t IJ Columbus

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

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.

Bottled (33 cl) at het Amsterdamertje, Göteborg, Sweden. Cloudy amber with medium white head. Yeasty, spicy, with tropical fruits. Medium bodied and smooth. Well balanced with a dry finish.

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?

On draft at brewery. Firm head on a hazy dark orange brown body. Nothing subtle about this beer! Big strong tones of bitter and sweet, but alcohol for a 9% very well hidden .