Pannepot Grand Reserva - De Struise Brouwers

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a goblet. 2008 vintage.

3.5 A: Pours a ruddy brown color. Barely half a fingers of frothy light brown head. Retention isn't all that great either, but the ABV is up there. No lacing.

4.0 S: Strong green apple presence alongside candied plum, fig, and date. Vanilla with some oak, caramel, toasted malts, and a light nuttiness. Peppery spiciness. It's very nice, but everything about it is subtle.

4.0 T: Taste is like the nose for the most part. Candied dark fruits, green and red apple, vanilla and oak. Caramel, toasted malt, nuts. Pepper fromt the yeast. Here's the thing about this though. There's an almost "biting" woody aspect in here. It's not present in the normal Pannepot, so I assume it's from the Calvados. It's not a bad flavor, but it is a dominant one that doesn't fit in with the rest of the beer. Either way, still tasty.

3.5 M: Lighter medium body. This could use a bit more carbonation and it would be better if it were spritzier. Could use a touch more creaminess too.

4.0 D: Good beer, but I can't say that I think all the extra stuff has made the regular any better.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 08:55:18 | More by DavoleBomb

cbutova

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2005 vintage bottle that has been around MA lately.

A- Dark brown pour with red around the edges. Tan head forms with pretty nice size and frothy texture for such an old beer. Bubbly ring leaves legs and a few webs of lace.

S- Smoothed out dark red fruits, oak and brown sugar. Not picking up a ton but I do like what I get. Definitely not very aromatic for a Quad/strong Belgian.

T- More going on here. Starts out with a nice dark cherry, grape fruit presence with notes of oak, wine, spice and brown sugar/toasted malts backing it. A bit of smoke and cocoa as well. Pretty complex with a nice, smooth balance.

MF- Lower end carbonation in a smooth, somewhat oily thick body. Alcohol warmth has almost completely subsided and there is a spice bitterness.

Not sure anything will ever compare with 2006 Pannepot for me but this is still a nice beer. Spices sort of take over a bit too much as I go on.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 04:58:54 | More by cbutova

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.55/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Small bottle with a label calling it a 750ml from 2005; the first part of that clearly isn't the case, I don't know about the second.

A: Deep brown body with a finger of fine tan head. Ok retention, great lace. Terrific.

S: Oak, raisins, vanilla, chocolate, spice, and only the faintest hint of booze. Splendid.

T: Smooth, rich, and oaky, with wood up front and strong Quad fruitiness finishing things out. Candied sweetness and light pice on the long, semi-sweet finish. Light booze. Smooth, complex, and great.

M: Super soft, well-carbonated, and absolutely luxurious. Perfect.

O: Incredible beer. I love regular Pannepot, and the Grand Reserve is a definite step up in terms of both smoothness and complexity. I do miss the more powerful spicing of the regular version, but I think the oak overtones more than make up for it. Great beer.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 22:41:39 | More by woosterbill

dgilks

Australia

4.47/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Very, very dark brown colour with a smooth, small, creamy tan head. Looks quite nice.

Dark, figgy, plummy fruit aroma with lots of dark toffee and caramelised malt notes. Some earth comes out too. Very dense overall with the oak contributing additional complexity. I like that there is something of the Calvados oak that can be distinguished.

Rich malt with a slightly sharp darker malt note that comes through. Still lots of fruit but it seems a little sharper and less plummy than in the aroma. Still quite sweet with a mildly bitter toffee note adding more. The figgy, plummy, mildly alcoholic flavour comes out as this warms up, improving it a fair bit.

Medium body with moderately-high carbonation. Good.

This is certainly a rich and robust Belgian ale. The oak certainly penetrates the beer and the malt character is very prominent too.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 08:03:37 | More by dgilks

Bendurgin

Maine

4.35/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a chalice. This one pours dark brown with about a finger of creamy beige head. Retains a solid cap with some sticky lace.

