Fantôme Brise-BonBons - Brasserie Fantôme

BeerHonky

New York

4.22/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The usual 750ml bottle. Enjoyed at d.b.a. NYC. Poured into wide belgian style glasses, I wish we were given something more goblet-ish. Poured a cloudy, pale yellow with a very thin head that did not hang out for very long. Smells like a fruity, spicy farm field. Fresh outdoor smells mixed with some citrus fruit and spice. Like a fresh breeze off a muddy fruit field! Awesome. It tastes pretty much like it smells too but with a slight yeasty bread after taste at times. Nice spice flavor too...I'm picking up a dry pepper or ginger flavor. Mouthfeel is smooth and medium bodied. A nice light, even carbonation gives this beer a nice refreshing feeling to it. Very drinkable to boot.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2007 19:18:46 | More by BeerHonky

Immortale25

Florida

3.53/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Saint Somewhere wine-style glass. No freshness date.

A- Pours a semi-hazy medium golden color with a 3/4 inch white head that retains a bit before sinking down to a thin ring around the edge of the glass and tiny spackles of surface foam. Slippery, non-resilient lacing leaves a jagged ring behind on the glass.

S- A bit of skunk and lemon and then bam: smoke. But, unlike the Hiver I'd tried recently, this smells like straight up bacon.

T- Light saisonish citrus flavor immediately followed by super smoky bacon. Has a peaty, almost scotch-like flavor. As the drink ensues, some yeast characteristics begin to show but the smoke just stays compounded on the palate. Yes, it's drinkable for the ABV, but the flavor is just off-putting for a saison.

M- Medium-low carbonation with a light body but I'm still getting some saison spritz out of it somehow.

O- Fantome's beers just leave me scratching my head wondering why I'm getting oak notes out of a saison when I'm quite sure it's unintentional.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 02:33:11 | More by Immortale25

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.11/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml, 036/477044
HF wine glass

A: Hazy golden yellow color. Three fingers of bright white fluffy head. Sticks around a while. Seems to be good carb aside from minimal pop on cork.

S: First smell I got was skunk like a Heiny, but that was just put of bottle. Once I can get under the head, traditional Saison funk. Barnyard. Hay. Pepper for sure. Some citrus, lemon. Smells dry, if you could say that.

T: Its actually very nice. You get some mild citrus up from, mostly like bright lemon. Then some of that spicy pepper kicks in. Grassy grainy notes. Dry wine like finish. Still tasting that citrus flavor. The label talks of a "bitter" beer, but aside from a little prickle up front it's very tame.

M: Medium body, but on the lighter side. More carbonation would help there.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 15:52:44 | More by inlimbo77

roblund

California

4.5/5  rDev +8.4%

05-07-2013 15:59:28 | More by roblund

NateMac13

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +8.4%

05-04-2013 15:53:31 | More by NateMac13

Auracom

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -15.7%

04-29-2013 17:13:18 | More by Auracom

thewimperoo

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +2.4%

04-22-2013 03:08:05 | More by thewimperoo

MSandahl23

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +2.4%

04-15-2013 13:15:55 | More by MSandahl23

HopsMatt

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev +2.4%

04-05-2013 07:53:34 | More by HopsMatt

laituegonflable

Australia

4.6/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a pale golden colour with a slight cloud. Head is off-white, light specks of lace but big, fluffy, generous look otherwise. Great.

Smells saisony, but sweet. Cinnamon toast with notes of quince, peach and raspberry. Horsey funk as well, oxidised vinegar, but all very well balanced to entice and uplift. A treat.

Taste starts off quite tarts, and gets even more so. Vinous with champagney notes, lemon curd, raspberry vinegar and of course that organic barnyard funk. Light spice notes, peach fruit and even guava. Vanilla comes through on the back, providing some sweetness late. Lovely mix, really as though it were deliberately and cleverly thrown together, but still with a rough, untamed edge.

A bit of pull on the mouthfeel but it works well. Nice and dry on the finish which helps to counteract that late sweetness.

Clever beer. All the right funky notes but patched up in all its oddities to make it refreshing and supremely drinkable. A memorable drinking experience.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 05:07:32 | More by laituegonflable

tripledbrew

Kentucky

4/5  rDev -3.6%

04-02-2013 02:15:27 | More by tripledbrew

yourefragile

District of Columbia

4.25/5  rDev +2.4%

03-27-2013 13:24:28 | More by yourefragile

GRG1313

California

4.5/5  rDev +8.4%

03-02-2013 20:27:59 | More by GRG1313

Seaba

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +2.4%

02-28-2013 14:19:17 | More by Seaba

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.26/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

750 ml bottle, no bottled-on date, poured into a tulip glass.

A- Pours a hazy golden apricot color, topped with a big white head, nice lacing.

S- Lots of fruit, a really interesting, inviting perfumey aroma. There's a lot of light fruity aromas like pears, orange, maybe some citrus and spice, but the perfume aspect of it is what really puts this on another level, I've never smelled anything exactly like it before and am having a tough time putting my finger on it, but it's awesome.

T- The usual and very nice Fantome blend of yeast, spice and funk. Has some tasty fruit and floral flavors along with a prominent noble hop bitterness. Floral and perfume elements are very noticeable.

