La Penneffoise
Brasserie Scassenes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

750ml caged and corked bottle. Been sitting on this one for a while, more out of neglect, than any outright cellaring aspirations.

This beer pours a cloudy, red-brick amber hue, with three fat fingers of foamy, creamy, and frothy beige head, which leaves some broad mesa-esque formations of lace around the glass in its leisurely wake.

It smells of moderately tart black fruit - plums and cherries, mostly - a bit of lemon rind, all fairly predominant over some mild Belgian yeast esters, and equally sedate pale grainy malt. The taste is more softly acidic dark fruit, the plummy nature never really outright materializing, but muddled amongst some further cherry and red grape fruitiness, adjoined by a bit of subtle musky and yeasty farmhouse character, and rather plain, unassuming sweet pale malt.

The carbonation is rather soft, just a lilting frothiness, the body a decent medium-light weight, and smooth and creamy enough, even with that attendant, yet neutered acid edge. It finishes sweet, fruity, generally malty, and slightly yeasty.

I can see why this was classified as a fruit beer, instead of a lambic, farmhouse, or Flanders style ale - despite those resemblances, it's the fruit that drives this particularly confusing big-ass (in more than one way) beer. The acid, funk, and sourness, relatively speaking, are all quite restrained, leaving the remaining fruit and yeast to hold the fort. As for the elevated 8 points of booze? Who the hell knows - nothing even remotely warming makes itself evident, even in the casual sense.

From a 750 ml caged and corked brown bottle. Cork violently popped out on its own the moment I pulled the cage from it, and tried to foam over but I was fast enough to start the pour.

The body is a cloudy, almost murky dark amber in appearance, tight creamy light beige head with good retention.

Tart, acidic, citrusy yeast aroma, some sweetness in there as well. Lambic time here.

Earthy flavour, a little bit of barnyard, mild sweetness in the middle with something of a vegetal character, with a dry flavour.

Full mouthfeel, fairly smooth texture with a little kick of carbonation on the finish.

Glad I had the opportunity to try it although a bit pricey--however life is short so no regrets, but no repeats for me on this one. Doesn't seem like the prunes did much for the flavour profile. Perhaps this would be more enjoyable paired with food, like some earthy cheese and nuts, or some game meat.

0,75l corked bottle was shooting out in my hands while I distracted to talk with my brother.
Mahogany cloudy beer, excessive golden head recedes very slowly. Aroma implies yeasts, prunes, hints of caramel with common sourness and tartness. Harsh taste of malt and prunes overpowers conspicuous alcohol, fruit mouthfeel, a bit heavy beer for me.

Murky, muddy-water brown with a really big foamy head I find typical of most Belgian fruit beers.

Very sour fruit smell. Not really prunes per se, but almost like a generic Belgian fruit beer smell that I encounter in other fruit beers. Mild prune background, no real hops or malts - just sour.

Sour taste - prunes- and a somewhat sweet, caramel background. Mostly prunes in the flavour; nothing else stands out.

Decent carbonation. Very light. I find this beer unique, but somewhat off-putting. I can drink it, but I keep waiting for the end.

Light brown color with ample Belgian foam that lasts well in the glass. Nose is very nice, showing notes of fruits, prunes, caramel and toffee, with a whiff of alcohol and a lot of Belgian character. Flavor is very sweet and well balanced with hints of fruit, caramel and prunes. Very nice sweet beer. So far I've like Ecaussinnes and find their beers to be a bit underrated.

Source: 750 ml corked and caged bottle; it's possible that printing on the side of the cork references a freshness date in 2011.

Appearance: Pours a nice dark brown into a tulip; if this is a blonde, I'm not sure if the carpet matches the curtains. Small fine head dissipates fairly quickly.

Smell: Sweet dark fruits, and there's certainly no escaping the prunes. A general malty sweetness comes with them.

Taste: The taste follows the nose naturally. There's some tartness to the prunes, and some bready malt, but those are the main counterpoints I can pick up - it's largely a syrupy sweetness throughout.

Mouthfeel: A little cloying for my taste, although that could be because I'm drinking this beer as dessert (rather than with dessert). I'm not sure if any more carbonation zip would have lightened it, though.

Drinkability: Interesting, and certainly worth a try in the right setting - perhaps with some fruity desserts. It's hard to imagine knocking back more than one of these, though, so I have my work cut out for me tonight.

Appearance: Pours a hazy dark amber body with a thin, wispy off-white head.

Smell: A full, fruity aroma bursting with prune-packed goodness.

Taste: Sure, there's some maltiness to the brew, but it's pretty much tart, fruity prunes from start to finish. Hint of spice. Finishes sweet and slightly syrupy.

Mouthfeel: Medium body. Medium carbonation. Mouthfeel is a touch syrupy.

Drinkability: Pretty good, provided you enjoy the taste of prunes well enough.

A: Muddy and muted auburn color with a lot of cloudiness. Head is ¾ inches tall, made up of sudsy oatmeal colored bubbles.

S: Trippy smelling beer. Sort of smells like fruit punch, golden raisins, wheat, hint of dry hay and some coins.

T: Starts mildly sweet, sort of floral and nectar like. Prunes add a real subdued and basic flavor to the beer, really limiting the flavor spectrum. That fruit punch essence that I detected in the smell can be found in the flavor too…must be from the prunes. Traditional Belgian dubbel flavors form the backbone and baseline for the other flavors to work around. Nips of brown sugar and burnt caramel add a sweet note. Some cider like moments occur as well before dry saison aspects flitter through. Finishes somewhat cloying and sticky.

M: Medium body, soft mouthfeel.

D: OK tasting beer but the drinkability needs to be worked on a bit. Little too sweet and my tongue feels like it has a coat on it.

Served in imperial pint glass

A- Dark ruby red with 2 finger tan head that dissapates to a thin crown on top. Lacing is very good

S - Lots of sweet dark fruits, cherries and plums, maybe even prunes give a bit of bitter edge! Some bready malts and biscuit noted aswell

T - Sweet then sour. Going from one to the other in a nice balance. Lots of sweetness chocolately fruitness slowly transforms to the tart edge of the fruit but it goes circle and comes back with bready malt in the aftertaste

M- Low carbonation ,creamy and syrupy.

D -Not my think really, it could be paired well i think with a chocolate or dark fruit gateau, very much a dessert beer, but i think of better beers to drink with it.
Not bad.

No freshnessdate printed. Nice beige head that lasts very well and a beautifull mahonyredbrown color and clear beer. Nose is after getting used lots of darkpurple prumes and good caramellic maltyness touched with fine yeastesters. Maybe IMO not the finest choise but certainly something else! As is taste thats rich of taste, medium sweetness, some sourness with the prumes well in balance and moderate but well backing bitterness maybe the hops were helped by the fruit but plesant. Alcohol well present but not overdone, great sweet caramellic maltyness( or is it dark candy with palemalts...) anyway without roasthints and fitting in the good fruitbeer. Well drinkabale and plesant silky mouthfeel.