Fantôme BBB Dark White - Brasserie Fantôme

hawks10

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml green bottle, corked and capped - Marked October 2013, purchased 2/2010, so who knows what age this has - Poured into a tulip...

Appears to be a cloudy dark tan color at first, but when it settles down, the beer actually has a nice clarity and shows off hints of ruby and burnt orange when held to the light. A ton of thick, heavy light tan head forms, some still remains now, 10 minutes later. Lacing, chunks, very nice...

Just a touch tart at first, with a bit of fruit. Musty, slightly funky with some subtle, dark autumn/Christmas spice. Some caramel malt and a very faint roast aroma are there as well. While I enjoy all the scents of this beer, none of them (especially the tart/funk) are strong enough, the aroma, while complex is subdued, could use some more punch...

Taste is thin, subtle, watery fruit juice. Herbal, earthy, musty, hints of spice. Complex. An oak and earthy bitterness dry out the beer in the finish. Flavor seems to intensify a bit as it warms. Fruit component comes out a bit more, not so watery. Nice depth and flavor for a 4% beer...

Light bodied, a bit watery. Lower carbonation. Finishes with a lingering earthy bitterness and just a bit of spice...

No Fantome beer even approaches the regular Saison, this one was OK, would have liked a bit stronger aroma and taste, but I guess at 4% it's a bit more difficult...

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2010 02:05:13 | More by hawks10

Andrew4321

Georgia

4.5/5  rDev +12.5%

05-17-2013 05:28:03 | More by Andrew4321

NateMac13

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -18.8%

05-06-2013 00:36:24 | More by NateMac13

jibbyvonjibb

California

4.25/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Highly drinkable, spicy off-dry saison, which I found well-balanced despite my usual aversion to spiced drinks.

Amber in color. Off-white fluffy head. In the aroma, spices dominate: pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, grains of paradise. Also brown sugar. Taste is off-dry, with some huskier grain flavors. Medium acidity, balanced with malt sweetness. Fairly high carbonation. Very drinkable and well balanced. May be my favorite Fantome. Drinkability is very high, just what I want from a saison.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 21:55:49 | More by jibbyvonjibb

laituegonflable

Australia

4.25/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep golden colour, still but massive, and celestially beautiful head - off-white, fluffy, serene. Just impeccable look.

Smells lovely too. Funky, but fresh with apricot, lemongrass and pepper at the back. Slight vinous bordering on white wine vinegar, just a touch of acidity. Beautiful.

Taste is vinous upfront, bit of oaky chardonnay that develops malty sweetness with a touch of fennel, clove and overcooked sweet pastry. Nice crispness at the back, just a whisper of tart on an otherwise funky palate. Bit metallic as well? Very nice, anyway.

Bit of sizzle on the mouthfeel but not harsh. Works quite nicely with the body.

Lovely saisony notes. Fresh, complex and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 04:48:46 | More by laituegonflable

ADTaber

South Carolina

4/5  rDev 0%

03-15-2013 13:48:49 | More by ADTaber

Keith_R

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +6.3%

03-13-2013 02:07:17 | More by Keith_R

volta

New Jersey

4/5  rDev 0%

03-07-2013 04:08:44 | More by volta

GRG1313

California

4.25/5  rDev +6.3%

03-02-2013 20:28:43 | More by GRG1313

Seaba

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +6.3%

02-28-2013 14:20:14 | More by Seaba

JAHMUR

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -12.5%

01-23-2013 01:56:53 | More by JAHMUR

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A Fantome beer with 4.5% abv? sure. Hazy peachy colour, with a lasting white head.Leaves lace lines. Belgian yeast and pepper aroma. Middling mouthfeel.A lightly acidic taste, like Apple cider, pepper is significant. Not complex flavour, but nicely drinkable for sour/wild fans. SIgnificant but suitable carbonation. Not a digestive.A funky residue.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 03:58:24 | More by northyorksammy

csiewert

Oregon

3.75/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - pours a slightly hazy copper color, with tons of fluffy white head that laces incredibly well and retains throughout the entire drink... Just be careful not to pour the yeast cake from the bottom of the bottle or you'll have tons of floaties

S - typical saison funk with earthy spice an hop notes... Perhaps some slight hints of lemon/citrus

T - once again, you get your funky saison notes, followed by the earthy hops and spices, with a clean fruity finish

M - a slight burning sensation on the tounge... Very dry, but that fits the saison profile

O - good saison, just avoid the giant yeast on the bottom

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 00:37:19 | More by csiewert

weonfire

Kentucky

4/5  rDev 0%

11-24-2012 04:08:07 | More by weonfire

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.85/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle purchased from K&L Win Merchants in Redwood City, CA. Shared with Rich and Sam in Sydney during our Fantôme Tasting Day.

Pours a very deep coppery orange colour, with surprisingly good clarity. Head is foamy like uncooked meringue, and a similar mildly creamy colour. Lace forms in great swathes down the glass. Body is very light, but the carbonation seems quite static when the glass is tilted. It looks good, I'm tempted to say very good.

