Panil Barriquee
Panil Barriquee is an 8% ABV Flanders-style red ale from Birrificio Torrechiara — Panil Birra Artigianale — in Torrechiara, near Parma in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Reportedly the first Italian craft brewery to experiment with barrel aging (2002), Panil triple-ferments this beer: primary fermentation in stainless steel, 90 days of secondary maturation in small French oak barrels formerly used for Cognac from Bordeaux, then refermentation and further aging in the bottle. Brewed with English, Belgian and German malts and soured with lactobacillus, it is unfiltered, unpasteurized and dry — a 750mL bottle of old-school Italian craft. Buy imported craft beer online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 8%
- Size: 750mL
- Style: Flanders red ale, triple-fermented
- Barrels: 90 days in small French oak Cognac barrels (Bordeaux-sourced)
- Origin: Birrificio Torrechiara, Torrechiara, Italy (est. 2001)
Italy's Barrel-Aging Pioneer
Founder Dr. Renzo Losi launched Panil in 2001 as an offshoot of his family's winemaking business and put beer into wood when almost no Italian brewer did — "Barriquée" is the French word for a small wooden barrel. The US allocation was historically under 150 cases a year through importer Shelton Brothers, making every bottle a genuinely rare import. Browse more Panil beers and the craft beer collection.
Tasting Notes
Nose: dark cherry, balsamic, oak and wine-like acidity. Palate: dry and complex — sour cherry, leather, tannic oak and a vinous, Rodenbach-like depth. Finish: long, tart and drying. (90 points, Wine Enthusiast.)
How to Enjoy
Serve at cellar temperature (50–55°F) in a wine glass or goblet. This is a cheese-and-charcuterie beer — aged Gouda, prosciutto, duck rillettes — and a cellar candidate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "triple-fermented" mean? Primary fermentation in stainless steel, 90 days in Cognac barrels, then refermentation and bottle aging — three distinct fermentation phases.
Is the US version different from the European one? Yes — the US "Sour" version (blue/purple seal) is intentionally soured with lactobacillus; the milder "Mild" variant stays in Europe.
How rare is Panil Barriquée in the US? Historically under 150 cases a year — one of the rarest Italian craft imports on American shelves.
Two decades of Italian barrel craft in one bottle — order Panil Barriquee online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.