M- Medium-bodied, smooth with a dry finish.

O- Another tasty, fascinating beer from Fantome, and a real treat to drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 03:12:53 | More by WillCarrera

schopenhauerale

British Columbia (Canada)

4/5  rDev -3.6%

02-08-2013 00:22:54 | More by schopenhauerale

LSUPT

California

4.25/5  rDev +2.4%

01-24-2013 05:07:36 | More by LSUPT

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

From: Binny's, Algonquin, IL
Date: None on bottle
Glass: Tulip

I found Brise-BonBons to be something like a Fantome take on a pilsner, an interesting concept. It was fairly clean in taste and smell, as well as crisp on the palate, but so are many other examples of this style. In general, I enjoyed this beer, but didn't find it to distinguish itself from many others in the style (aside from, say, a lesser ester/bubblegum concentration and more focus on German lager characters). Happy I was able to try it, but I would probably pick up a good pilsner or German lager instead of this beer.

Pours a 1.5cm head, fairly clean white in color, composed of medium and small-sized bubbles, with average retention rates. The head fades to a thin cap atop the body of the beer after a minute or so. Lacing is present, but modest, a few splotches here and there. Body is transparent, golden in color with visible, mild-looking carbonation. Looks pretty average to me.

Aroma is biscuity, from use of pale (pilsner?) malts, with very slight tanginess from wild yeast and bacteria. Perhaps faint lemon rind-like citrus characters, but I'm reaching.

Taste is, overall, remiscent of a Belgian pilsener: bitter, pale malts, pilsner-like sweetness, and marginal Belgian yeast character. Front of palate picks up bright, pale malt sweetness with slight European hop bitterness. Mid-palate notices more pale malt sweetness with balanced European hop bitterness and a bit of subdued pepperiness from, perhaps, Belgian/Saison yeast. Back of palate finds the bitterness more substantial, with subdued balancing pale malt sweetness. Aftertaste is of herbal bitterness, like fresh lettuce or chicory.

Beer is medium to medium-light in weight, with medium-high carbonation that makes this softly fizzy across the palate, that is, not harsh, mostly crisp. Closes semi-dryly, with modest stickiness across the palate.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 20:46:14 | More by falloutsnow

oldp0rt

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev -3.6%

11-25-2012 17:28:35 | More by oldp0rt

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.3/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

750ml capped and corked bottle purchased from K & L Wine Merchants in Redwood City, CA. Brought back to share with Sam & Rich during our Fantôme tasting day.

Pours a very light and pleasantly clear golden hue, with a frothy, messy and rather sticky head of pure white, bubbly foam. Lacing is chunk and forms honeycombed patterns across the inside of the glass. Some fine carbonation, but surprisingly little. Body is quite light. It looks quite refined, but a little bit aloof, like it has hidden secrets.

Nose is smooth, classic and very pleasant. Slight green vegetative bite, with a smooth, rounded Belgian yeast overtone. Light, lilting citrus characters, with an underlying sweetness that gives a sherbet or fairy-floss undertone. It's really very nice, if lacking some real bang.

Taste is clean and crisp, with some mild lemon pith characters around the edges of the palate, and a direct, mildly bitter note through the centre. Some peppery characters come through on the end, along with the first truly earthy, rustic character—but even then it's quite subdued for a Saison; it comes through as a strong Belgian golden ale would.

Feel is light, but a little bit acidic: even though there's not a lot of tartness or true acidity in the flavour.

Overall, this is a really very nice Saison indeed. It's clean and fragrant and classic, and superbly refreshing. It's light, but it has subtle complexity throughout. A real winner, as far as I'm concerned.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 05:10:52 | More by lacqueredmouse

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.58/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle opened on 10.30.12.

A - Pours a hazy light orange with a two inch off-white soapy head with good retention.

S - Lemons, light barnyard funk, wheat.

T - Subtle, bitter lemons and slight funk.

D - Lower carbonation and a light body.

O - Not overly bitter as I was hoping for. Pretty subtle all-around.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 05:23:44 | More by HuskyinPDX

ehammond1

California

4.18/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle (2011)

Thanks for opening this with me, BdubleEdubleRUN!

(Aged for 1 year)

Hazy yellow, golden, and light amber with a large, big-bubbled near-white head. Great retention and lots of cling. A very pretty saison, as expected from Fantome.

As with many other Fantomes, the aroma is a big collection of white fruit aromas: sweet, juicy, earthy pears, moderately tart green apples, and mild peach juice. There's also good amounts of barnyard, grass, and a little funk.

The flavor too has lots of white fruit elements, along with some citrus, barnyard, musk, basement, and grass. The funk is mild but complementary.

Medium to full bodied for the style, with moderate-high carbonation. I could drink a lot of this.

As with most Fantomes, this one's fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 16:53:04 | More by ehammond1

cbnz

British Columbia (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -9.6%

09-28-2012 17:14:08 | More by cbnz

t0rin0

California

3.5/5  rDev -15.7%

09-01-2012 01:33:23 | More by t0rin0

CelticAleMan

California

4/5  rDev -3.6%

08-04-2012 07:50:39 | More by CelticAleMan