t IJ Struis

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

Plummy brown and darkly toned with a medium cap of light tan firmly smoothed froth on top. Settles to a thin collar and the lace is strewn about in minimal glaring dots and a few straggly strings. Aroma is quite nice with a pleasant bouquet of berries and dark fruity things. Dates and raisins with twists of lemon skins make up a good portion as it gains a alcoholic soaked berry and date mixing with some black licorice and root beer. Taste is mostly dark and fruity, steady and even in the front and middle with a dark fruity maltyness thats a scad yeasty and spiced. Tends to finish better with a quick, and the gradual brigade of hefty complexity in the dark fruits, adding some pits, skins, and baked raisin, dates, and spicy breadyness. Also hits a wonderful drying sense of dried dark fruits of the raisin and dates, perhaps a bit of fig too. Quite nice and much, much better as it warms. It really gains some nice subtle complexity as it goes. Feel is about medium, with a lighter side to its body then you’d think with all of its dark-sided malt and fruityness. Not a bad thing really, it actually suits the character quite well; especially as it warms. This one grows on you. The pleasing finish with its long wondering dried dark fruity draw is a fine treat to the palate as it leans into some soft breadyness. A damn fine brew. Drinkable as all get out with its moderate carbonation and long drawn out finish. ’Struis’ is a nice brew to share; or to hoard, take your pick. Good stuff.

Son of a bitch gusher. Dark hazy ruby brown color, fizzy brown head, disappeared in seconds. After this I was reluctant to try, just knowing it was going to be infected or off, but it wasn’t. Fruity and full malt aroma, prune, cherry, a touch yeasty. Brown sugar in the flavor along with notes of caramel, berry, and malt. Medium to full bodied, very active mouthfeel, no signs of the booze in this. Very good, too bad I lost some of it from gushing.

Bottle at DBF2005. Fruity nose, some yeast, had a sour edge like all Dutch beers. Reddish colored body, with a small off-white head. Sweet flavor, sour edge, some yeast.

Chestnut body with a thin, persistent tan head. Plenty of strong, dark fruit in the aroma. Cherry, appple, plum, orange and mango. The body is fairly full and round, with nice prickling on the tongue. The flavors are really pretty nice. The fruit is accompanied by some nice yeast and alcohol (pepper and licorice). This is a well-crafted tasty beer. The best offering from t IJ yet.

Bottle @ home. Murky brown appearance with lots of particles, big caramel coloured head. Smell is of IJ yeast, brown sugar, dark fruits and alcohol. Taste is brown sugar, caramel, toffee, dark fruits, dark fruits, finish is a bit sour and dry. On tap @ IJ brouwerij: Mouthfeel is much softer and more creamy, taste is sweeter. Prefer the tap for this one.

Murky, chunky, amber/brown topped by a small, foamy, tan cap. Flavor and aroma: funky, fruity, sour, yeasty, whole grain bread. Medium/full body, well carbonated. Unique, tasty.

Bottled 33cl. Hazy ruby with a nicely lasting lacing light beige head. The nose is really impressive- reminiscent of Orval. Candied fruits, hops and blackberries throughout. Maltier than Orval. Strong carbonation. Complex. I reveled in every sip. A fantastic beer!

Cloudy brown colour, tan head. Aroma had caramel and dark fruits. Flavour is of dried fruits, malts and some caramel. Very nice!