t IJ Vlo

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

Hazy, orangey amber with a big off-white head. Spicy, fruity and yeasty aroma, with some acidity. Good spicy fruitiness, nice underlying bitterness contributing to a dry ending. Ful-bodied and well-carbonated. Warming alcohol. A great and complex beer from this outstanding Amsterdam brewery.

Amber, oranged coloured with flakes. Nice fruity and spicy aroma. Very nice bitterness and spicy flavor. Very enjoyable beer!

lovely. smells very fruity. tastes very spicy and bitter and a little sweet. finishes long bitter and fruity.

Billowy and fluffy white head is well lasting and leaves delicate lacing. Deep amber-orange body is moderately hazy. Reminds me of Orval a little, though with less bret. Spicy, fresh cracked pepper, lemon zest, fresh baked white bread, pears and white grapes all entice the nose. The flavor starts off with a light sweetness, moderate spicy acidity, and a light bitterness. Finishes lightly sweet, heavily acidic and moderately bitter. Medium body is silky smooth with a delictate, yet lively, carbonation. Very spicy and bitter, but not quite the zing of Orval or De Dolle Ara Bier. Purchased at Bert’s Bierhouse in Utrecht, the Netherlands. 33 cL bottle, snifter.

Draught. Spicy aroma, a bit like a wheat beer, fresh fruity hops. Cloudy amber colour. Big, stable, creamy white head. Very hop aromatic flavour. Fruity, almost perfumy, but very nice. OK bitterness. Soft carbonation. Has some alcohol feel, but not too much.

My first encounter with Vlo was actually with Vlo himself, the manager of De Bierkoning in Amsterdam. When I asked him about the beer he joyfully exclaimed: "Flo? Flo is me!" patting his chest. He went on to explain how the word ’vlo’ is Dutch for flea, the nickname he earned working at the flea market selling "Eh... Stuff." as he put it. My friend and I followed our visit of the store by the brewery ’t IJ itself where we met one of the brewers who also works at de Bierkoning. He noted that IJ (also Amsterdam’s waterfront) sounds like the Dutch word for egg which explains the ubiquitous logo. After some talk, our new friend mentioned that any self-respecting Vlo lover, would know to get it on tap at Café Belgique. So that’s what I did. I had stolen a few sips from my friend at ’t Arendsnest when he had the bottled version, so I was ready to find out what made the tap version better.

In appearance the body seemed to vascillate between pinkish orangish yellow hues depending on my angle, much like a ripe apricot that displays on one side its prime rosy skin and on the other a golden youth. The plump creamy head produces multiple tenacious rings of lace as the level descends - an elegant effect. Apricot, peach, mango, coriander, orange peel and pepper emanate from the glass. The clement complexity allows a distinctive aroma to form without it seeming facile. So far, all appeared to be similar to the bottled alternative, though the slight spiciness in the nose felt more discernible. This sentiment became conspicuous in the flavor which had previously been much fruitier. A delicate hop flavor was also unveiled on tap, a toasty blend of sweetened grapefruit, orange peel and pine contributing to the gentle bitter finish. Vanilla, cinnamon and hazelnut are prominent and overshadow some of the peach and apricot flavors that seemed to dominate the bottled variant. Surprisingly the complexity was nearly not affected by the colder temperature, in fact I would highly recommend drinking Vlo between 5 and 7°C where its refreshing qualities give the beer more than just a good taste. On the tongue, the tickling carbonation is above average but accompanies the spicy character appropriately. Quite a remarkable product, all things considered. I wish I had purchased a case from De Bierkoning as I could easily see myself succumb to its soft yet intriguing complexity on a regular basis.

Re-rate (Jan 2008): Sadly, the Vlo I knew is no more. What has taken its place is an unrecognizable brew. Far more malty and caramelly, with a decent dose of hop, this is a brew that has lost much of its subtlety and flair. Unfortunate! I’m retaining my old rating as a memory of the delicious beer it was.

Bottle, from the ’t Arendsnest beercafé Amsterdam. Pours dark amber, slightly cloudy with a thick aromatic white head and fantastic lacing. Amazing aroma of mango and pepper straight from the head. Pecan nut also comes in slightly later and adds to the delicious perfume of the beer. Smells just like one of those Mango sorbet-coated vanilla ice creams. Very yummy. Flavour is quite malty and not as fruity as the aroma, which was a very slight disappointment though citrus, pepper, coriander and bread are still present. Slightly bitter aftertaste. Carbonation was slightly strong, which masked a few flavours but released those fantastic aromas. Overall a really neat beer, well balanced and extremely drinkable.

Bottle. Strong aroma of earth, hops and jam. Hazy dark golden color with white rocky head with excellent retention. Some yeast lumps in the bottle. Flavor is first dominated by strong brettanomyces character followed by slight malt sweetness, fruit and hops. Long bitter and very dry finish. Quite close to Orval, but less aggressive brett.