Struise Pannepot

12 oz bottle. A mellow aroma, yet rich and complex at the same time. Interesting notes of fruity strawberry shortcake, with light bit of funk stand out to me. Also, some prominent yeasty dark malts and nutty toffee, with light candy sugars, and some minor wine qualities. The pour had a medium-large soft, pillowy caramel cream head, a full body, and a dark amber brown color. There’s a very nice rich sweetness to this beer that is not unlike an expensive piece of candy you’d find wrapped in a box. Besides the slight hint of alcohol, this beer feels nowhere near 10% abv even with all the flavors. The feel overall has a lot of sugar crystal qualities to it, but this is mixed with a good full creaminess to add to the uniqueness of this beer. Notes on this one definitely lean toward the malty sweetness, but its really in no way unbalanced . It starts out with a more deep , caramel-toffee, brown sugar cake sweetness, then gives way to some darker fruits, light olive and cheese, toasted malts, and light woody hops in a drier than expected finish. This beer definitely proves its world class status, but didn’t separate itself at all (like I was hoping) from the Pannepøt, which I also thoroughly enjoyed.

2006 Bottle... Poured hazy brownish with a thick, greyish/slightly tan head. Aroma of toasty sugars, floral fruits, and tart yeast. Really wonderful brew. Slight bitterness, roasted grains, dried fruits and coffee. Raisins, and wine-like, port qualities. Dry finish.

Based on recent memory of the slashed-O version, I don’t think there’s much difference. This is definitely good stuff, but I wasn’t blown away.

20th July 2008. Sweet brown beer. a little gingerbread (as described on the bottle). A little milk chocolate. Sweet dry finish but there is some sourness lurking as well. Complex. This was labelled as Cadzand Bruin.

Struise Schooltje, Vleteren. Dark brown beer, beautifull looking. Aroma is complex, sweet, toasty and spicey. Taste is very long. The beer is sweet, bitter with a fine coffee flavour. it ends with fine bitters and hints of chocolate. Fantastic beer. Merci Carlos

Bottle, 33 cl. Dark brown, hazy beer, medium beige head that lasts. Smells like everything: spices, dark fruits, sweet (sugar), caramel and I think I forgot something to mention. The smell is also lovely complex: dark fruits, malty and light sweet in the mouth, followed by some caramel, coffee, chocolate (choose what you want) in the background, and finishing with spices. Full body, and the aftertaste stays long in the mouth. Formidastic!

2006 Bottle (3 yrs old). Slightly dry fruit, cherry nose. Very deep brown with light white/tan effervescent head. A sweet/alcohol balance with dry fruit and cherries carrying the flavor. Very much a quad-esque beer with its fruit, sweetness and light spiciness.

8/2/2009 sampled bottle with a 2006 vintage... pours opaque and super dark brown... bordering black with a two inch orange tinted creamy brown head. loads of drippy lacing stays behind. the aroma is quite profound...so many layers... it’s really bready, floral, fruity and herbaceous... cinnamon, chocolate, raisins, brown sugar, molasses, clove, cardamom, star anise, vinous/red wine and something numbing bordering menthol/camphor. i wish the flavor matched the aroma... it is fairly sweet on the palate. mixed with fruitiness and a wine-like tartness it seems distracted... notes similar to the aroma... but not quite. there is a bit of ashiness in the far background, some cooked orange peel, a bit of toasty nuts/coffee, skunky grassy hops and lots of spice (mainly cinnamon) in the aftertaste. alcohol pinches at the sinus on the finish. it is medium bodied with a noticeable yeasty grit in the texture. however, i’m in love with how soft, lush and airy the mouth feel is... 9/5/7/4/16/4.1