Fantôme De Noel - Brasserie Fantôme

goatxpower

California

4.53/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I bought it at Whole Foods

A- copper amber hue. Nice fluffly head that fades fast.

S- spiced fruit, metal, funk. Gets you excited about the first sip.

T- Mulled wine, spice, clove on the nose. Twang and lemony funk in the middle. Some smoke and chocolate on the tail. Very subtle; I expected the flavors to be bigger. At first, I was disappointed that it wasn't as huge as, say, Saison Athene, but I'm glad that it was subdued as it was.

M- Light, but with some substance. The mouthfeel is perfect.

D- I would drink this all the time if it wasn't so pricey

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2009 21:41:30 | More by goatxpower

laituegonflable

Australia

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a vibrant red colour, cloudy but bright. Beige head, dense and thick, good retention. Lacing is decent.

Smells odd. Very sweet, with poached apple, cherry notes and merlot. Hint of barnyard funk on the midpoint. Otherwise, sweet.

Taste is more fruity again, with cherry, blackberry and some hints of peach. slightly dark, and mildly funky on the back with light phenolic notes. Coffee on here as well, otherwise all dark fruits and tart. The sourness comes as a bit of a surprise, but it's a welcome one.

Smooth enough, bit of fizz, bit dry, but alright.

Weird beer, no doubt. But balanced enough to be enjoyed.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 02:13:23 | More by laituegonflable

geocool

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +1.8%

05-11-2013 12:47:58 | More by geocool

Anonymous1

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.8%

05-10-2013 15:26:03 | More by Anonymous1

ehammond1

California

2.53/5  rDev -35.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.25

Bottle (2010?)

Texas Liquor
Carlsbad, CA

(Aged for...1+ - 3 years)

One of the prettier Fantomes. A slightly hazed light copper or dark amber in color with a very persistent, large-bubbled light khaki head. Somewhat sticky lines of stick left down the glass. A pretty, darker saison.

Fairly nice aroma, though it also seems fairly standard for Fantome (which is a good thing). Wet, freshly cut grass, along with some faded dark fruit character, a bit of an earthy, outside barnyard yeast character, and some dry hay.

The flavor, unfortunately, does not follow the aroma. Highly bitter, lots of smoke, some plastic, lots of sharp cinnamon, and asphalt/drag strip are all present notes here. I don't know how else to describe the strange things I'm tasting. Though, perhaps there's a touch of dark fruit.

Medium bodied with fairly high carbonation, though there are strange, sandy, solid elements to this brew. Not good.

I'm not going to be able to get through much of this guy. Though to it's credit, this beer does look and smell nice!

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 01:03:38 | More by ehammond1

drummermattie02

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

04-30-2013 14:03:50 | More by drummermattie02

drgonzo2k2

California

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

04-20-2013 14:26:39 | More by drgonzo2k2

mdaschaf

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

04-19-2013 20:58:50 | More by mdaschaf

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

4.11/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Pours muddy orange-amber with creamy to almost light tan head that lingers well in Fantome tulip.

Smell is fruit, bubblegum, grass and hint of some spice.

Taste is similar to smell but a bit more muted. Hints of fruit and grass. Sweet maltiness with just a bit of tart. Minimal bitterness late.

Mouthfeel is a little thin but very drinkable and refreshing.

Overall this was excellent. I love Fantome.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 00:02:43 | More by TrappistJohnMD

Gonzoillini

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

03-25-2013 00:17:26 | More by Gonzoillini

Sparky44

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.8%

03-24-2013 01:15:46 | More by Sparky44

BGsWo22

New York

2/5  rDev -49.1%

03-21-2013 00:02:25 | More by BGsWo22

ucsbmullet

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

03-15-2013 01:16:06 | More by ucsbmullet

xacidx

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +1.8%

03-10-2013 18:54:08 | More by xacidx

Zach136

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

03-07-2013 01:07:04 | More by Zach136

Keith_R

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

03-07-2013 01:06:59 | More by Keith_R

WindedIndian

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

03-04-2013 14:43:45 | More by WindedIndian

GRG1313

California

4/5  rDev +1.8%

03-02-2013 20:25:25 | More by GRG1313

Seaba

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

02-28-2013 14:15:05 | More by Seaba

steve8robin

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

02-24-2013 01:16:43 | More by steve8robin

Lucho

Florida

4.06/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into my Chimay Chalice.

Appearance: Pours a rust red with some sediment. Forms a massive white loose white head that gradually fades to a small head with patches of foam that collect around the surface.

Smell: Black Cherries covered in dark chocolate. There are subtle hints of winter seasonal spices such as cloves and allspice. I just wish It was still the holidays.

Taste: Bitter Sweet Chocolate with some sweet finish that are reminiscent of biting into a chocolate covered cherry. Right on the money with the smell. Easy drinking for 10%. The sign of a great one.

Mouthfeel: Light on the tongue with some carbonation. Almost dances around your mouth.

Overall: This sets the curve for a holiday beer that has it all...10% ABV, Fruit, Spice, and bitterness. I wonder how this will age?

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 08:32:31 | More by Lucho

elNopalero

Texas

4.66/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Cracked this one open after drooling over it for a few months. Meant to give it some more time to age but the occasion called for something special. Always a treat, Fantome.

This poured a ruddy, raisin-y cloudy red-amber with a heap of foam that died down into a thick, creamy layer.

The aroma is difficult to nail down. It is not like anything I would expect. While nosing it I imagined something akin to sour cherries atop a layer of stone fruit. Would the souring emerge with more time? Alas it is too late for me to find out. The label’s description mentions notes of chocolate or chocolate malt. While I can see how those lent this some color there isn’t a roast aroma on it in the least.

The flavor is equally intriguing, with hints of stone fruit followed by a similar sour cherry-like tartness but nothing dominates to the point of excluding everything else out. This has a long, dry finish. It is savory, if I can say that about a beer, and refreshingly tart. The closest comparison I could think of would be a Rodenbach with more of a body blended with a saison. And that doesn’t even come close to describing it. Loved it. At this point I’ll drink anything with that ghost on it.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 07:04:13 | More by elNopalero

Snarf103

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%

02-12-2013 05:20:12 | More by Snarf103

ColdPoncho

Ohio

4.06/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It opens with a mighty pop and a fog pours out of the neck. A very exciting start!

A - A cloudy reddish/brown body with an ample tan head. Darker than just about every "saison" I've had, but that's part of the point, I guess.

S - Tart cherries are probably the most dominant thing. Floral/earthy notes (this seems characteristic of Fantôme). Fairly simple, but nice.

T - This has many flavors that remind me of a dubbel. It's very malty with some dark fruit characteristics (like the cherries), but there is a tartness to it, as well as some smoke and roasted notes. Very weird combinations, a unique taste.

M - aggressive in booze and carbonation. The tartness is slightly puckering. It's not complacent.

O - a very interesting beer, and pretty good too.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 01:17:47 | More by ColdPoncho

robmoak

Mississippi

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

02-06-2013 02:24:00 | More by robmoak