Koyt
Jopen Bier BV Haarlem

KoytKoyt
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Jopen Bier BV Haarlem
 
Netherlands
Style:
Gruit / Ancient Herbed Ale
Ranked #8
ABV:
8.5%
Score:
88
Ranked #14,099
Avg:
3.93 | pDev: 11.2%
Reviews:
71
Ratings:
142
Status:
Active
Rated:
Apr 15, 2023
Added:
Jul 12, 2002
Wants:
  18
Gots:
  19
Jopen Koyt is a gruitbeer (herb beer) that is brewed according to the bierkeur (city recipe) from 1407. The beer is brewed with malted barley, malted wheat and oats and has a malty taste with a smooth herbal finish. The aroma has a hint of herbs and spices mixed with dark malt. Jopen Koyt is the only gruitbeer from the Netherlands. Gold medal winner at the European Beerstar competition in 2009 and a silver medal at the European Beerstar Competition in 2011.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.96 by desint from Belgium

Apr 15, 2023
 
Rated: 3.75 by sokol_1993 from California

Apr 09, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by paulish from New York

Dec 06, 2021
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle, kindly shared by abemorsten. ABV is 8.5%. Dark ruby colour, moderate beige head. Nice spicy and vinous aroma. Spicy and herbal flavour, medium sweet, unusual and interesting.
Aug 12, 2021
Photo of JonnoWillsteed
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England

4.03/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
L- Deep chestnut brown, crystal clear despite there apparently being a layer of sediment firmly accreted onto the bottle's bottom. Pours with 2mm pale tan head, clears to part-cover - unsuprising at 8.5%ABV,
S- Certainly something different though still quite mild; herbs of some kind.
T- That 'different'^ smell follows through clearly in the taste. Hard to divine as I drink little Herb/Gruit beer. It also has a moderate dry lick on the palate into the finish, I'll be interested to see if that's hops or herbs alone.
F- It has a pretty solid feel, as one might hope for from an 8.5% The dry aspect does a good job at balancing the feel+abv%.
O- For a Herb/Gruit beer this IME is a pretty easy-to-enjoy example, a good entry point for those new to the style. If it weren't so $$ I'd buy this again as something really quite different. Meanwhile I'm enjoying this one and glad I'm getting to experience it.
330ml bottle BB: Aug-2022 £4.95 Bought from BeautifulBeers/BurySt.Edmunds as part of a large pick-your own consignment to London.
Feb 10, 2021
Photo of Slatetank
Reviewed by Slatetank from Pennsylvania

3.86/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
dark body with two plus fingers of cream head lace clings to the glass
the smell is dark caramel and woody with juniper berry type fruity and floral aroma
the feel is spiced sweet and smooth with gentle alcohol in middle with modetately low carbonation and semi dry finish
the taste has a mild dry spicy and nutty quality with a light fruitty yeast and caramel malt support with an almost peppery accent yet slight ripe banana in yeast with hint of astringency in spice
this is a tasty gruit it has more malt than spice but is stronger thanbany other gruit I have tried which makes it seem milder and more drinkable even considering the abv
Jun 05, 2020
 
Rated: 3.51 by BubbleBobble from New York

Feb 08, 2020
Photo of Humanusfermentum
Reviewed by Humanusfermentum from Virginia

4.24/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Tea-colored pour; foamy head reduced to a thin, persistent, creamy one. It helped in retaining some of the more subtle notes in the flavor. Nice, complex flavor profile. Dark and earthy, like a pint out of a medieval tavern. I've discovered an affinity for these ancient ales.
Mar 03, 2019
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

3.84/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
This gruit brought the spices on the front, middle and end of the taste. Clove, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and herbal spices. Body has texture to suit these spices. There are some boozy fruits, but the spices rule all. Would love some more balance, but otherwise pretty nice.
Sep 11, 2018
Photo of Snowcrash000
Reviewed by Snowcrash000 from Germany

4.1/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a reddish, deep mahogany coloration with a medium, creamy head. Smell is very sweet and malty, with some herbal notes coming through as well. Taste follows the nose, being dominated by caramel, bready malt, some dark fruit: fig, raisin and strong herbal notes that are difficult to define exactly. There are sweet aniseed notes reminiscent of liquorice, some light notes of alpine herbs, specifically eucalyptus, and also almost spicy notes remiscent of cumin. Finishes sweet and herbal with some licorice lingering in the aftertaste. Smooth mouthfeel with a medium/rich body and low carbonation.

