Fantôme Saison - Brasserie Fantôme

TPSReports

Alabama

4.15/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Another hit from Fantome! Sampled this citrusy brew on a hot and humid summer evening. A perfect choice!

This brew pours a nice head into my tulip -- a cloudy straw color with some yeast floaters for giggles.

The taste is highly citrus. Not too much hops here, but a bit of malt hanging around.

This a wonderful summer thirst quencher by the pool or watching the sun set while swatting mosquitoes.

Cheers.

Serving type: growler

06-30-2005 02:31:29 | More by TPSReports

Muthacack

California

1.89/5  rDev -56.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Poured from a corked bottle with the new label into an Allagash 40cl glass.

A- Nice golden straw color with a bit of haziness and a little less than a finger of head.

S- I smell the funkiness coming through. A barnyard with a few bright citrusy notes slightly coming through.

T- I sampled this with my wife without reading any reviews and she isn't much of a beer drinker and couldn't pinpoint the horrible flavor. After a few sips I could pinpoint the taste to liquid bandaids. It was like a lightbulb went off in my wife's head and she totally agreed with me for once. After checking other reviews I see that other people feel the same way. Its sad to say that I know what a bandaid tastes like because I have chewed my fair share and if I were to make a bandaid inspired beer this would be it.

M- Normal carbonation and a slight slimyness

O- Still not as bad as some beers that I have had. I was still able to finish the bottle. I guess I ate too many bandaids as a kid. If you want to relive your childhood then this is for you.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 06:13:38 | More by Muthacack

writerLJBerg

Oregon

4.13/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

750mL from Corvallis Brewing & Supply. Best by July 2013 bottle date.

A: Pours with a noticeable fizz and a corresponding dearth of head a few moments after settling. Hazy golden straw color with thousands of bubbles rising to escape.

N: Can smell the malt and funk from 3 feet away. Lots of lemon zest and some light sugar. There's a grain and wood about this, and I also get some green peppercorn, straw, and horse stable. Maybe some rosemary or sage?

T: Moderate sourness and lots of dough. Has an appreciable tartness of apples and cider with some funk from the fermentation.

M: Light and crisp. Carbonation is prickly without being biting.

O: Beyond expectations as usual. It's all over the place while still being enjoyable to drink. Some of these bottles are ticking time bombs, this one was excellent. I should've bought more when I saw them.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 03:01:09 | More by writerLJBerg

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.24/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2012 vintage...

A: Pours a nice cloudy straw yellow with a huge amount of pure white head that takes forever to settle. A rocky layer of bubbles lines the beer, and there is really good lacing as it drinks.

S: The nose is light malt, spice, bitters, and yeast. It smells inviting with citrus and grains.

T: It starts off with a light sweetness and grass. As it moves to the middle the bitters begin to shine as it mixes with some yeast and spice. I get lemon, grass, and yeast. The finish is spicy and drying with lingering bitters.

M: Medium bodied beer. It’s refreshing to start as the beer coats the palate. It’s bright, but yeasty and a touch stinging in the middle. The finish is spice and yeast.

O: Very nice saison. I quite enjoyed this one. I’d love to drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 16:41:40 | More by trxxpaxxs

Rainier

California

1.28/5  rDev -70.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5

Whaaa!

Oh my gosh, I did not like the taste at all! Wow, this bottle I had must've been a really bad one... I guess I'm getting what people describe it as "band aid" smell and taste. Wow! I can't believe I spent $14 on this bottle and I have another unopened bottle waiting to be drain poured!

All in all, it looked great, but the rest was just bad. I am really disappointed. Saison Rue disappointed me and this saison disappointed me even more!

Hoping to pay this another visit later on.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 06:43:22 | More by Rainier

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.26/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750mL bottle poured into teku - 2010 bottle - thanks gillian!

Pours a slightly hazed golden color with some straw yellow tones. Thicker froth of white head bubbles up, fading out fairly quickly into a layer of retained film. Spotty lacing dots the glass while sipping.

A pleasant mixture of saison-like scents with funky Belgian yeast, lemon peel, spritzy tartness and citrus. Wet hay and straw, toasted grain with citrus juice.

Yeasty and funky on the tongue up front with lemon peel and cracked pepper. Snap of tartness with bretty funk, straw and grain. Belgian yeast is prevalent throughout the profile, which remains tart (not sour). Refreshing and invigorating while drinking, topping off with some lingering spice and dryness.

