’t IJ Struis

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

A hazy red/brown colored beer with a big foamy beige head. The aroma is fruity like apple and prune, there is yeast. And caramel in the back. The taste is a little sour with dark fruits like cherry and raisins. Also caramel sweet tones in the back.

melow and smooth a bit of a slow gush. Minimal head thereafter. Shortbread and dark dried fruit compote. Ultra ballance and a luxurant mouthfeal that has a refreshing twinge of sour at the finish. Fluffy but small carbonation rounds out the brew.

Bottled (33 cl) at het Amsterdamertje, Göteborg, Sweden. Hazy copper, medium off-white head. Earthy, spicy caramelly, and fruity aroma, with notes of red berries. Medium bodied with soft carbonation. Well balanced, dry finish.

Bottle. Pours a hazy caramel with a full beautiful tan head. Nose is grassy and flowery hops with underlying sweetness. Flavor is complex and very nice. Starts with flowery hops, then to sweet dark fruits, then to a looonnngg lingering slightly bitter yeast finish. Very nice, smooth and enjoyable.

33cl bottle. Pours muddy amber with a fine red hew & large fluffy head. Aroma is sweet & vinous of malts & fruits (berries) Heavy yeasty nose as well! Sticky & full palate. Sugary, earthy & dusty taste. My third beer from the brewery & I havent freaked out about any of the beers yet. I guess its their yeast I slightly dislike!

Pours a dark, ruddy, caramel brown color with a burnt orange tinge. A thick, creamy, beige colored head displays excellent retention, leaving strong, well defined, foamy lacing behind. The aroma shows the signature ’t IJ funk throughout, with musty, peppery yeast permeating a malty base of caramelized apples and candy sugar. Flavors follow suit, with caramel and orchard fruits intermingling with sharp, dry, spicy yeast notes. The result is a unique contrast between sweet, sour, and dry that just seems to work in a funky sort of way. Medium-full bodied and moderately carbonated, the yeast dries out whatever sugary sweet textures that the malts attempt to impart. I call this brewery the Jolly Pumpkin of Europe, and brews like this go a long way to substantiate that claim. Great beer.

Bottle at the brewery.Pours cloudy ruddy brown with a small tan head. Quite a bit of sediment. Sourly fruit aroma. Complex bitter and sour fruit flavours. Dry finish. Well-carbonated. One of those beers that only get better the more you taste of it.

BBE 11/08. Murky ruby brown, lacing beige head. Nose is vinous sourness, rust, dry fruits, earth and spices. Berry vinous flavor, port wine, earth and strong spices. Nice sourness. Quite dry finish with little alcohol. Medium to full bodied, foamy and smooth carbonation. An interesting, Oud Bruinish brew.