Basque Country - a region that is tucked away at the northeast of Spain, hugging a portion of the Pyrenees mountains that border France and Spain. The area has been documented to be home to tribes since before the Romans arrived, where today the Basques people are indigenous to and share a common Basque language Euskara, culture, and genetic ancestry tracing back to the the pre-Roman Vascones and Aquitanians tribes. Euskara is considered an isolated language by itself (compared to most languages today that can be traced to a language family!), with the Basque People being considered by historians as one of the oldest ethnic groups within Europe. 

Basque Country (Northern Spain). One of our writers had the chance to visit a city within Basque Country that was famous for its sidra (cider) culture. Source: At Lifestyle Crossroads

Whilst the region has had political and administrative tension in the past decades, primarily due to both Spain and France staking claims in the region, Basque Country is famous for its distinctively unique cuisine - one that features lots of hearty meat and fish dishes. Perhaps most are familiar with the pandemic-era craze of the Basque cheesecake, but Basque cuisine features meats and fished grilled over hot coals, their own version of Spanish tapas called pinxtos, and a pantheon of culinary legends who pioneered modern day gastronomy. 

Pintxos, a Basque take on Spanish tapas. Source: 50 Best Restaurants

It was the early 2010s, where two American expats, Kevin Patricio and Benjamin Rossi, met in San Sebastian. Being football fans, the duo were milling over their spread of Basque bites. They thought: Basque has great food, great wine, great cider ... if only there was great beer too! The Spanish craft beer scene was very much in its embryonic stage, with the market dominated by large industrial beer chains that came imported and between the hands of resellers. "Nothing was fresh", they lamented. 

Benjamin Rozzi (left) and Kevin Patricio. Source: Basqueland

Prior to 2014, both Kevin and Ben did not have any experience brewing beer; the former worked as a chef previously in Manhattan and in Spain at the time, whilst Ben, who hailed from San Diego, worked at a local winery. The two concurred on a simple idea - to make great beer that could match the fine Basque cuisine they loved. 

The trio of debut beers of Basqueland: Arraun Amber Ale, All United Pale Ale (AUPA), Belgian Blonde Ale. Source: Travel Cook Eat

Basqueland started out renting a portion of a local brewery, and with the help of Ben Matz who had experience as a senior brewer at Stone Brewing, the very first batch of Basqueland's beer was brewed. The first beers made by Basqueland weren't exactly the IPAs that the brewery is now famous for, but instead, were a trio of low-ABV beers: the Belgian Blonde Ale, the All United Pale Ale (AUPA), and the Arraun Amber Ale.  Kevin in an interview recalled how the local folks were unsure about the hop-driven beers that Basqueland first produced, being much more used to the industrial-style lagers that dominate the market. But slowly, from the top restaurants, to the chic pintxos bars and the local biker hangouts warmed to the fresh, hoppy style of beer. After three batches of small brews, Basqueland was ready for a full-brewery setup. 

The early days of Basqueland's brewery. Source: @basquelandbrew

Since the completion of the brewery in 2015, Basqueland is now the largest craft brewery in Spain, founded by Kevin Patricio, Benjamin Rozzi, lead brewer Oscar Deuss and brewmaster Oscar Saenz. Currently, the brewery also features its own taproom and an izakaya eating house (named the Basque Izakaia)., and recently this year (June 2025), Estrella Galicia owner Hijos de Rivera currently owns a major stakeholdership of Basqueland.

Scenes from GULP Riverside Taproom.

A recent trip to GULP Riverside Taproom Singapore on a particularly humid and sweltering mid-afternoon led to a pint of the Double Chucker DIPA, as recommended by the affable Jon who was manning the taps that day. Coming in at 8%, this beer features Citra, Nelson Sauvin, Simcoe that are dry hopped into the beer. 

Beer Review: Basqueland Double Chucker DIPA,  8.0% ABV

Tasting Notes

Nose: Orange juice aroma from the get go. Apart from orange juice, it has a fresh, white bread aroma - the untoasted sort. Then, more sweet cereal aromas arise, such as honey flavoured cornflakes.

Taste: Thick and filling on the texture reminiscent of pasteurized orange juice straight from the carton - it doesn't quite get the zesty sourness of the juice, but retains the juicy sweetness and flavour. There's a gruel like savouriness to the beer as well - tasting like plain boiled whole oat porridge. On the side, there is that mango cordial fragrance as well.

Finish: The hops only really show itself here - even still, the bitterness is barely apparent. There is a herbaceous sweetness, comparable to thyme and mint sweets that are more sweet than minty (in particular, the FOX mint candies). A bit of that nutty gruel still makes it here, more like sweetened glutinous rice porridge.

My Thoughts

 This is perhaps the most approachable DIPA I have ever tasted. If no one told me this was a DIPA, I wouldn't have guessed - the juicy fruit juice flavours really dominate the palate and the hops act as an agent to hold back the cloyingness. If there's someone that needs a fruity refreshment without the bitterness if a typical beer, definitely select this. Don't expect much hops here however if you're a hophead - however, I find that this beer would be affable to most folk, beginner or otherwise! 

@vernoncelli