Fantôme Pissenlit - Brasserie Fantôme

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.58/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750ml capped and corked bottle purchased from K & L Wine Merchants in Redwood City, CA. Brought back to Sydney, where I shared it with Rich and Sam for our Fantôme tasting day.

Pours a mildly hazed but very pleasant deep golden colour, with a fine bit slightly filmy head of white. The head really only consists at the edges, forming some pocked bubbles in a pleasant ring, but feeling a little lacklustre elsewhere. Body is solid and holds some nice carbonation. Some patchy but inconsistent lacing. Not one of the better looks of the Fantôme range.

Nose is pleasant and clean, with a mild chamomile sweetness and a slightly green herbal quality. Clean and very pleasant funk comes through lending some crispness and a touch of acidity. Underneath is a very nice sweetness, almost a honey character: this is subtle, but it really provides a lovely basis for the other characters. Very pleasant indeed.

Taste is also very good: clean, light, really well-balanced acidity, bouncing off the other complexities that flit and dive in and out of the palate. There's herbal qualities, sweetness, faint pepper, even a pleasant carbonic character that works very nicely with the beer. Pearskin rounds it out, but really, the flavour keeps going for much longer, with a dance of acidity and tartness cavorting right to the very end. Lovely stuff.

Feel is great: smooth but with a clean acidity to cut through it very nicely.

Overall, this is a fantastic beer. It's so refreshing and very, very drinkable. 8% ABV? Not a hint of it: this looks like a clean, summer session beer, and seriously I would drink it as such. It's so very, very drinkable and so very delicious.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 06:58:21 | More by lacqueredmouse

laituegonflable

Australia

3.75/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a bronze colour, slight cloud. Head is white, bit thin but lacing is nice. Looks alright.

Smells saisony and nice. Funky, but sweet, with brown sugar on there, notes of cherry, horse blanket and even salt. Very intriguing, but highly pleasant as well.

Taste is a little bit disappointing. Tastes quite yeasty for the most part with notes of tart, vinous characters upfront and some cherry on the back, with champagne and some of that brown sugar note. Very decent saison, with a bit of richness to it as well. Could use maybe more full flavour, and a bit more balance away from the yeast.

Bit of sizzle, but nicely padded by the body.

Fruity notes on an otherwise standard saison. Not bad at all.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 02:17:51 | More by laituegonflable

bsuedekum

Missouri

3.75/5  rDev -9%

05-18-2013 00:49:39 | More by bsuedekum

JAHMUR

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -15%

05-15-2013 00:23:22 | More by JAHMUR

Holland

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.9%

05-09-2013 11:40:12 | More by Holland

champ103

Texas

2.45/5  rDev -40.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.25

A: Pour a clear yellow color. A one finger white head rises, then recedes in a second. No lace.
S: Funky, cheese, and plastic phenols. Some lemon and vinegar tartness in the nose as well. Though mostly, plastic band aid aromas.
T: Follows the nose with an intense funk and plastic phenolic flavor. Very unpleasant and harsh. A bit of lemony tartness works it way through, but very one sided.
M/D: A light to medium body. Very effervescent, and dry. To much so. I can feel the carbonation on my tongue. A little watery as well. Not something I want to drink.

After several tries of this, it is time to put my thoughts down. I did not enjoy this. To much plastic phenols for me tastes. I found nothing here I want to come back to.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 00:26:19 | More by champ103

drummermattie02

Texas

3/5  rDev -27.2%

04-29-2013 13:57:06 | More by drummermattie02

thewimperoo

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%

04-22-2013 03:08:48 | More by thewimperoo

SourinQns

New York

4/5  rDev -2.9%

04-21-2013 05:40:20 | More by SourinQns

Atomicskis5

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

04-11-2013 01:38:24 | More by Atomicskis5

BAsbill

California

4/5  rDev -2.9%

03-30-2013 04:20:43 | More by BAsbill

mick303

Ontario (Canada)

4.4/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 corked bottle. Freshness date.
A- colour is a cloudy apple honey, amazing retention and lacing, steller and beautiful. 4.5

S- farmhouse yeast, field, citrus, sour fruity malt, some flowery bitterness, herbal oiliness. Subtle but quite intricate. 4

T- lemon oil, yeast, grapefruit, blood orange, some backing malt, yeast is quite mild, very dry finish, mildly spicy, nutmeg. Very unique and complex. 4.5

M- lots of carbonation, pleasant mild body, crisp finish, a lot of dryness, sessionable and refreshing. 4.5.

First class saison, dandelion shows up on the aroma with a bit of a herbal note, taste is really complex, soft spicy and yeasty notes, all round really good, hops are light, some citrus oiliness, this is great stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 10:33:13 | More by mick303

Sam21

Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

750ml, bottled 2012, purchase for $18.

