0.33 l bottle from 'Ace Drinks', 2018 vintage, bottled in November 2020. Clear, deep ruby with a thin, frothy, slowly diminishing, beige head. Sweetish-malty, gently fruity, slightly boozy, a vit vinous and a little yeasty-spicy aroma of prunes, raisins, cognac, molasses, vanilla and light oak. Gently sweet, malty, vinous-fruity, woody and a little boozy taste of lots of fruity cognac, prunes, raisins, caramel, molasses, light chocolate and some oak, followed by a medium long, gently bitter, boozy, slightly yeasty-spicy, rather woody, tannic finish. Medium to full body, smooth and gently effervescent mouthfeel, soft carbonation. Lovely beer which is all about Struise's fantastic barrel aging. Not as great as the calvados variant, but still very good.

Bottle from Geers. 2018 Vintage. Bottled: 3/11/2020. Hazy dark brown, unstable, frothy, tan head. Aroma of prune, raisin, pear, red grape, wet wood, brioche, almond, nutmeg, dried tea leaves, port, cognac. Taste has sweet pear, prune & raisin, accent of sourish grape; caramel malt body mixing with nutty notes, bit herbal bitter against a soft woody backbone. Herbal hoppy finish, wet-woody, dried fruits under sour tannins, very subtle caramel malt again and gently warming cognac alcohol. Medium to full body, syrupy texture, soft to flat carbonation. Not as 'big and bold' as the other Pannepots or other Struise brews for that matter, but utterly well-made, balanced, complex yet delicate.

Fles 33cl thuis. 2018. Caramel, cognactoets, licht boozy, pruim, rozijn, zoetig, malten, donker fruit, zacht, rijk, licht vineus, wat chocolade. (1-5-2021).

It has been two years to the day that, in celebration of a significant event, I tasted Wesvleteren XII, my only 5.0 rating to this point. Today I have in front of me another highly anticipated beer, Struise Grand Reserva. Vintage 2011, I have held this 33 cl bottle for four years after buying it at De Bierkoning in Amsterdam. My Trappistes Rochefort glass is the recipient this time around also. The pour delivers a dark caramel brown body flecked with amber highlights. A thin skim of tan foam came and went but the carbonation is heroic. I get a nose of stewed dark fruit supported by toffee and fresh baked bread. And now I get to the ultimate, a drink and a taste. Well, it has certainly held up well and in a word is superb. The oak gives an immediate impression, candi sugar, dates, ripe figs, grain, caramel, malt, apples, yeast, a nice thick chewiness and a a touch of bitterness at the finish. I can detect the alcohol and exult in its lining up with the many parts of the taste. A great brew, a fine tasting.

Bottle. Dark brown pour. Aroma of licorice, caramel, yeast esters, cognac, oak, red grape, chocolate and lots of malt. Taste has rich malt, raisin, caramel, boozy cognac, red grape, oak, licorice, yeast, dates, bitter sweet herbs and a boozy herbal finish. Quite nice, not as refined as the old Pannepots, but fairly complex and overall very tasty.