’t IJ Columbus

Brewed by Brouwerij ’t IJ
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

330ml bottle (Cracked Kettle, Amsterdam)
Rich hazy amber, large healthy off-white head. Musky, sour, salty liquorice aroma, had from a few other ’t IJ beers - seems to be their fingerprint. Pleasant carbonation. Salty sour malty body, some iron, a touch crotchy, but actually very nice. Do I detect bitter orange before the smack of the hops kicks in, together leaving a real tingle in the mouth? Quite a mix, fairly well integrated with the medium malts. Covers the alcohol in part, but it leaves the tongue dry and with alcohol wafting off it whilst the gums throb from the bitter hops. Very much from the ’t IJ stable, very Dutch in its hop profile.

Hazy amber body with a froathy and stable light beige head. Freaky, nice aroma of some wild fruits like raspberry, coriander and lightly roasted malt. Liqueric taste with a strong alcohol feeling, strong hop, lightly roasted malt, fruity tastes.

Hazy golden amber ale with a thick creamy white head. A light caramel malt aroma, with light apple notes. In mouth, a caramel malt with strong iron aftertaste, green hops. Overall, a bit cloying. Medium bodied. Bottle at Gollem, Nov. 2006, 3.50 Euro.

Bottle: Another explosion from t IJ, beer didn’t go as far as my last by this brewery at least. Poured a burnt murky floaty filled orange, with huge off white head. Aroma is roasted malt. Taste is a burnt roasted malt, dry alcohol tingle on the tongue.

good aroma to roasted malts but dissapears soon, very good appearance, amber colour with a thin head that remains until the last drink. Taste is bitter to me and bit alcohol in that, however the sensation of the aroma in the mouth makes the experience.

A hazy orange colored beer, with a huge off-white foamy head. The aroma is malty, yeasty with caramel. The taste is caramel sweet, with citrus notes and some hop. Also some bitterness in the back.

Bottle: Cloudy ambercoloured, big off-white head. Distinct IJ-aroma of their yeast, sugar, fruits and some hops. Taste is initially sweet and fruity, but then the bitterness hits you. It even leans a bit towards the bitterness of bile, but not in an offensive way. Dry, bitter and fruity aftertaste. Smooth mouthfeel. On tap @ IJ brouwerij: Sweeter and more bitter than from the bottle, the flavours seem more out of balance. I prefer the bottle. Still one of the best strong tripel-style beers imo.

On tap at brewery 6/18. Pours hazy brown with a thick head. Nose of fruits, caramel, and coffee. Taste is good, striiking a nice balance between sweet and vineous. Very nice beer.