Struise Pannepot

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

On tap at Burger. in Santa Cruz. Pours a deep oily brown, completely opaque, with some nice khaki suds. Sorta boozy on the nose, some raisins, brown sugar and molasses. Perfumey alcohols and maybe a touch of acetone? Mild cherry yogurt. Flavor is raisiny with a light roasted malt finish, ginger, rum, assorted dried fruit. Equal parts sweet, dry, bitter, boozy. A nice round quad but I think it falls short if you compare it to the Westies and Rocheforts of the world.

One of the first beers I tasted, think it must have been 2008. One of my first favorites also. It’s not a top 10 beer for me now, but it’s certainly a great brew. Nice dark color, average smell but a complex, full taste.

Dark-brown coloured beer with a creamy beige head. Fresh malty aroma. Flavour is perfectly balanced and complex, roasted coffee, caramel like sweetness, a bit fruity and a little bit alcoholic in the aftertaste. Great beer. (Bottle 33cl)

2007 bottle, from web shop Etre Gourmet. Time to get the last, missing link of the Pannepot-family to the table (well, except the Pannepot Wild, but that’s another story) for rating. I deserve this after a long day of being productive around the house. :-) Pours a near-black deep brown body with a medium creamy caramel-hued retention, settling like a tiny carpet as the bubbles come to rest. Very nice indeed. The aroma is smooth, dense and virtually flowing from the glass as I pour: raisins, fresh (!) red plums, wood, dark candy sugars. Hints of burnt caramel, alcohol, figs and prunes. Taste is smooth as expected, with a veritable fan of tastes spreading over my palate: first, a fresh, carbonation-fueled hint of red berries and tart wooden tones (feels amazingly fresh for a 2007 vintage!), then a light spread of alcohol, near-tart plumes, sweet raisins and figs. Some oxidization comes through here as well, but that only seems to magically blend in with the brew somehow! Incredible. In the end, dark candy sugars and prunes land it all with some caramel and hints of burnt sugar. Mouthfeel is always pearly, like a good strong Belgian ale is supposed to, and the beer is very filling and subtly warming away with its 10 % ABV - which are generally extremely well hidden. So now I know for sure. A Pannepot is definitely a beer to cellar, and although I think the fresher versions are also extremely tasty this is really a gem. Buy one now, drink in 4-5 years. No sweat. Truly a masterpiece from Struise. :-)

Ah, the King of Belgians, or so the bartender tells me, perhaps to justify the high price tag. Pours medium brown with a moderate light brown head. Nose is quite interesting with fruity, sour, wine-like, bitter, and boozy notes without any of them really ruining the others. Flavor is a rich, brown-sugar and fruit based malt balanced against modest hops, all colored by a perfect level of roastiness, earthy tones, and alcohol. Finish reveals lighter fruits and coriander. I’m hard to impress but this definately did it for me: excellent ale in all aspects.

UPDATED: JAN 21, 2012 Opened with a bang by Craig Garvie! A brown beer with a tan head. Raspberry and some sour notes on the nose. Caramel and chewy fruit and nut chocolate flavours. A little dry in the finish. Superb! 2011 version on draught at ’t Antwaerps Bierhuiske. Pours a black colour with a thin tan head. The aroma of caramel, coffee, chocolate, marzipan and only the gentlest hint of sourness. Similar flavours with a chewy mouth-feel. Flavours of chocolate, caramel, marzipan and salty liquorice. Mild bitterness and carbonation with only light sourness. Alcohol hum to finish but superbly balanced overall. Nice peppery linger. Just brilliant! (9,3,10,5,18). 2010 bottle at home pours a dark brown colour with a thin, light tan head. Beautiful nutty, fruity, alcohol aroma again with just a little balsamic vinegar in there. Superbly chewy with rich plums, dried fruits and toffee. Mild carbonation. 2004 bottle with the green cap at Kulminator. This beer literally smelled so good Sev and I both had a tear in our eye! Aroma of heaven, caramel, marzipan, toffee, figs, chocolate and plums. Quite ethereal with alcohol very well balanced. Similar flavours, quite sweet with candy sugar, marzipan, caramel, toffee, chocolate and treacle. Mild carbonation and CO2 prickle. Oh my! 2006 bottle at Craig’s. Beautiful nose with lots of chocolate, liquorice, caramel and roasty malt with a chewy mouth-feel. 2008 bottle at Craig’s. I much preferred this to the 2006. Alcohol is quite present with treacle, chocolate, liquorice, roasty malt and caramel. Lovely oily mouth-feel. Both the 2006 and 2008 bottles were quite heavily carbonated with moderate CO2 prickle.

Bottle at cgarvieuk tasting. 2007 vintage. Very dark brown, tiny beige head. The nose is almost frambozen, with lots of raspberries and some sour funkiness. Taste is sweet & sour, with treacle but juicy sour too. Short but refined sweet finish. Hides the alcohol well.

15 June 2011, bottle at my last cgarvieuk tasting! 2007 vintage. dark ruby, some sediment, nose is faintly sour. reminds me of sweet tarts candy. a bit of vinegarette. med body, faintly fizzy with very drying finish. sugary, slightly tart bready water. there is a bitter finish that lingers. very smooth and interesting malt powder drink. lovely!