Its St. Patrick's Day, that holy day for drinking beer. Since I am no longer young enough to get away with drinking my weight in Guinness or crappy green beer, I am turing this holiday into a day where I celebrate with some great beers (quality over quantity comes with age I guess).
Maybe its the luck of the Irish that I finally found a bottle of Pannepot. I've been poking around for it for awhile and really looking forward to seeing what all the hype is about. It gets ridiculously good ratings online and I am a sucker for a well brewed Belgian beer. Now I finally get the chance to drink a beer from the guys that may or may not be coming to Portland to share their wares. Any word on THAT yet? Lets move on...
This stuff pours nice and thick, it is 10% afterall. Its got a nice foamy head that is pretty tight. I love how the drips from the bottom of the bottle discolor the head and stay on top like a good shot of espresso. Wow, this smells good. Its got a nice sweet smell and definitely has the Belgian yeasty smell that distinguishes the abbey-type ales. Along with the sweetness, Pannepot smells a bit liked baked apples with cinnamon and cloves. Its been about 6-7 minutes and the head of this beer is still perfect! I hate to ruin it...
First taste is full of spice and lots of sweet dark dried fruits. This is a pretty powerful brew. Its instantly warming but the alcohol taste is masked well by lots and lots of malty sweetness. This is an amazingly smooth beer with quite a bit of complexity. It really is as good as everyone says it is. I am going to be hunting down their other beers for sure. This one was $6 at Oak Hill Beverage, in Scarborough, in case you've been on the look out.
Drinking this bottle of Pannepot makes me sad to think that De Struise may not make it to Portland to show off their brewing skills. Can we start some sort or protest of fundraiser or something?!?!
The label on the bottle reads:
"In the early 1900s, the village of De Panne, close to the French border, was famous for two things -- the ‘Pannepots,’ or fishing boats, that could be seen along the coast, and the unique dark ale enjoyed by the local fishermen. Our Old Fisherman’s Ale is a tribute to these hardy sailors and their rich, flavorful brew. Unfiltered. Unpasteurized. Bottle-conditioned."
BEER FACTS
Name: Pannepot Old Fisherman's Ale (2006 Vintage)
Style: Belgian Strong Ale (Quad)
Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Location: Brewed by De Struise at Deca Brasserie in Woesten-Vleteren, Belgium
Container: 11.2 oz. bottle
Malts: LOTS
Hops: Bramling Cross, Hallertau
ABV: 10%
IBUs: 27
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