Pannepeut Belgian Ale

I came across this beer in the grocery store awhile back and only bought it because it was three years old (2007) at the time. I saw that it was 10% alcohol by volume and so made the assumption that it was still good and most likely even better with age. I considered saving it to share with good company at the right time but the bottle is only 11.2oz., clearly too small to share, so I poured myself a glass today to selfishly enjoy alone.


Another Belgian Ale



This beer is brewed in woesten-Vleteren, Belgium by DeStruise Brouwers and was originally meant as a tribute and thank you to the Danish beer lovers who supported their products. It is the same as another beer they brew called Pannepot; however, they use cane sugar instead of dark candi sugar along with different yeast strains, and some of the malts are different. It is brown in color, not as dense and uses different spices.

So, not really the same at all.

A pronounced alcohol presence comes across immediately in the nose and taste and leaves a minor burn in the back of the throat after you swallow. Then intense flavors of dark fruit like raisin and prune plus caramelized malt and vanilla. These are big flavors, like an amped up Belgian dubbel. I noticed just a hint of oxidation and metal. Curiously (and I'm a little disappointed), there is not a hint of the use of bacteria used in the fermentation. Not that it should be or that there's anything wrong with that, it's just that I guess I've developed a desire for that quality of tart acidity to contrast the sweet fruitiness.

Note to self: discover the flavor of more dried fruits besides prune and raisin.

As I drink this beer during the writing of the post I can feel the alcohol warmth coursing through my body and a tingling sensation in my scalp. Evidently, 11.2oz. is enough to share. Too late.