NV 't IJ Struis

Community Tasting Notes (2) Avg Score: 96 points

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View forceberry's profile
  • Report Issue

  12/9/2015 - forceberry wrote: 96 Points

  Dark, deep copper red color and quick, dense, latte-colored head. Very rich, incredibly complex and characterful nose that veers into the sweet territory. Aromas of caramel, molasses syrup, rye bread, Belgian yeast spice, some raisins and dried dates, a little toasted nuances, nuttiness and a hint of Orval-y dirt and grime. Lots of layered nuances; things coming and going all the time. In the mouth the beer is very full bodied, rich, dense and intense with sweet and spicy flavors of caramel malt, raisins, red plum soup, nuttiness, Belgian yeast spice, peppercorns, some earthy dirt, molten milk chocolate, a hint of bitter burnt sugar and slightly bitter green hoppiness. Low and creamy carbonation. Despite the beer's sweetness, full body and low carbonation, the overall appearance is structured, not overtly fat nor too heavy. Sweet, complex and very long, toasted finish with flavors of sweet rye malt bread, allspice, Belgian yeast fruit aromas, some alcoholic warmth (9% abv), a hint of nougat and a touch of wheaty sourness. Hoppy bitterness seems to be a little more pronounced in the aftertaste than in the midpalate.
  
  Definitely one of the best 't IJ beers there is and one of the most interesting and delicious barley wines I know. This category seems to be a hit-or-miss beer style, where you can make either a delicious, complex brew, or just overtly alcoholic raisin soup beer. This Struis here is definitely a bullseye - it combines easily all the best characteristics of a good barley wine to slightly Orval-y nuances and the end product is a peerless super beer. Extremely recommended; especially at the price of 2,69€ I paid for a 33 cl bottle.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View forceberry's profile
  • Report Issue

  8/19/2014 - forceberry wrote: 96 Points

  9% alcohol.
  
  Murky dark brown color veering towards reddish hue with a very big, dense and persistent cream-colored head. The nose is pretty funky and really dirty with aromas of old ashtray, roasted malt, rye bread, some complex nuttiness, a little bit of syrupy molasses and hints of dried dates and prunes. Although it might not sound it, the nose is very complex and attractive. The beer feels thick, full-bodied and somewhat sweet on the palate with very intense, mouthfilling flavors of raisins, stewed plums, milk chocolate, some herbal bitterness, a little bit of dried figs and a hint of nuttiness. The hop bitterness is moderately high and the carbonation feels very creamy and smooth. Even though the beer is somewhat sweet, full-bodied, rich and creamy, it still comes across as surprisingly structured and definitely not as heavy as one would imagine. The finish is bittersweet, rich and intense with remarkably persistent flavors of nougat, bitter dark chocolate, dried dark fruits, some nuttiness, a little bit of syrupy molasses and a hint of Orval-y funk.
  
  Boy oh boy what a stunner. Definitely in the top echelon of 't IJ beers and also one of the greatest barley wines I've ever drunk - this is not just monolithic and sticky-sweet, but instead a incredibly complex and surprisingly structured beer. As I love the idiosyncratic Orval style very much, I just can't help falling in love with this beer as well. An extraordinary effort that only reinforces my view that 't IJ is one of the greatest modern breweries out there. At 7€ for a 0,33 l bottle in a bar, this is a real find.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.