Nose is quite sweet, and with some sweet spices to match it, but it is brushed with the Saison palette as well, leaving some nice green funk underneath, and a touch of tart acidity. Spices become more prominent as it warms: some cinammon, perhaps cardamom and something vaguely zingy and citric. It's very pleasant stuff.

Taste is not unexpectedly rather light (it being only 4% ABV), with a very mild phenolic bitterness through the centre. Dried apricot characters come through towards the back. Lingering acidity and a faint spritz of carbonation keep it alive for longer than it has a right to be. It's quite refreshing, but it doesn't have much in the way of structure or depth to the palate.

It's very drinkable, however, and rather pleasant, if falling short of some of the other Fantôme beers. Then again, if you raised this one up to the level of the others, you might end up with a very similar beer--I can see how this one fits into the range.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 03:57:14 | More by lacqueredmouse

PEIhop

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +12.5%

11-18-2012 01:34:38 | More by PEIhop

mmattiso

3.75/5  rDev -6.3%

11-12-2012 20:35:43 | More by mmattiso

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Consumed 10/12/12

Appearance: Cloudy light brown/dark orange - pours with a large, foamy, off-white head (even when poured gently) - leaves some nice chunky lacing

Smell: Lightly funky, mostly smells like a damp basement - lightly tart and lightly floral - some pale malts, some grass, and some phenols - pretty tame given Fantôme's typical weirdness

Taste: Damp, musty basement juice - lightly funky, with an overall dirt-like tartness - lightly floral, grassy - mildly acidic - some light fruits, some lemon - some yeasty flavors

Mouthfeel: Light, nicely carbonated, finishes with a nice drying dryness

Overall: Tasty but not mindblowing

This is a solid offering from Fantôme. It's not going to turn any heads, but it's flavorful and interesting. It could be a bit more complex, but it's impressive for 4% ABV.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 02:46:55 | More by angrybabboon

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to angrybabboon for sharing the bottle.

Appearance: Hazy, until the sediment hits, then it becomes cloudy. Yeast in suspension. Dark copper/amber. Head is off-white, massive, bubbly, and dense. Retention is high. Big clumps of lacing. Solid carbonation.

Smell: Very mellow. Lightly floral. Earthy and grassy. Yeasty. Damp. Slightly musty. Some hay and funk. Slightly salty. Very very earthy. Old and damp.

Taste: Earth and salt. Damp, musty. Touches grass and hay. Some nice herbal notes. Incredibly mellow. Damp flowers. Some leafy edges. Mild toasted malt presence. Bready, borders on cracker. Some pale malts as well.

Mouthfeel: High side of moderate carbonation. Body is light but pushes toward medium as it warms. Mild effervescence.

Overall: Delicate and light. Lovely to drink.

Nice soft complexity. Fantome but dialed down a touch. Nice.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 02:23:02 | More by Goblinmunkey7

muskiesman

New Jersey

4/5  rDev 0%

10-07-2012 19:42:02 | More by muskiesman

Khazadum

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +12.5%

10-06-2012 21:33:29 | More by Khazadum

jlenik

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

bottle notches: e/O/13

poured into Cantillon tulip.

a: pour a rich amber/murky orange color with slight ruby hue. decent amount of carbonation is evident, almost a fingers worth of a LIGHT tan head.

s: at first it's definitely a funky smell. slight citrus smell followed by brief leather notes.

t: I know this is supposed to be a "saison with spices" but I feel like I'm barely any spice notes. the taste is reminiscent of a wild ale, citrus upfront followed by sweet cherries. as it warms some sweetness from the malt comes through.

m: I was expecting a really dry finish on this one but it's incredibly session-able.

o: This is probably my sixth or seventh Fantome offering, while certainly not my favorite I really dug the flavors and balance in this one. I was hesitant to buy this one because of the "spices" since that's usually not my favorite but in the end I'm kind of missing the spices since I can barely get a hint of the taste. expensive for what it is but given the scarcity of Fantome in my area I don't mind.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 22:33:40 | More by jlenik

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a corked bottle into a Duvel tulip

A- pours an extremely cloudy dark orange with a very puffy, two finger offwhite head. Very foamy, as expected from Fantome and most other saisons

S- slightly spicy aroma, lots of banana and clove as well. Maybe a little citrus

T- lots of citrus....no bitterness though, a nice sweetness is the main flavor that comes through. A little bit of banana too...typical Fantome, very complex and interesting, though not world-beating

M- medium bodied, on the thick side

O- not great, not bad...interesting, but "interesting" isn't worth 14 bucks a bottle

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 01:02:17 | More by bigfnjoe

yossarian14

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -6.3%

09-12-2012 13:17:16 | More by yossarian14

brystmar

New York

3.43/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Brown, muddy body. Very hazy, nearly opaque. Good head and lace, meh retention. Smells roasty with a shot of funk in the middle, but it's not strong enough to truly appreciate. If I could re-do all my ratings this would be a 3.0, but alas, consistency calls.

Drew a big blank after my first sips. Seriously, tastes like nothing. After it warms, some roastyness emerges with a bit of tartness at the end. Overwhelming flavor is still nothing, though, and that's simply unacceptable for a $20 bottle.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 03:57:47 | More by brystmar