Struise Pannepot Reserva

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

Bottle... Pours a dark, brownish-red, but sits completely black in the glass with a small, fizzy, khaki head. Great, small, tight retention. Lots of Christmas spices in the nose like nutmeg and ginger. Lesser notes of chocolate and red wine with hints of Ouzo. The flavor is medium to heavily sweet, mildly acidic and moderately bitter with notes of cola, red wine and dark chocolate... crazy blend of all kinds of wackiness! Full-bodied with an oily mouthfeel and spritzy carbonation. Finishes spicy and a bit “hot!” Kudos to Marsiblursi for shipping this bottle overseas for me to share!

<i><b>my beer #5000!</b>; from crackedkettle.com</i> - pours a hazy ruby-brown colour under a foamy and persistant beige head; nice lace leaved on the side of the glass; vinous, very complex nose showing aromas of nut, marzipan, bread, pear, vanilla and cognac; smooth mouthfeel with a solid malt body, subtle and regualr carbonation; the quite high sweetness is nicely balanced by some late sourness and bitterness; long aftertaste of overripe fruits, caramel, wood and a deep warming alcohol touch - a divine and hugely complex brew

’05-750 ml bottle-pours a tan head and dark brown color. Aroma is anise, orange peel, alcohol. Taste is earthy-medium/dark malt, anise, orange peel, (hot) alcohol. Thanks Todd for sharing.

As many of other raters have said, a huge thanks to carlo and Urbain for bringing this one to the beerfestival in Copenhagen, Denmark loves you and I’m sure you know it! The beer it self has a muddy reddish, brown colour with a beige head. Malty, dark fruit sweet aroma with spicy notes and hints of alcohol and wood. Smooth and wellbalanced vinous flavor with alcohol and wood notes. Great beer from a great brewery.

Draught Creamy, yellowish head, disappearing over hazy dark brown beer with orange shine. Woody, chocolate, liquorice, rosewater, sweet brown bread with chocolade spread, but not sweet. Very, very wood-determined taste. Chocolate too, but not bitter, "full" chocolate. Very wry, tart even in the finish, woodstainer. Dry, dry-out effect, restrained alcoholburn, very well-bodied after you’ve swallowed away the wood. A special Pannepot, way less sweet which is good, but also extremely dry and severe. First try on draught, will appear bottled later.

My Bottom Line:
Berries meet peppery spiciness and lenient licorice, before moderate alcohol heat and oaken dryness conclude this elegant sipper of a Belgian Strong Ale.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A frothy head of foam covers the dark mahogany.
-I found this one to be less spicy and sweet than the regular Pannepot and not as fruity and vinous as the Grand Reserva.
-The nose was redolent of BBQ spices at times.
-Tiny bubbles build a lively mouthfeel, increasing drinkability.
-Some roasted malts appear in there at times, and cola-like notes spring from the sweet spiciness.

Bottle. 2005 vintage.

Big thanks to puzzl for sharing this one. Dark brown beer, thin tan head. Hazy, rich and very inviting. Incredible nose, rich Belgian malt, plums and sweet toasted oak. Soft vanilla character against the sweet fruitiness of the malts and the yeast. The tropical fruitiness that is so prominent in the regular pannepot is much more subdued here, with that component replaced by rich oaky sweetness. Toast, heavy caramel and a hint of molasses. Light licorice herbal character. Man, this is tasty stuff.

2006 vintage, 750ml bottle
Pours a dark brown and purple with a really attractive pillowy tan head, building tall and then collapsing into crevases and mountains, with clingy, sticky lacing. Nose is a plum port and oak note first, then some moderately strong alcohol, some whiskey and some sweet pipe tobacco. Palate is creamy, flavor up front is smoky, with a bite of sharp plum flavored pipe tobacco. Wonderfully complex, but somehow it’s missing the wow factor that maybe is due to this being highly rated and my expectations being really high. Heavy chocolate and banana are noticed when it warms, as well as some tart cranberry and cherry pits. The sweetness of the Pannepot is surely there - I really like that the oak is mellow and complimentory, not overpowering, but I guess I should expect this from a brewer who seems to do everything right. Fantastic stuff.