Brulo DDH Lust for Life IPA Review - No Alcohol, No Compromise

January 29, 2023 Cameron Mackenzie

Brulo is one of the forefront breweries in the UK alcohol free game. Founded in Edinburgh four years ago by James Brown, with the ambition to create craft beverages that don’t compromise on quality, taste and enjoyment. To this day, they are constantly emerging new recipes, from alcohol free IPAs, to stouts, sours and much more.

Their mission? “To shake up the dull and tasteless alcohol free beer of the past”

Brulo’s ethos combines the craft beer revolution with the alcohol free demand of the modern drinker. They always use the finest ingredients, innovative yeast cultures and contemporary brewing techniques. Their entire range is brewed just like regular beer, using water, yeast, hops and barley, just without the ABV.

James Brown is known to the beer industry, not only as the founder of Brulo, but as the founder of Beer52 - a well known online beer subscription service. As someone with a finger on the pulse of the craft beer audience in the UK, James Brown understands and values the need for top quality alcohol free brews that are readily available for the non-alcoholic demographic.

Formally known as Coast Beer, their offerings were brewed in Belgium, at the De Proefbrouwerij brewery in Lochristi. Another element of their relentless commitment to quality; this brewery is the chosen brewing location for several other alcohol-free beer companies.

With their rebrand to Brulo in 2019, they adopted a modernist approach. Their wide eye logo represents being fully awakened, present, and sober. This eye looks out towards the sea, to the future - a modernist gesture which perfectly aligns with their company promise.

Aside from their commitment to quality and taste through brewing, all of Brulo’s offerings are always alcohol free and vegan. Not only are their brews free from any animal products, but they ensure that the cans, labels and glue is also free from animal products as well. A conscious effort to demonstrate the ease of not only profitable, but inclusive and sustainable brewing.

It is no surprise that their combination of ethics, branding, and high quality alcohol free beers has made Brulo an award winning brewery. In 2022, they were awarded the 'Best Alcohol Free Drinks Provider’ at the UK Industry Awards, and consistently hold the top spots on Untappd, with some of the highest rated alcohol free beers on the app.

With their commitment to quality and taste, Brulo are always creating new, hop-forward alcohol free beers. Recently, their single hop series included household names like Sabro, Idaho 7 and Centennial, refreshing their range and giving the craft beer fanatic something to contest their own alcohol-including alternatives. All hops used in this series come directly from carefully selected manufacturers for the highest quality and freshest hops. After experimenting with over 30 different single hop recipes, only the best of the bunch are produced and available to the public. If you know what you like in terms of hops and taste, Brulo can offer a great alcohol free option for all.

Their staple brew which you might recognise, and the subject of this article, is their Lust for Life DDH IPA. DDH stands for double-dry hopped, a process which entails the beer to be dry hopped twice during the fermentation process. This IPA has been treated to twice the amount of hops, which helps with lessening the bitterness you would find in a typical West-Coast style IPA, whilst still delivering the well-loved juicy hop aromas.

The Lust for Life DDH IPA was their first release in the DDH series, and includes the classic trio of Citra, Simcoe and Mosaic hops. At a first look, this light, slightly hazy beer produces fruity scents and retains the full bodied pour of a regular beer. Its citrusy flavours of lemon, melon and lime are paired with a slight bitterness that lingers throughout the taste experience. It is juicy, light, and leaves the mouthfeel of a regular IPA - something which many other alcohol free beers can sometimes lack. The drinker may even be tempted to question its 0.0% ABV, as it perfectly mimics the texture, taste and hoppiness of a standard DDH IPA.

There is no doubt that Brulo is a forward-thinking and creative independent brewing company. Their small team has continued to grow alongside the demand for high quality alcohol free offerings. Not only do they export their beer to seven different countries, but Brulo is widely available in independent stores and online retailers across the UK. This company not only offers a drink for those doing Dry January, staying off the booze or a designated driver, but also to show that alcohol is not the only essential ingredient in modern craft beer.

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