’t IJ Natte

Brewed by Brouwerij ’t IJ
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Serve in Trappist glass

8/05 bottle. Glad to see I didn’t have a preference bias on this one, and that my ratings are slightly sane ;) I’ve had this bottle in my cellar a while, the only ’t IJ beer I’d bought to date, as in my main store they are really expensive at $4 a pop. Though I was under the impression that they were mostly 85th+ beers, at least, this one included. Well, I don’t like it much. Thus, it was reaffirming to see the 61th % and realize that I wasn’t a fool :)

Pours a dark brown with a small, fizzy head, a little lace. Aroma is pretty nice, typical for a dubbel, with plum, raisin, candi sugar, raspberry, thin milk chocolate. Actually very nice. But a total disaster in the mouth. Very metallic, overcarbonated and dull; as usual with overcarbonation, it blocks so much complexity that would otherwise be evident. I’m confident this beer could be so much more without that problem. Unfortunately, it is so. Plum and raisin in the taste, too, but it’s really so hard to get anything out of this. Perhaps some spices, cinnamon, lemon. This is so frustrating because this could be so great! Oh well.

Deep amber/chestnut color, hazy. A little caramel and wood. Complex and uncommon but still subtle. A little woody, a little German in its hopping? (on tap at brewery)

Bottle. Plummy, brown sugar aroma with a dark yeast component. Lots of malt and some red berry. Dark brown body with a rubied edge and a tanned, creamy lacing head. Dry, slightly sour taste, again with the brown malt and dark caramel and yeast, a tad slimy with hints of toast and nuttiness, lesser chocolate and muddled fruit. Plums and raisins. Some funky worked leather. Light cherry. Angular woody herbal notes remind of a winter seasonal. Faint tea leaves and spice. Medium body with a dry, earthy finish. A very stylish, interesting brew, the acidic and wild overtones lead it in a whole new direction.

Judging by the other ratings here, seems to benefit from aging; I’d seen this bottle sitting on the shelf for a full year before buying it (and the label says it was best by Feb 06, a full 30 months ago). Have to assume now that this has brett in it - what a serendipitous buy!

Hazy dark amber with an off-white head. Aroma is sweet, malty, caramel, fruity and yeasty. Flavor is quite sweet and light bitter. Sweet finish. 260711

33cl, Dutch organic brew, from Slijterij van Bergen Eindhoven, complex brew, yet easy to drink, balanced, cloudy, good head, nice brew

The beer pours to a murky chestnut colored body with a lasting frothy off-white head. A heavy quick carbonation is actively propagating up. The aroma sort of has a bing cherry lactic thing going on. The flavor is nutty toasted almond slices, creamy cheesecake, dry nutty Brazil nuts on the back-end. The palate is rich, creamy, tart, and medium-bodied. The heavy carbonation seems to soften the mouthfeel.

Pours deep brown into a Trappist glass. Very little head. Pit fruit aromas. Figs, prunes and dates from front to back. Lasting finish.

Bottle: Deep rusty amber with visible proteins floating around, topped by a creamy, but fading off-white head. Somewhat tart aroma for a Dubbel. Nice Belgian character, with a plummy fruityness, apple skin, orange peel notes, dark caramel malt; appetizing. Creamy mouthfeel. The flavor has a light tartness upfront. Fruity, plummy notes, candied granny smith apples, light orange peel, musty wood-like notes, subtle roastyness, caramel malt, slightly oxidized, with a zingy, slightly spicy finish; along with subtle roasted toffee notes. A unique and intersting Dubbel.