t IJ Columbus

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

Fairly clear light amber w/a huge white pillowy head of foam. Light grainy malt & sugary sweetness, toasty, yeasty, oaky wood. Dried apricot fruitiness turns to candied dates as it warms. Very slight hints of buttery diacetyl & pepper from the yeast. Well balanced w/ just a bit of diacetyl at first, them malty sweet as it warms. Bitterness into the finish, but very low. Sugary sweet flavor w/a low fruitiness which is surprising given the nose. Light bready yeast & spicy hop in the aftertaste. Highly carbonated, very smooth, fuller med. body, alc. barely noticeable. This was a damn fine beer! Nice complexities for a lighter colored beer!!!! Props to Brooklynboy for this one!!

Sheezus,this has more floaters in it then the Gulf of Mexico during the Cuban Flotilla.Has a wild fruit nose with a little sourness.Taste like I am chewing on a book of matches.Must be a bad bottle.

Bottled, at the Lowlander, London.
Soft, milk chocolate brown coloured body, slightly hazy with a full bold head. Sumptuous aroma. Sharp but not astringent, lovely tart malt flavours.

A woody taste dominates, with an alcoholic finish. OK but not one that I would purchase a second time.

Murky chesnut colored ale with a well retained dark off white colored head. Aroma is wet wood, a dash of vinegar, light malt, and a touch of alcohol. Mouthfeel is wonderful, velvety but not too thick. Flavor is a little hoppy with nice peppery finish. Enjoyable.

Lactic, creaminess licking herbal, piney, Spalty hop canines...A lasting resinous bitterness dislodges some pale fruit which succeed in aptly diversifying the palette of flavors...A very capable nip of the tastebuds...

Thick molasses-like malt aroma with mild, spicy, flowery hops. Copper coloured with tall white head that recedes slowly to a dense cover. Spicy, herbal hop flavour beneath chewey maltiness. Notes of tropical fruit. Bitterness comes to the fore in the long, dry finish. Smooth and thick in the mouth. Gentle alcohol warming. Low carbonation suits this perfectly. Luxury on the tongue. Bottle enjoyed with MartinT and Rastacouere at Spuyten Duyvil (Brooklyn, New York).

Bottle at Spuyten Duyvil. My favorite of the 3 t IJ I’ve had so far. Very clear sunny golden hue. huge frothy, rocky white head. Spicy hops aroma, not unlike urthel hibernus quentum tripel, but with better alcohol dissimulation. Notes of rosewater, mint, flowers. Crisp pils malt + haystack flavors work good with me. Surprisingly fruity on the tongue with a musty basement reminiscent yeast character. Very sweet although it dries out well toward the end where the grassy, floral and extremely spicy hops (basil, parsley) take a revenge. Low carbonation after a few minutes, medium body. The body is not the strong point (feels a bit stale a bit too early) and may actually keep it from being top notch. Good job at hiding 9%.