Pannepot is one of our favourite Belgian beers, the spiced strong dark ale that is the base beer for so many of De Struise’s barrel-aged creations.
Like this beer, where Pannepot has been matured in Margaux and St Estephe Bordeaux barriques for four years. Laid down in 2014, it was decided to unleash this beauty into bottles in 2018.
Pouring this beer reveals aromas of over-ripe red stone fruits with a little vanilla and sherry. In the taste is a dark red, dried fruit bowl of plums, raisins, figs, prunes, blackcurrants, the rich sweetness of dark fortified wine with a background hint of wooden barrel tannins.
It really is a rich and complex beer that you’ll taste different things each time you take a sip. Make sure you allow this reach a decent temperature of at least 10-12 degrees so the flavours open up fully.
With very little hop bitterness, the lingering aftertaste is still full of sweet malts, fruits and barrel character, but manages to finish dry with very little hint of the alcohol; just as all good big beers seem to do.