · 0.5% · 16 kcal
This IPA keeps it simple with a four-ingredient formula — water, barley malt, hops, and yeast — proving that great beer doesn't need complexity, just expertise.
At just 16 kcal and 2.5g sugar per 100ml, it's remarkably light compared to traditional IPAs. The €2.91 per can price point offers exceptional value for what many consider the world's best non-alcoholic IPA.
Verdict & Opinion
Hero
Remember that kid on the playground who always had the good snacks? The one everyone wanted to sit with at lunch? That's Playground. While most non-alcoholic beers are stuck eating soggy sandwiches alone, this one's out trading sweets and getting picked first for football.
Utrecht doesn't do half measures. It's home to the tallest church tower in the Netherlands and a population that thinks biking through rainstorms counts as character building. So when two brothers decided to build a playground where everyone could play — no booze, no excuses — they didn't ask permission. They just built it.
The Dutch are known for doing the impossible: stealing land from the sea, building cities below sea level. Playground belongs in that list — a beer that shouldn't work at 0.5%, but absolutely does. At €2.91, it's priced like the ice cream truck just rolled in.
Hero status confirmed. The playground's open, recess is forever, and everyone's invited.