t IJ Zatte

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

This seems pretty lightweight for a tripel, but it is tasty. Hazy gold in color, it’s got a sustained white head that does only spotty lacing. The aroma is fruity, apples & pineapples & some citric tartness, with a slightly funky note. The latter builds somewhat in the flavor, but the fruit tastes remain strong and a soft soapy yeast is added. It finishes on a dry, mildly tart note. Pretty nice.

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Looked just like one’d expect from a tripel: hazy murky golden orange with a good head which lasted nicely. The aroma was typical ’t IJ & sweet with strong earthy musky notes. Good full & rounded taste pretty sweet for a tripel even. Nice.

Draught at Monk’s Café, Stockholm. Hazy golden, minimal head. Yeasty grassy nose. Medium bodied with soft mouthfeel. Dryish with some citrus and the evident yeasty ’t IJ house character. Still it’s balanced and suprisingly drinkable for it’s size. An invidualtistic, very likable beer.

Draught at Monks Café, Stockholm. Hazy golden appearance with a low sticky white head. Sweet aroma of pine-apples, almond paste, cinnamon and yeast. Flavourvise, it starts quite sweet of pine-apples, red apples and white bread but is nicely balanced of of dryish grassy hops. Long aftertaste of grassy hops, yeast and sweet apricot.

Bottled. Hazy golden colour, with huge creamy off-white head. Aroma is acidic fruit and barnyard. Flavour is barnyard, honey, sweet fruits and yeast. Some spicy hints also. Finish is yeasty and hoppy. Aftertaste is slight caramel and some hops.

This one was probably a bit off - bacteria infected. 33 cl bottle, bought in Amsterdam. Golden, hazy ale, a bit of a barnyard smell. Metallic, spicy, a bit sour. Some fruit, a littley yeasty finish.

"Had fresh on tap at the tiny brewpub in Amsterdam: Looks alittle like Duvel but darker, has a big head to but alot fuller and creamier. honey apple alco smell. boom! has a noticable kick. but a fruitiness in the taste is nice. a good good tripel..."

Could be something wrong with my brain as the t’IJ beers do have appear to have a definate likeness - not a bad thing of course given how impressive the house style is. Spice and hops on the nose - nice. More of the same on the palate. Taste profile is very well supported with a thick layer of strong malts and alcohol. To my mind might need a touch more weight to be truly deserving of abbey tripel status. Nothwithstanding a distinguished beer.