Pannepot Grand Reserva - Cask Strength Calvados BA
De Struise Brouwers

375 mL bottle. Pours deep brown without much of a head. Smells of bread, brown sugar, a little metallic. Definitely oxidized. Some oak. Tastes sweet up front. A little bit of brandy flavor. Brown sugar with some bread behind it. A bit of oak and oxidation. Some dark fruits come through, too. Oxidation builds into the finish. Low carbonation. A little boozy. Medium heavy. Very nice, despite the oxidation.

Copenhagen 30/6 2018. 33 cl bottle from Den Belgiske Ølbutik, Jyllingevej, Vanløse. Pointillist painting of a ship with dark sails at sea on the label. Vintage 2011 edition.

Pours opaque dark brown with small bubbly tan head. Settles as patchy remnants of foam. No lacing.

Aroma is intense with a woody booziness. Malty bonanza. With sugar, fermented apples and raisins. Strong, warm alcoholic odor.

Soft carbonation. Medium thick, oily texture.

Flavor is heavy sweet followed by medium spicy bitterness. Aftertaste is sweet with a notable boozy burn.

Elegantly boozy - Where fermented fruit meets woody oak and sweet music ensues.

Bottle pour into a taster glass.
Dark burgundy brown appearance with moderate semi-lasting light tan head. Trying to see through, or taste through, what appears to be an infection with this bottle. Fig, raisin, tobacco, all compromised in this case.

Had 2019 edition on tap at Churchkey.
Very disappointing having enjoyed other versions of Pannepot in past.
Dark with unrealized head. Minor nose; nothing robust. Flavor mirrored; weak without anything substantially different from core beer. Thin, flat and nothing really to savor in mouth. Makes one think the extended barrel aging drew out many of the beer’s body…while not enhancing flavor or scent.
No need to really comment overall.

330 ml bottle, vintage 2009, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10%. Very dark brown colour, moderate beige head. Strong aroma of malts, brown sugar, caramel, spices and oak, only a hint of calvados. The flavour seems slightly less sweet than the Reserva, more refined and rounded, still malty with distinct notes of spices and oak, hints of chocolate, vanilla and calvados. A very fine beer.

A 375ml bottle, 2011 vintage, cask strength limited edition, bottled on 25th February 2016. Poured into a De Struise tulip glass.

Appearance: Dark brown in colour, with a thin beige head that disappeared quickly, while leaving only sparse lacing.

Aroma: Dark fruit, plum, grape, calvados, apple, caramel, and slight chocolate notes on the finish.

Taste: Sweet, brown sugar, dark fruit, plum, prunes, raisin, calvados, apple, caramel, and bitter chocolate on the finish.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, creamy, medium bodied with soft carbonation.

Overall: There was close to no carbonation even though it says medium carbonation on the bottle. It’s not bad without the carbonation, but I definitely preferred some. I also preferred the cognac barrel over this calvados barrel that was aged extra long. Not sure if it was aged too long or what, but the cognac barrel added some complexity in the aroma and taste, that I’m not finding here.

 

 

 

375ml bottle poured into a tulip appears a very dark brown to almost black color. The label states "medium carbonation" and I have no idea what that means because this brew is completely still. No head formation whatsoever despite pouring from a foot or move above the glass.

Aroma is earthen and oaky with dark fruity goodness like raisons, dates, caramel, molasses, vanilla and apples. The sheer age of this brew becomes noticeable as it warms up and breathes and soy sauce becomes evident.

Taste is apple forward with damp wood, earth, soy sauce, chocolate, raison and some tobacco-like bitterness. Despite having some real strange stuff going on here, it somehow works together.

Medium in body with no carbonation yet still remains an enjoyable sipper. The 5 years is showing with soy-like oxidation and musty/damp barrel. Id drink it again if offered but im not willing to pay as much as I hear it costs. Fun to try once.