Sweet on the aroma with toffee, figs, raisins and brown sugar. Sweet with a dark malty profile. The taste is a lot of what the aroma would indicate. Dark malts with toffee and a grape skin flavor. Nice sweet edge to this.

The body is full and somewhat creamy with soft carbonation.

Overall a nice one to find on tap. The Pannepot offerings never seem to disappoint.

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2012 15:31:21 | More by Bendurgin

merc7186

New York

3.93/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this beer poured from a 11.2oz bottle into a snifter glass.

2005 Vintage

A: Dark Opaque Hue, Passes No Light, Mild Brown Head Ring, No Lacing

S: Dark Fruit, Cocoa, Vanilla, Mild Maple

T: Raisins, Plums, Maple, Vanilla, Cocoa

M: Average Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Sweet, Mildly Tart

Overall, a nice barrel aged quad with a good, well balanced flavor. Dont go broke buying it but a great pick up for $5.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 03:12:41 | More by merc7186

haz77

United Kingdom (England)

4.43/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2005 vintage.

A - Pours an opaque, near black, brown with an inch of slightly frothy tan head. This falls to a thin layer of the course of a minute. All as expected.

S - Coffee, cocoa, caramel, cinnamon and other spices, cola, dried dark fruit, light grassy hops, a hint of port.

T - Initial dark fruit is moved aside by caramel and cocoa in the middle. Finish is coffee and grassy hops with a background chocolate note in the aftertaste. Also a lingering flavour of sweet wine. Layers of interest and complexity. Delicious.

M - Liquid velvet. Initially full bodied, with a light spritz of carbonation. The bubbles subside for the most part and the mouthfeel takes on a rich, creamy texture. This never becomes overpoweringly syrupy or cloying and the remaining carbonation and hops cleanse the mouth by the finish. Simply perfection.

D - A magnificent brew. Not drastically different from Pannepot (although the Grand Reserva has a more noticeable sour edge from recollection), but that certainly isn't a bad thing.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 20:15:12 | More by haz77

sidetracked

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle dated Vintage 2005.

Pours a clear, deep mahogany brown with a dense tan bubbly head. Good head retention.

Aroma of oak mixed with a dark fruit sweetness. Vanilla. Raisins. Dates. Some alcohol heat.

Upfront taste is sweet dark fruit, raisin, molasses, roasty. Dark roasty malt middle. Sweetness follows through to the finish. Additional flavors of oak, red grapes, brown sugar, and a hint of alcohol in the finish. Lingering sweetness.

Full bodied and somewhat syrupy with low carbonation. Smooth. Really coats the mouth.

Overall delicious. Nice balance of roasty and sweet. Oak adds some nice complexity. Would like to compare this to regular Pannepot.

11/24/2011

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 17:29:26 | More by sidetracked

mdagnew

United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

4.08/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330ml bottle bought online from Beermerchants.com... 2007 vintage...

Poured a deep dark murky mahogany brown / almost black colour. Light mocha tan head poured big thick and foamy then faded to good thick coating with even thicker edging... quite a lot of thick lacing lines coat the glass most of the way down...

Aroma - Rich dark fruits mixed with Christmas spices - black currents and cherries, apples, dates and plums, light cinnamon and nutmeg... lots of toasted bready malts, red wine hints, light liquorice mixed with chocolate, faint marzipan, nut brittle, light black treacle sweetness, earthy and leathery notes, cola traces, some sour soy notes...

Taste - Lots of spiciness (again cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla and black pepper) mixed with milk chocolate and fruit (plums, dates, raisins), warming alcohol coming through, bready / yeasty, some candy sugar, light metallic traces, molasses and brown sugar sweetness, roasted malts, again some soy / Flanders red ale sourness..

Feel - Smooth and creamy with a little sharpness underneath... medium / fulll bodied... pretty drinkable although the alcohol soon catches up with you..

Overall - Another excellent Struise brew.. definitely recommended...

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2012 14:06:02 | More by mdagnew

larryi86

Delaware

4.68/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

11.2 oz bottle poured into a goblet 2005 vintage

A- Dark brown/black with a nice one finger tan head.

