t IJ Natte

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

Bottle: The deep brown colour looks good in the glass and the head stays firm and crisp. There is a cloying nature to this beer that tends to suggest that it hasn’t been fully through the brew cycle. While this is not a bad beer to consume I found it somewhat lacklustre.

Consumed in the tIJ windmill. This brown beer pours with a large tan head. The flavor is, alas, quite nondescript; very thin and not very pleasant. I had to wash this one down with a Columbus.

Dark swamp water brown body. The head is a dense light tan affair that has lasting power. Thearoma is not much to my liking, sweet malts and hints of garbage, not rank garbage but fresh garbage, if there is such a thing. The flavor also possess the garbage thing, up front at least, afterwards there is some sweet malt that all leads into a rather thin finish. Not very good, Belgian beer say hello to the Fairfax, VA sewers.

33 cl bottle, purchased at The Foodery in Philadelphia. Dark maple, "dubbel" type appearance, largish lasting head. Aromatic brown sugar, molasses, orangepeel and tulip in the nose, wonderful. Flavor alas a huge disappointment: old wet cardboard, sour, vinegary malt, no sweetness or fruit whatsoever, really unpleasant...could be a bad bottle I suppose? At any rate, I can’t give it good marks on this initial try...if the other t IJ beers I have are fine, I’ll chalk it up to poor storage or age. Close to undrinkable as is.

Bottle best before 6/04: Pours a rich garnet brown with a dense light tan head. Sweet malty and bready Belgian aroma. Body starts very light and thin with some spices and earthy, musty off-flavors before settling into a smooth, lightly dry finish. Not really much of a Belgian strong. Needs more body and to get rid of those off-flavors.

Brown in color with a slightly cloudy appearance, huge creamy off-white head, malt & yeast in the nose, lots of yeasty flavors that imparted quite a spicy flavor, sweet malt in the finish along with more spiciness, decent beer

hazy brown, small head. toasty, raisin, alco, sweet dark malt aroma. flavour is tart and peppery with a bit of sweet malt and raisin. thins out a little at the end.

(Bottled, too cold) Very hazy darkish amber with a small head and big yeast clumps. Sourish aroma of cloves and green apple with light dried fruitiness. Anise-spicy, sourish-malty, yeasty and flowery flavor with some fermented strawberries and a dry, mildly bitter finish. Medium-bodied palate with smooth carbonation. A pleasant, light and flowery, somewhat Orvaly (although not as strong) brew. (Bottled, was 6-4-7-4-13=3.4) Dark brown color, small head. Sour, yeasty aroma. Malty, nutty, sourish flavor. Medium-bodied, somewhat carbonated, sour palate. Strange as a dubbel, but quite ok as a beer.