Struise Pannepot Grand Reserva

Brewed by De Struise Brouwers
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Oostvleteren, Belgium

<b>In short: </b>A fruity and vinous Belgian Strong dark ale
<b>How: </b>Bottle 330ml, vintage 2005. Compared side-by-side with regular Pannepot
<b>The look: </b>Cloudy burgundy topped by a small persistent tan head
<b>In long: </b>Nose is a lot less spicy than the regular Pannepot with a much stronger dark fruits presence. Not much barrels/oak on the nose, this beer smells like some classic ABTs. Taste has cake malts and a lot of dark grapes, fresh dark fruits and even gets rather vinous and somewhat sticky. The floral finish of the regular Pannepot is translates tobacco with the Grand Reserva. A light herbal spiciness but far from the level of the regular Pannepot. Very smooth and round. The vinous & fruit concentrate character of the beer makes it a bit heavy and detracts from the drinkability. The regular Pannepot is indubitably more drinkable. Like with the regular Pannepot there was no alcohol presence whatsoever. I slightly prefer the regular Pannepot but only slightly and the Reserva is the best of the three. However the Grand Reserva really has a personality of its own and is the best of the three to accompany a meal. With a basic beer as good as the Pannepot all aging experiments will yield good results. A Special Reserva aged in MartinT’s dirty socks with Rastacouere’s post-jogging sweat could even potentially be drinkable.

Bouteille 330ml (2005). De couleur brune et voilée. Nez de levures fruitées (raisins vineux, notes de cerises, traces de prunes rouges), moyennement épicé (anis, notes de cannelle) léger de malt aux notes rôties, léger de vanille et de fût de chêne ainai que des notes dalcool doux et de caramel toffee sucré. Moyennement ronde en bouche avec un pétillement moyen et une texture moyennement crémeuse. Goût fruité sucré et aux faibles notes sûres (raisins vineux, léger de prunes rouges, petites notes de cerises et de pommes rouges) accompagné dun moyen goût épicé (anis, traces de cannelle), dun léger goût boisé (fût de chêne) ainsi que de notes de vanille lors de lentrée en bouche auquel se rajoute un moyen goût malté caramel aux notes rôties ainsi qu un léger goût de toffee sucré ainsi que des traces de chocolat noir et de sucre brun. Parallèlement, lon retrouve un léger goût dalcool boisé (légèrement réchauffant et notes de fût de chêne) jusquen finale avec des notes de houblon herbeux. Post-goût long-moyen aux notes asséchantes, moyen-léger amer de rôti, dalcool doux et avec un goût de levures fruitées aux notes aigres (moût de raisins et de cerises, petites notes de pelures de prunes) et boisées.

Deep brown of color with a beige head. an aroma of dark fruits, port, raisins and alcohol. A flavor of dark fruits, port, alcohol, raisins and a smooth mouthfeel.

dark brown coloured body with a sparkling off white head a roasted malty aroma a roasted malty fruity sweet little sourig yeasty taste with a sweet alcoholic bitter finish nice one

Bottle 75cl, Dark brown almost black coloured beer with almost no carbonation and a small off-white head. Roasted alcoholic aroma, light yeasty cookie malty hints. Full creamy palate. Finish is roasted, bitter with some sweet-sour malty hints. Alcohol is present but stays at the background. very nice balanced.

Dark brown coloured beer with small off-white head and no carbonation.. Bit malty aroma slightly roasted. Full palate slightly creamy. Finish is sour at first changing into roasted, also bit bitter. Very good one, top beer.

Drank at l’autre oeil. Cloudy/Murky brown poor with a tiny light brown head. Aromas of licorice, star anise, toffee, apple puré, vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt. Very complexe mouthfeel, incredible balance between bitter and sweet with a slightly sour finish. Flavors of dark acid fruits. Incredibly complexe mouthfeel and flavors... Just a great all around beer. wow!

Bottled vintage 2005. Dark ruby brown color, small steady beige head, some lace. Aroma of oak, raisins, whisky, calvados and funky sweetie fruits. A bit metallic and sour flavor then dark fruits, oak barrelling notes (vanilla, wood), touch of roasted malts, licorice and darkened apple. Original (over)sweetness of basic Pannepot has diminished and now flavor is dominated by Calvados apple fruityness. This is not really complex beer, but nicely drinkable and propably less than 10% nowadays. Just a bit overrated here too.