This kinda reminds me of a Ricola cough drop, but in a good way. It's quite sweet, but not cloyingly so, with the herbs lending a good balance and providing some really unique notes. Incredibly impressive for being brewed traditionally, without any hops.
Aug 31, 2018
 
Rated: 3.35 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Jul 08, 2018
 
Rated: 4.3 by DylanBrkhff from Netherlands

May 13, 2018
 
Rated: 3 by Dutchcraftbeergeek from Netherlands

Feb 18, 2018
 
Rated: 3.78 by Chico1985 from Massachusetts

Feb 16, 2018
 
Rated: 3.94 by beaulabauve from Louisiana

Dec 22, 2017
Photo of dcotom
Reviewed by dcotom from Iowa

4.21/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from an 11.2-ounce bottle into a straight-sided mug. Hazy light brown color with tan highlights and a thick light tan head that left some stringy lacing as it settled to a thin ring. (There was also some particulate matter suspended in the beer, which may be off-putting to some.) Aromas of caramel and dark fruit (prune, raisin) smack you in the face. Stay with it long enough and some floral and spicy notes begin to come through. Tons of malty sweetness on the tongue, with - again - big flavors of caramel, dark fruit, and herbal spiciness. There is a little tart fruit and quite a bit of astringence coming through on the finish. Mouthfeel is substantial, no doubt attributable to the oats in the grain bill. Surprisingly little alcohol warmth, considering the relatively high ABV (8.5%). Very tasty, if a little out of the ordinary. Highly recommended.
Nov 06, 2017
Photo of Bouleboubier
Reviewed by Bouleboubier from New Jersey

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
(750 ml corked/caged bottle, bottle - best by: 24 Nov 2017, bottled: 24K15... poured into a large wine glass)

L: dark garnet liquid, appearing opaque though toward the bottom trough of the glass, it lightens and shows clear... some foam builds on the pour, but it's immediately apparent that it won't retain, which it doesn't, but a think blanket cap remains; lacing minimal

S: very much like a Belgian brown ale, or dark trappist, with dark gingerbread, raisin, and perhaps prune aromas... anticipates dark, deep malts and possibly a touch of caramel sweetness... plum or vinous-like esters slowly emerge, alcohol maintains a low profile

T: as the smell implies, rich dried fruit and dark bready malt, with a hint of licorice and subtle sweetness in the finish... I'm not very familiar with the flavor of sweet gale, but nothing out of the ordinary herbal-wise stands out - a mellow bitterness lingers, but it could be a combo of phenols and roasted malts causing it... I feel like this is on par with (if not marginally tastier than) a Corsendonk brown, or something similar

F: light-medium bodied with a soft heat thinning it slightly; clean, but with a little hip fat... carbonation is at a mellow, ideal level, and (to repeat) the soft heat is lovely... overall: sloppy, soft, lazy, comfy

O: I'd kept an eye out for this since learning of it around 2010 - glad I finally stumbled across it and would definitely buy it again, despite the fact that it's not terribly 'herbal'
Aug 23, 2017
Photo of Captain68
Rated by Captain68 from Russian Federation

4.08/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
88,5
Jun 14, 2017
Photo of schavuytje
Reviewed by schavuytje from Netherlands

3.54/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
A traditional scotch ale de dutch way @ 1407; red-brown body with a bitter herbs aroma, flavors of many malted barley, wheat and oats; biscuit, sweet and creamy solid in alcohol
Jun 05, 2017
 
Rated: 4.5 by crob3888 from California

May 27, 2017
Koyt from Jopen Bier BV Haarlem
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 142 ratings