t IJ Columbus

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

(Bottle at The Rover, Göteborg) Pours hazy, yeasty amber. Small white head. Dried citrus fruits in aroma with nuts and creamy toffee/cookie malt. Some allmond paste and yeast with acid hints. The flavour is medium sweet with a strange bitterness. A bit sour. Round, medium body.

Hazy amber coloured, thick head. Spicy, sweet and some sourness.

Bottle, Chimay glass. Pours with no head but medium carbonation. The beer is really murky, lots of sediment, so much it sticks to the side of the bottle’s. Almost looks like a beer jello when standing still with all the ediment and carbonation. The smell is sour, at first I thought I might have got a ruined bottle (dated 7/04) but soon realized definitly not. The taste to me is interesting. Its definitly a belgian strong ale (despite only being 6.5%) but its got a littel twist to it like some of the other t IJ brews. The taste is very effervescent and trails off leaving a crisp feeling on your palate. But I could still taste the beer minutes after the sip. Goes down smooth.

A nice bready feeling to this one, no alcohol burn at all. Caramel.., abit of fruit. Nice one!

(Bottle at Pikkulintu on 2008-04-18) Dark amber and cloudy. Almost white head with some tan. Fruity and bit sour nose. Medium palate. Fruity taste with some bitterness.

[9/9/08] Bottle at friends’ house in Amsterdam. Lovely hazy deep golden color with lively carbonation and a white head. Aroma of yeast, some wood, tropical fruits (mango and pineapple notes), some malt and mild . Sweetish flavor with malt, caramel, honey notes, fruits and yeasty spiciness that’s getting stronger towards a dry finish with some alcohol. Medium-bodied.

11.2 oz bottle bought for ~$5.50. Poured a hazy dark orange with a thin white layer of head that persists. A little lacing as well. The aroma is not strong, but there is a slight sweet citrusy smell along with some spiciness, vaugely reminiscent of anise. Taste has a decent sharp sweetness and spiciness to it, but it doesn’t linger very much. Mouthfeel thinner than I like for Belgian styles. Good, but one can get more, better beer for a buck or two more.

11.2 oz bottle, brewed 7/05 or 04. Foggy orange brown with a yin-yang froth and haze. Lacy spots and tendrils. Nose is apricot peach preserves, toffee and rhubarb. This has softened quite nicely and sips medium light with just enough tiny carb tingle. Taste is caramel with a touch of peel that seems thin at first but really expands as it washes over the palate. Finish is yeasty with hints of apple and plum and a sourdough smoothness. Alcohol well hidden. A Belgian barleywine?