t IJ Struis

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

Bottled @ KØ 2005: Burgundy coloured. Unclear. Dark beige head. Fruit, raisin, berries, yeast, malt and sweetness in the aroma. Flavour is equally delicious. Loads of sweet malt, fruit and rasiny notes. Some spices present. Ends on a nice sweet note and a light alcohol burnt. Complex and full bodied.

11.3 oz bottle. Dark brown beer, no head at all. Quite oily on the pour. Swet fruity aroma wit loads of dark plums, cherries and a hint of chocolate. Raisins and a rummy/molasses character. A touch of sherryish oxidation. A little bit of dustiness. Very chewy and sweet, but with an unusual sweetness. A bit of sweet nutty almondy character. Flavour shows great balance, sherry, almonds, cherry pits and plums. Warming intensifies the raisiny/plummy sweetness but it never gets cloying. Quite a lovely brew.

Draft glass
Consumed at ’t IJ, Amsterdam, May 2006
Golden dark red color, mostly murky in appearance with a thin, filmy head. Full of suspended yeast on the draft pour. Aged quad-like scent of dates, nuts and maple. Very sweet up front, rose and tulip flavors, slight alcohol noticed. Semi-prickly texture, light compared to most strong Belgians. At times there’s a bit of a foul vegetable aroma.

Bottle, 33cl. It pours a hazy dark orange body with a diminishing, foamy beige head. Yeasty, sourish, barnyeardish and fruity aroma with a little spicy touch and some weak dried fruits. Fruity, sourish, barnyardish aroma with yeast, spices and some malt in the background. A little touch of caramel and some chocolate as well. Full-bodied, effervescent and a bit tongue-twisting from the brett. Long, sourish, bretty finish with a balancing bitterness and sweetness. Yet another beauty from ’t IJ. (080426)

Deep brown and full of swimmers, this has a creamy tan head with plenty o’ fine lacing. The aroma is sweet malt, yeast, raisins, and dark brown sugar. Creamy and slightly oily on the tongue, it’s got a flavor reflective of the nose except that a hint of the sturdy abv comes through. Very nice, if not exciting.

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Dark amber with considerable haze/yeast. Floral aroma. Acidic fruit flavors, grapefruit and pineapple along with candi sugar. Mouthcoating feel. With a semisweet finish.

Bottle@Home, Feb 08, 4.0: Re-rate and by now I have more experience and I’m also more critical. But still, this is a very good beer and underrated here. Maybe just a bit on the sweet side and I think it has lost it’s milky sourness over the years. Bottle@Home, Feb 02, 4.7: Dutch pride and underated at this site in my opinion! Light acid, light perfume, light spices and date aroma. Clear, red-brown, creamy light brown head, good lacing, sticky. Sweet, hopbitter, very full, prune flavours. Long bittersweet finish and a lasting alcohol burn.

Dark brown colour, with a garnet tinge. Malty, with some spice, stewed fruit and chocolate accents, but rather sweet. A bit too sweet for me, but still flavoursome and reasonably palatable. Bottled at St Albans Beer Festival.