A- Slightly hazy orange body. Thick foamy and fluffy white head with excellent retention. Active carbonation the minute the cork popped. Wonderful appeal.

S- Smells very haylike, herbal, grassy, spiced, and some light leathery tones. Very earthy and interesting.

T- There is a smoky note up front mixed with heavy spice. Plenty of leather, spice, grass, herbal bitterness, and plenty of earth. It's amazingly complex, earthy, herbal, and reminds me of a glass of Caol Ila 12 year. There is this wonderful smoky phenolic character that screams Islay scotch. Where's the 8%?

MF- Very full carbonation. It's soft, light, with a medium body.

O- Fantôme has done it again. This beer's earthiness is something else. The smoky phenolic notes tie it all together in such a wonderful way. I'm a scotch lover, so those flavors are really appealing. The grassy/herbal notes add an element of depth and complexity. Complex, confusing, unique, and exciting. Fantôme never ceases to brew something that makes you scratch your head.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 00:24:21 | More by Sam21

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

750ml bottle into a tall tulip, I think this is a 2010 or 2011 but the label is ripped

A: Pours a slightly hazy golden color with some amber highlights. A finger of foam forms and quickly recedes to a film.

S: Lemons and Granny Smith apples intermingle very nicely to create a slightly sour smell.

T: Similar to smell, lemons and Granny Smith apples come together nicely. A bit minerally and grassy, this beer reminds me of spring.

M: Medium thickness with medium carbonation. Feels about right for the style.

O: The lemons and Granny Smith apples go well together, but I'm looking for a bit more in the style. Spices, funk, something else. This beer could be mistaken for cider. Decent nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 03:33:47 | More by coreyfmcdonald

spycow

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.9%

03-11-2013 04:48:53 | More by spycow

bmoney

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

03-10-2013 21:40:30 | More by bmoney

cnbrown313

Illinois

4.31/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 750ml cap and corked bottle into a wine glass

A - Really beautiful looking beer! Very bright and lively light orange color with a generous off-white head that fades quickly. Somewhat cloudy as well.

S - Lots of funky and earthy smells. I got that very strong and noticeable "wet horse blanket" smell that usually comes with Brettanomyces. There is also a faint citrus smell as well. The smell got me really excited to take a sip...

T - Like the smell, I got lots of earthy funk and brett flavors. Very complex. I was hoping for a little bit more sourness, but there it really wasn't sour at all. Each sip made me want to take another though... as it warmed up a bit the smell and the barnyard flavors intensified.

M - Medium bodied with a very nice, fine, natural carbonation

O - If you a fan of the saison style and like funky beers, give this a shot. If you are looking for something sour, pick something else. It would be pretty good with some nice meat and cheeses too...

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 16:33:58 | More by cnbrown313

jjcote

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%

03-02-2013 23:37:49 | More by jjcote

GrumpyOldTroll

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -9%

03-01-2013 20:24:00 | More by GrumpyOldTroll

claytong

Vermont

4/5  rDev -2.9%

03-01-2013 03:02:26 | More by claytong

Seaba

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.9%

02-20-2013 15:59:12 | More by Seaba

ADZA

Australia

4.2/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

A massive thanks to MrKennedy for this i never would of seen this otherwise and ive always been wanting to try something from these guys for a long time cheers mate and it pours the lightest amber hue with a fluffy three finger head that stays and some similar lacing here and there,the smell is very floral with honey,bandaids,a touch of funk and also citrus,the mouthfeel is medium bodied with above moderate carbonation but suits nicely with tastes of redgum honey,a slight touch of grapefruit,orange rind,a touch of toffee and finished with a floral bitterness that leaves you dry and wanting another sip and overall i really like it and suprisingly bitter for a Saison a very quaffable drop indeed and could drink it all day cheers.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 06:49:49 | More by ADZA

Exaltedeyes

Quebec (Canada)

3/5  rDev -27.2%

02-17-2013 18:31:10 | More by Exaltedeyes

graymoment

California

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

02-17-2013 02:13:16 | More by graymoment

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

3.95/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours golden-amber with off white head in Fantome tulip. Nice lacing.

Smell is plum, bubblegum, banana, and an earthiness.

Taste is sweet malt, grass, hints of banana and bubblegum. An unusual charred oak quality comes in late with the bitterness. Bitterness is mild. I detect almost no tart character.

Mouthfeel is light-medium bodied. Lots of carbonation.

Overall this was good. Could have done without the charred oakiness and would have liked some tart sourness.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 01:16:13 | More by TrappistJohnMD