S- Dark fruits, caramel malts, cherries, oak, spices. Good nose, but I was hoping that it would be bigger.

T- A lot stronger than the nose. Dark fruits and caramel malts up front, touch of tart apples and cherries, some oak, light earthy spices, hint of vanilla, really well balanced and complex.

M- Medium to full body, smooth.

O- A great beer that is very easy to enjoy. At first I thought the little tartness was oxidation, but on the second and third sip I was able to place it as tart fruits, not oxidation. I really hope I am able to stock up on this, very happy that I was able to find this.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 00:36:20 | More by larryi86

silentjay

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

"vintage 2005"

darker than expected (an almost black brown/mahogany), but with a beautiful khaki head that raises to the tip of the glass (if not higher) sticks around forever and laces well.

lots of dark cherries in the aroma with some belgian yeast and a bit of mediumd-dark malts and some other dark fruits making their way in to compete with the cherries (figs, dates, etc.) some lighter fruits in there as well, maybe some apple, pear, and banana.

smooth, with tons of cherry flavor, a bit of oak flavors bringing some vanilla and some sweet malts bringing some molasses and dark caramel. other fruits are in there, as well.

almost medium bodied with a subtle carbonation that is more fluffy than prickly.

didn't quit knock my socks off, but it definitely impressed me. I was expecting more barrel qualities in the aroma and flavor, but it seems the quadruple aspects of the beer managed to take precedence.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 08:19:28 | More by silentjay

Beerontwowheels

Maryland

3.85/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle. 2008 on the label. DFH signature glass.

A: Dark and murky brown. Sediment present and visible. Light crown of tan cream colored head.

S: Sweet smelling. A bit of leather, a bit of oak. Difficult to pinpoint the exact profiles. Very well blended.

T: Brown sugar, caramelized dark fruits with a touch of the oak. the 10% alcohol is very well hidden.

M: medium bodied with light carb. Perhaps a little light, but nothing to complain of.

O: A fine brew and probably at it's peak given the vintage (debatable for sure). Would gladly try another but wouldn't seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 02:47:14 | More by Beerontwowheels

bmwats

Louisiana

4/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

A: Dark brown. Pours about a 1 finger, brown white head. Settles quickly, leaving a smattering of foam on the surface and a nice beer ring. Not much lacing to speak of.

S: Roasted coffee malt, with a little oak, and parsley.

T: Tastes like it smells. Roasted espresso, with a woody tone. Slightly bittersweet.

M: Hearty and robust. Bittersweet finish lingers throughout.

D: Sip and enjoy.

Atmosphere is pretty solid. Nice, dark appearance with a decent head. Nose is roasted, woody malt. Flavor has a hearty roasted coffee feel, with a bittersweet finish.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 03:52:24 | More by bmwats

nicoco184

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Shared a 2005 Grand Reserva with mrand01.

Poured into a Mad Elf tulip.

A: Chestnut colored, hazy, thin rim of cream-colored head that is incredibly sticky.

S: Malty, dark fruit scents.

T: Coffee right off the bat, malts, oak, sweetness at the tail end, with a little bit of alcohol heat.

M: Light carbonation, medium-heavy body, sticky flavor

O: The complexity is excellent and I imagine will become deeper in flavor as the beer temperature rises.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 01:42:14 | More by nicoco184

Chico1985

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -30.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2.5

Nothing like kicking off a new year with a Pannepot variation. Thanks to Cam for picking this up for me since I didn't see any around here. 2005 vintage.

Pours very dark brown with slight highlights, tiny bit of sediment settled at the bottom. Big frothy beige head retains well as a thick cap leaving a bit of lacing, certainly doesn't look 6-7 years old.

Smell is extremely muted, but definite fig/dark fruit in there, oak and alcohol.

