Struise Pannepot Grand Reserva

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

Grand reserva 2005. Bottle. Nearly opaque brown with a thin off-white head. Average retention and lacing. Aroma is wood, caramel, toasted malt, dark fruits, vanilla, brown sugar and liquorice. Flavor is figs, dates, raisins, grapes, molasses, brown sugar, dark honey, alcohol, cookies, spices with a long sweet aftertaste. Full body with a slightly visquous mouthfeel. Awesome!

2005 Bottle with big thanks to ygtbsm94 for this great bonus brew! Aroma has notes of dark dried fruits, port, oak, spice, and a subtle earthy yeast. Awesome. Dark amber hue that sits black in the sniffer. Average sized frothy off-white head that diminished and left some lace. Flavor is sweet, earthy and a little tart. Palate is medium bodied and soft. Very nice beer that has aged quite well. Very complex beer that opens up quite nicely as it warms. Wonderful.

Appearance: Pours a clear, dark brown body with a wispy, persistent, off-white head. Smell: Aroma of dark malts and toasted oak wrapped up in a luscious, sweet-smelling raisin/plum syrup. Yes, I read Calvados, but for me it’s very port-like. Taste: Rich sweet maltiness! Flavors of simple syrup, dark caramel, light brown sugar, and a drop or three of molasses. Did I mention it’s sweet? A tiny kick of tartness accompanies the potent, port-like fruitiness and plays nicely alongside the sweetness. Underlying tastes of vanilla and oak. Sweet, fruity finish with a lingering taste of cane sugar. Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Mild carbonation. Drinkability: Quite nice! A superb creation. Can I take away PBR’s blue ribbon and give it to this beer?

Brown bottle, 33 cl, 2005 vintage, via Importations Privées Bièropholie, received on May 9 2008, savoured on St-Jean-Baptiste 2008; eye: bronze with caramel reflections, opaque, inviting creamy beige head, a bit of lacing; nose: caramelized malt, soya sauce, oak, light fruity, caramel, light liquorice, maple butter fabricated by uncle; mouth: velvety, caramelized malt, candied fruits, dark small berries, light soya sauce, caramel, light spices, hint of alcohol, light fruity, light liquorice, maple butter fabricated by my uncle, slightly dry well-balanced finale in caramelized malt with oak and alcohol, slightly salty, mildly sweet, fizzyness on the top of the tongue, medium-full body, nice roundness, slightly vinous, average carbonation; overall: quite good FRANÇAIS Bouteille brune, 33 cl, millésime 2005, via Importations Privées Bièropholie, reçu le 9 mai 2008, savourée à la St-Jean-Baptiste 2008; œil : bronze avec des reflets caramel, opaque, belle mousse beige crémeuse, un peu de dentelle; nez : malt caramélisé, sauce soya, chêne, léger fruité, caramel, léger réglisse, en rétro-olfaction, beurre d’érable préparé par mon oncle; bouche : velouté, malt caramélisé, fruits confits, petits fruits noirs, léger sauce soya, léger épices, petite pointe d’alcool, léger fruité, léger réglisse, beurre d’érable préparé par mon oncle, un peu de caramel, finale légèrement sèche et bien équilibrée en malt caramélisé avec une subtile présence de chêne et d’alcool, très légèrement salée, moyennement sucrée, pétillement sur le bout de la langue, corps moyen-corsé, belle rondeur, texture légèrement vineuse, carbonatation moyenne; en résumé : très bonne

330ml bottle. Pours cloudy dark brown, tan head. Big aroma. Notes of wood, oak, apple, brandy, cork. Smooth body. Sweet and flavorful. Slight flavors of toast. A light flavor of wine, nice malt body. hints of oak, brandy. light carbonation. Medium - heavy bodied. So good, some smooth. ABV is very well hidden.

Bottle from miketd - thanks man! Nice looking pour with a raisin/burgundy color and a persistent beige head. Aroma is thick and sweet with apples, bread, a smooth and very inviting oakiness, and some light yeast. Flavor is a nice mix of apples, yeast, vanilla, plumb, oak and light spices. Smooth, woody, and delicious Nice use of the barrel. Really good stuff that I hope will be widely available. Struise rules!

Bottle shared at the Cleveland tasting. Thanks Mike! Do this people make a bad beer? If so, I have not had it. Another outstanding brew. Poured a beautiful ruby color. Aroma of carmalized sugar. Flavor was very sweet on my tongue. Candy. Fruits. Figs. Plums. Sugar. Then a abit of woodiness. Alcohol was definitely felt in this one. Very well blended. Very enjoyable.

A huge thanks to guerde & oslo for this gem. The aroma was of the usual pitted fruits and spice I get from any Pannepot, but with the wonderful addition of oak and all it’s associated aromas plus the calvados. In the body, much the same character as the aroma, but the calvados really cuts through. A murky brown pour with faint head.