t IJ Natte

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

Chestnut coloured beer, end of bottle pretty ’unclear’. Good, creamy, whipped cream-like head, yellowish. Sourish nose, with some nice fruity acids, but also a bit lactic, on a malty background. Light citrus in the taste, but also a touch on the edge of infected. Malty, still sweet underbuild, fruity flavours of fresh figs. Caramel and some higher alcohols. Medium bodied, ends significantly lighter. Rather typical for ’t IJ. I call this "infected", but this kind of "infection" I’ll tolerate anytime.

Deep amber with a beige head. sweet berries and yeast in the nose. malty caramel-like sweetness. finish has notes of hay.

Brown coloured. Slightly fruity and sweet brew. Rather watery texture. The finish is too short and thin.

Bottle: Hazy, amber coloured,some floaties visible, gushing, but very stable creamy off-white head; fruity and sourish cellary nose, backed by some sweet malt; moderate sourish-sweetish flavour, medium bodied, creamy MF; sourish-malty finish with an increasing bitterness towards the end. Pleasant..........

The Lure:
Walking through a North American Chinese meat market. A few vegetables are boiling a few tables away, some rusty coins and dropped food litter the floor. Luckily, a roasted chestnut vendor drives by and the enveloping sweetness and earthiness of his wares masks the surrounding nastiness.

The Festivities:
Sweeter and yeastier than the aroma, the nuttiness and grape-y earth expand the flavor portfolio into near-interesting realms. The mouthfeel is sadly stale and tired though. A second look onto the bottle confirms that this bottle isn’t past due, but it sure tastes like it is.

Transcendence:
A little cleanliness will go a long way.

Bottled: Clear dark amber coloured. Huge light beige head. Malt, spices, citrus in the aroma. Caramel, spices and malt in the flavour, that has some fruity accents as well. Last medium long on the palate

BB 08/2005. Another 2 buck special. Dark brown purplish tinted beer with a creamy tan head. Sweet fruity aroma, plums and dark cherries, sweet chewy toasted malts, yeast shows subdued clove and some sweet apple and grapey vineousness as well. Flavour is sweet and plummy but also lighted textured than many other dubbels. This makes it creamy and sweet, but also somewhat refreshing. Creamy texture, light mint herbal character. Some clove and light apple through the finish along with a lingering breadiness. Nice beer.

This pours a hazy brown color with lots of yeasty residue. The full tan head retreats into a light cap which lingers and laces the length of the drink. The aroma is somewhat musty, but it’s got a nutty malt aroma with brown sugar and juicy dark fruits. The flavor is a sweet, nutty malt with a surprising rush of chocolate overlaying the fruity tastes. The finish is mildly bitter and tart. Good drink.