Taste also seems very muted, especially compared to the original Pannepot. Chocolate, yeast, spice, dark fruit, oak, maybe some fruity hops (?) all noticeable but very faint. Maybe the age and/or the long oak barrel aging is to blame.

Like other Pannepi, very smooth full mouthfeel, lowish carbonation, not much alcohol present. Sadly, it's the highlight of the beer.

Wow, quite disappointing. The regular Pannepot is one of my favorite beers and the Reserva is great as well, this really didn't do much for me. Flavor is way too faint.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 21:37:47 | More by Chico1985

buffs9

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Dark brownish colored, murky, lots of lacing left throughout.

S - dark stone fruits, and a a bit of alcohol.

T - Again, malt sweetness, with a that belgian yeast character. To me it's like a slightly less sweet St. Bernardus Abt 12, which I love

O - I really liked this beer, but not sure it's worth $10/bottle

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 05:19:39 | More by buffs9

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4.33/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours dark brown with a finger of light tan head. Retention is solid.

S: Complex. Tons of dark fruit - brandy soaked figs and raisins. Still quite a bit of carmel left as well. A bit of booze, but not a lot.

T: So smooth. Caramel and raisins overwhelm all other favors. A bit of booze, but great for a 10% ABV beer. A perfect amount of sweetness.

M: Thick with light carbonation.

O: I really like this a lot. The flavors have developed well over the last six years.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 01:38:08 | More by coreyfmcdonald

claspada

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottle says 2005 version.

Pours a clear, dark brown body with a wispy, persistent, khaki colored head. As it recedes I get some decent spotty lacing.

Aromas begin with a melange of dark malts and toasted oak wrapped up in a luscious, sweet-smelling raisin/plum syrup. It would be more enjoyable (and more complex) if it was bolder. Medium-dark fruit and a light cola like rooty, spiciness. Woodiness is definitely present, but I couldn't have guessed that what makes Grand Reserva unique among the Pannepot brews is the fact that it was aged in French oak that had previously held Calvados (apple brandy).

Thankfully the tastes are more redeeming and bolder. It begins with toasted brown bread soaked in caramel, tart apples, tangy plums, golden raisins, citrus zest and an herbal, almost root beer spiciness. As it warms you get a little more of the Belgian esters from the Belgian yeast.

The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with moderate to light carbonation. Finish is dryish and semi-sweet. Barrel aging has added a new dynamic to the original Quad style which tends to be sweeter, but the dry/oakiness is nice here.

Overall this beer was a nice and new experience for me. I usually do not like Belgian ales aged in barrels but the brandy barrels work here and add a new dynamic to the already amazing base Pannepot. Do I like it more than the original, I don't think so, but is it still heads and tail above 95% of Quads on the market, yes. Definitely recommended and well worth seeking out for Quad fans and fans of well-integrated barrel aged beers.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 09:55:36 | More by claspada

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a medium/darker brown wit a tan head. Nice splashy lace, Good ring/skim retention.

Some spices up front, a little wood, toasted malt, dark bread.

This burly brew has mellowed the 10% alcohol to a barely noticeable attribute that comes in near the end. Browned bread crust, a touch of tart malt on the back of the palate, bitterness that is long and pure and even. Malt is aggressive and dry. Not a touch of sweetness here for this 2005 vintage. A very different quad with some obvious age on it.

Fuller bodied with some prickliness on the tongue.

Very good. I've never had a quad aged this much. It mellowed it and absorbed all sugar and focused the brew. Bitter, unrelenting brew, and for all of the hard flavors, I find this oddly drinkable. This is not for beginners (either in flavor or price). But very worthy.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 21:33:09 | More by OtherShoe2

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2005 dated bottle

Pours a medium chestnut, ruby red color. A soft off-white/tan head caps the brew and it looks nice...but quite a quad "look". But really, who cares? The good stuff is next

Aroma is a touch sweet but with some tannin in it. Sour cherry, apple, light caramel, red plum. maybe some raisins. Not a powerful, coming at ya aroma...not bad either

Flavors follow the aroma almost to a T, with emphasis on different characteristics. Red apple, sour cherry up front. Quick tannin in the middle. Red plum and raisin on the end. A bit boozy makes it seem light. Undertones of yeasty breadiness and light caramel. Not getting much roast or "dark" flavors.

