Struise Pannepot

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

Exact same 2006 bottle as pictured. Thanks to TheRealBastard for the trade on this one. HUGE dense tan head. Solid like merenge (the egg stuff, not the dance). Beer is dark brown and no light shines through the tulip. Raisins, spices, grain, sweetness on the nose. Creamy malt flavor. Prunes/dark fruit come out in the mouth. Long lingering flavors morph to licorice, wine, dark grapes, and I agree about the cherries. For such a sweet dark beer, it’s very light in the mouth. Refreshing. What a remarkably flavorful and smooth offering. Wonderful.

bottle from 2007. Pours murky brown with a frothy brown head. Aroma is of hops, spice, raisins, and alcohol. The fruit overpowers everything else in the aroma. Taste is of hops, spice, raisins and other dark fruits, alcohol, and yeast. Has a nice backbone of malt and an underlying breadiness. Very malty mouthfeel, that goes down smooth. Delicious.

Bottle, Winter Ale Festival, Manchester. This came highly recommended from those in the know. Dark brown colour with a decent sized tan head. Aroma was loaded...nutmeg, caramel, brandy soaked dark fruit, bags to savour. Flavour was rich and sweet, alcohol remarkably well masked. Would never put this at 10percent. Soft, smooth and very palatable, this really has quality stamped all over it and is one to be sought out and savoured for sure. Top notch.

Bottle from Cracked Kettle. One of the all-time greats. A dark and inviting body. Nice roasty nose of sugar, raisins, shortbread and malts. Very syrupy taste with chocolate, toffee, dark berries. Very warming and smooth. Wondrous.

330ml bottle, 2006 vintage. Rather intriguing, aromatic nose, fairly sweet and of course spicy, with suggestions of milky chocolate, molasses, powdered sugar, orange peel, anise, nutmeg, plummy dark fruits, dark breads, cedar and touches of doughy yeast and floral perfume. Deep, dark mahogany color, nearly opaque, with a lasting, fine, uneven head of dark tan. Flavor is predominantly tangy, fruity and sweet, with abundant raisin and creamy chocolate, although there are subtleties to be found throughout, including spice cake, dried cherry, toffee, cinnamon and hazelnut, and with a gentle vinous, cidery tinge that enters towards the long, earthy finish. Lingering caramel sweetness and a nigh-undetectable alcohol presence. Incredibly smooth, creamy, light and gently warming mouthfeel, body is softly full. Absolutely outstanding. Thanks to Tim!

2006 bottle thanks to pantanap. Pours a dark brown, but looks black in my chalice. Foamy dark tan head, great retention and some nice lacing. Aromas of dark fruit, raisins, dates, plums, vanilla, candi sugar, molasses and some nice spices. Flavors are sweet caramel malt, candi sugar, dark fruits and spices. Palate is too carbonated IMO, it was a gusher.

Bottle 2007 ed. Pours almost an opaque cloudy brown with little yeast floaties and a huge three finger, fizzy, tan head that has great retention staying for the entirety of the drink. Aromas of mangoes, passionfruit, candied dark fruits, dark chocolate, black cherries. Taste is bubby up front with some spicy alcohol, brown sugar, and cinnamon moving to sweet black cherries, dark chocolate, and finally ending with some spice and tart cherries. Completely superb.

Bottle: Poured a dark brown color with a tan head. The aroma was sweet malts, dark fruits, banana, and vanilla. The flavor was yeasty, brown sugar, dark fruits, sweet malts and plums. Overall, very smooth and very well balanced.