Pannepot Reserva - De Struise Brouwers

MattSweatshirt

Texas

4.53/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

2007 bottle

Whoops. A slow gusher. Pours a couple fingers of lightly tanned off white head and a dark brown body that is lighter brown and amber at the bottom of the Struise glass.

An aromatic beer for sure. Getting whiffs as I poured. Lots of dark fruit. Brown sugar sweetness. Peppery spice. Oak barrel wood, vanilla, and coconut. The coconut smell is so wonderful in this. Slight alcohol aroma at room temp.

The inviting nose leads into a wonderful taste. A great warming beer. Dark fruit especially raisins, dark bread, brown sugar, caramel and plenty of barrel character(tannin and coconut).

This is so smooth. Even with the gushing the carbonation is subtle and makes for a creamy medium bodied mouthfeel. Dry.

This was delectable. Pannepot is such a great beer and throwing it into a barrel is divine.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 23:24:55 | More by MattSweatshirt

t_carterb

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

06-19-2013 15:56:21 | More by t_carterb

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

06-18-2013 03:07:51 | More by kawilliams81

vbiliyar

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -7.4%

06-17-2013 14:01:44 | More by vbiliyar

In_Control_Mike

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -7.4%

06-15-2013 02:11:07 | More by In_Control_Mike

shehateme

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

06-15-2013 02:03:11 | More by shehateme

AOShabaz

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -7.4%

06-15-2013 02:01:09 | More by AOShabaz

Archemedies

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

06-14-2013 12:56:27 | More by Archemedies

djre4orm

Virginia

4/5  rDev -7.4%

06-13-2013 20:24:47 | More by djre4orm

dasmusik

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -7.4%

06-11-2013 19:46:36 | More by dasmusik

kojevergas

California

3.74/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

My favourite style from one of my favourite breweries. Pannepot Reserve 2010 vintage. "Belgian Ale Brewed with Spices and Aged in Oak." I've had all the other Pannepot variants; really excited for this one. I try to avoid buying Belgian beers while in the U.S. because I know how much cheaper I can get them in Belgium, but I couldn't help myself when this came to my local beer store. Acquired for $7.99 USD. Expections could not be higher; every Pannepot I've had has been incredible. I loved the Grand Reserva. 10% ABV cofnirmed. "PnP No. 4" Bottle lot: 29|01|HH. Unpasteurized, unfiltered, and bottle conditioned. Imported by the Shelton Bastards. 11.2 fl oz brown glass bottle with unbranded standard pry-off cap served into a Mitchells of Lancaster flared stem-tulip in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live.

Served cold, straight from the fridge, and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a lovely tan colour head, about 1.5 fingers in thickness. Nice soft complexion and creamy succulent texture. Colour is quite appealing given the style. Even consistent lacing clings to the sides of the glass as the head recedes. Supple, luscious, and inviting. No bubble show. Retention is quite good, around 7 minutes I'd say. The last of the creamy head clings to the surface, tantalizing the consumer. Soft and approachable.

Body colour is a a very dark ruby-black; solid and opaque. Some ruby glow at the bottom of the glass from scattered light. No yeast particles are visible, but it's nontransparent. Colour intensity is mild.

Looking good for a quadrupel. Very excited for this one.

Sm: Great. Dark fruits - including plum and fig. Cocoa powder, caramel, biscuit malts. Berry skin. Cream. Subtle supple oak in the background. Buried raisin. Dark currants and cherries emerge as it warms. A delightful mix of beautifully integrated dark fruit with very subtle oak notes. Luxuriously appealing. Traces of biscuity yeast. Some grape. Plum is dominant. An extremely subtle aroma with magnificent complexity. Mild in strength. No alcohol comes through. Can't wait to drink this one.

T: Ripples of luxurious dark fruit throughout - dates, dominant plum, fig, dark cherry, dark currants... Fruity notes are more overt than in many other top of the line quads; it lacks the masterful delicate subtlety of something like Westvleteren. Caramel. Hints of nutty notes. Biscuit malt. Some brown malt. Light cocoa powder. Some grape. Fruity sweetness up front slowly gives way to a bit of a more dry raisin body which still feels smooth and wet in spite of the hardening of texture. Nuanced. Oak isn't as splendorous as the aroma indicated; it's too restrained and timid here. I get the sense that the oak helps lend cohesion and focus to the many different flavours, but it doesn't offer much in terms of oaky or wooden taste. Not getting any subtle toasty or vanilla notes you might expect in an oak aged beer.

Overall, it's far more fruity than I expected. As a result, it's not quite as well balanced and built as other top Belgian quadrupels. Do I like it? Shit yes.

Mf: Supple, soft, smooth, and wet. Good carbonation; the bottle conditioning definitely helps it feel natural and apt. Good thickness and body. Good presence on the palate. Feels custom-tailored to the flavour profile. Extremely well done.

Still, it lacks the delicacy or fragility of superior quads.

Dr: Definitely a fine quad, no doubt. I'd definitely get it again at a better price; I can't justify the cost in the U.S. again knowing how little this would run be in Belgium. Hides its ABV very well and shows signs it would develop nicely with age. I'd definitely recommend this one to friends. Another jaw-dropper from De Struise. I tend to be hard on quads since they're my favourite, but this one I hold in high regard. I'd happily drink more than one of these in a night. I'm glad I'm not sharing it with anyone else.

Constructively, I'd like to see still more complexity and subtlety, as well as a refined fragile and delicate mouthfeel. Also, bring that oak out more, please! And maybe tame the fruit a bit. A bit too sweet and syrupy; I'm sure some reviewers will accuse it of being reminiscent of cough syrup but that's juvenile and reductive.

High B

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 03:21:52 | More by kojevergas

Devman171

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

06-10-2013 15:06:54 | More by Devman171

BuckTuckian

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

06-10-2013 13:51:42 | More by BuckTuckian

FlussigkeitMut

Indiana

4/5  rDev -7.4%

06-10-2013 01:35:43 | More by FlussigkeitMut

jl28r1

Texas

4/5  rDev -7.4%

06-09-2013 16:22:54 | More by jl28r1

SHCC

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +10%

06-09-2013 13:34:57 | More by SHCC

bauermj

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

06-09-2013 12:32:32 | More by bauermj

jdklks

Nevada

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

06-08-2013 15:06:45 | More by jdklks

Mscarpen

Tennessee

3.75/5  rDev -13.2%

06-08-2013 12:47:57 | More by Mscarpen

ms11781

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

06-07-2013 19:05:20 | More by ms11781

zrab11

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev -13.2%

06-07-2013 18:00:17 | More by zrab11

LambicKing

Virginia

4/5  rDev -7.4%

06-05-2013 22:43:38 | More by LambicKing

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

06-05-2013 13:20:35 | More by InspectorBob

riemster

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

06-05-2013 04:01:22 | More by riemster

wyatt13

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.4%

06-04-2013 04:13:58 | More by wyatt13