Very easy drinking for 10%.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 23:36:10 | More by Mebuzzard

dogfishandi

New York

4.28/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2005 vintage

11.2oz bottle, fridge temp, poured into a snifter.

appears almost black but is actually a deep ruby color. about one fingers worth of tan colored head, creamy, nice retention and some nice spotty lace. some sediment visible.

initially lots of ripe dark fruits. some alcohol apparent, spicy, flouride like yeast, sweet malts and a bit wine like.

sweet candied dark fruits, dark breads, spicy yeast phenols. not nearly as much alcohol in the taste. some toasty oak comes through, brown sugar and hints of nutmeg and cinamon. comes off very wine like. finsihes with a very nice richness.

very smooth, rich, sweet, full bodied, very nice mouthfeel. carbonation just about right.

definatly one of the best quads ive had. such a nice melding of flavors, age has done this well. id be a little hesitant to buy more because of the huge price tag for one 11.2 oz bottle, but id be very interested to see what further cellaring could do.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2011 03:15:37 | More by dogfishandi

metter98

New York

4.38/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is hazy and very dark brownish amber in color. It poured with a thin off white head that died down and consistently left a ring of bubbles on the surface around the edge of the glass.
S: There are light aromas of sweet dark fruits in the nose along with hints of vanilla from the barrel aging.
T: The taste is very complex and develops as the beer warms up. It has flavors of dark fruits and oak from the barrel aging.
M: It feels full-bodied and very smooth on the palate and has a light to moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The beer is very smooth and incredibly well balanced. No traces of alcohol are noticeable, which makes it very easy to drink considering the strength.

Note: 2005 Vintage

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 13:23:45 | More by metter98

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.85/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

2005 grand reserva, definitely excited to try this.

Appearance:
Jet black with little head or carbonation. In the light the beer actually becomes a very dark brown. Quad-tastic, and it does not look watery.

Smell:
Tons of dark stone fruits, grape and some oak. A strong alcohol also mixes in, but it's subtle and masked.

Taste:
Some chocolatey fruits and a a little wood. This beer isn't nearly as rich as I had anticipated. The aftertaste is tobacco and lots of over-ripe fruit.

Mouthfeel:
This beer is a little hot with alcohol, but provides a lot of tasty fruit as well. The Belgian yeast doesn't come though as much as with other quads, but I'm assuming it's because there is so much going on with the barrel aging. It becomes significantly sweeter when it warms up

Overall:
This beer was quite overpriced, but still tasty. I would have liked to grab a 4 pack of 3 philosophers and allow it to age a couple years instead. Worth tasting, and I grabbed a few for down the road... So we'll see what happens

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 04:07:35 | More by ThePorterSorter

mentaltraveller

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is a nearly perfect quad—pick this up if you can find it. This is a very complex beer; Belgian yeast, sugar and alcohol are all present. This beer is a sipper, but very easy to drink. I am glad we picked up a few of these in Belgium; I will hopefully get the chance to enjoy one or two more.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 20:43:24 | More by mentaltraveller

oline73

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had this on-tap at Max's. This is the 2005 vintage poured into a sample glass.

Appearance: Pours a dark mahogany color with a layer of off white head that goes away completely.

Smell: Sweet with some dark fruit, cocoa, caramel, and a taste that reminds me of port or sherry. Very complex.

Taste: Sweet, smooth caramel with some dark fruit notes. Very smooth, the age hasn't hurt this beer at all. Some bitterness in the finish with warming alcohol. Great cool weather beer.

Mouthfeel: The body is on the thick side of medium with tingly carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: Very smooth. A bit more bitter than I expected, but that wasn't a problem Very complex, would definitely have another.

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2011 04:48:11 | More by oline73