t IJ Struis

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

Poured into a Tripel Karmeliet tulip glass, Struis is a solid ruddybrown color, with cocoa-tinged tannish foam resting neatly atop. Looks alright by me. Nose: yeast and spice hit a two-pronged attack, and fruit takes up the rear, dark ones, plums, and dates, and grapes, and raisins, and more. Drink it in deeper and the spices have taken over, peppers and clove and more. Definitely dubbel-ish, this. Rich and lovely. Taste it: wonderful! A big explosion on the palate, a delirious blend of dark fruits, spices, and hefty malt, uplifted by Belgian yeast that adds a wicked funk to the proceedings. Berries become bigger in the flavor profile, grape stands tall, as well. And then up comes plum! This is a fun beer, to be sure. Full-bodied, long finish, impeccable flavors, evident, but untroubling alcohol. A great Belgian beer from the Netherlands, and why the hell not? I will return to this one, that I can guarantee!

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.

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.

Sampled at Gollem in Amsterdam, Holland. Ruddy Brown. The nose is odd. Chocolate, banana and clove are present cinnamon, ripe fruits and a slight hint of peppers. Light and fluffy but still full bodied and complex. Notes of chocolate, caramel, cherries and plums. The hops are flowery and dominant, especially on the finish.

Very intense fruity/spicy aroma, that lingers for days. Dark, mahogany, nice head that disappears rather quickly. Sweet and intense, warm, yeasty and fruity, pretty odd but very pleasant in every way. For me, this is one, especially suitable for cold, dark evenings, just sippin’ this beauty watching the snow fall in the light of the lantern.

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!

very nice spicy saison-like beer. lots of spices, yeast and fruit in the nose. tastes spicy and then more fruity and malty. finishes sweet sourrish and a bit alcoholic(hides its alc. still very well). great!!!!

Pours a beautiful amberish brown with a small tan head and the aroma of a typical triple. Taste is not exactly like a triple but it isn’t that easy to describe, You can taste bits of, caramel, cocolate, banana, prunes, citrus, roasted malt and brown sugar (and I’m sure there many more to be found in this beer. Very nice mildly sweet and bitter finish. Great beer