Medium body, higher carbonation level, bubbly and dry on the tongue. I've always loved Fantome, and consistently recommend it to people looking for new saisons or Belgian ales to experiment with. This one was a winner, but I still wish bottle variation wasn't such an issue with them.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 18:53:33 | More by xnicknj

Ale-ienation

California

1.53/5  rDev -65%
look: 2.25 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.25

2012 bottle. Have had this on four occasions, and is completely different every time.

A: Poured a transparent pale red; almost pink. No head or lacing to speak of.

S: Very medicinal. Strong aromas of band-aids and plastic blend with unrefined floral scents. Hint of smoke.

T: Baby diapers, band-aids, plastic, robitussin and forest floor rot. Really intense.

M: Medium bodied with light carbonation.

O: This bottle of Fantome Saison was undrinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 01:43:12 | More by Ale-ienation

cnbrown313

Illinois

4.78/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Purchased a bottle from Local Option in Chicago. Poured into a chalice.

A - Beautiful orangish, golden color. Shines when held up to the sun. About one finger of funky off white head

S - Tart lemon, acid, yeast, barnyard funk

T - There is a sour lemon tart taste up front, but not super-sour. Other fruit flavors come to mind as well (banana, orange, grapefruit). The finish is slightly funky and almost smokey, in a good way. Very interesting and complex. Each sip reminds me of something different.

M - Fine champagne like bubbles move the flavors around nicely. Each sip makes you salivate for more.

O - I know that a lot of people have gotten bad bottles of this, but the bottle I had was near perfect. This is my favorite saison to date. I was surprised by the 8% abv as well, as this drinks like a smaller beer than it is. Delicious and refreshing - highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 13:53:30 | More by cnbrown313

hustlesworth

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A- fizzy off-white colored head is loud and active but settles slowly to a thin disk. It's not a lace monster but some spots linger here and there. The body is a beautiful murky orange-apricot color with lemon highlights.

S- intense phenolic aroma of bubblegum, banana, band-aid, orange, grape, pear, melon, honey and some barnyard funk. It's difficult to believe how fruity this beer smells. Notes of white lilies and champagne also come to mind along with some peachy plum cherry berry tartness. Somewhere behind all that goodness is sturdy lightly toasted malt.

T- damn that's intense. Band-aid almost smoky yeast hits first, fuming up through the sinuses. Plenty of funk and barnyard flavors go right along with it. I can't even begin to discern what spices this has been brewed with. It's like nothing I've ever tasted. Extreme fruitiness makes me assume that fruit or juice has been added but I can't tell what it is. It's slightly tart like apricot or plum and almost red like bing cherries and strawberries. There's also an orange citrus quality and tropical guava character. I just can't quite put my finger on it. Whatever it is, it's insane. Malt flavors are pretty much left in the dirt until the finish where it's earthy presence is a welcome contrast to the fruit. Hop bitterness is very mild.

***edit*** just read another review that suggested levender and I'll be damned if it ain't lavender!! Now that floral sweetness is nearly unmistakable. I'd put money on it.

MF- exceptionally juicy bodied, it has the consistency of orange juice. Delicate carbonation perfectly fits this juicy feel and scrubs away the fructose but leaves the lips sticky. There's also a pleasant dryness.

D- I've been looking for this saison for quite some time. It's juicy and fruity and refreshing and quite thirst quenching despite sitting by the 8% fire. Gotta thank my boy Bret for picking this one up for me it definitely did not disappoint.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 04:00:54 | More by hustlesworth

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.18/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

1.5 years old-ish
the beer pours a cloudy golden yellow with no head. the nose is wheaty, honey, sweet, slight white grape, metallic, and funky. the taste is definitely a delicious saison with a touch of honey and pear, no bitterness. the mouthfeel is light, drinkable, elegant, well carbonated, and has a lingering graininess. this is damn worth trying and gives any saison a run for its money.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 01:33:31 | More by ThePorterSorter

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

3.93/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a Bell's tulip. The pour is cloudy and hazy, gold in color, and sports a nice fluffy white head that leaves drifts of lacing. On the nose I get a faint lemon-like citrus note, lavender, and a definite brett-like funkiness.

The beer is light bodied and has a very soft feel in the mouth. The flavor is slightly fruity, dry but not sweet, and has lots of floral spiciness and a refreshing tartness as well. No trace of alcohol in this one. White crackers, lemons, and a stony dryness carry through the finish. At mid-palate there is a brett-induced signature band-aid flavor that I find just a bit unpleasant and there is also a slightly metallic, quinine-like, not unpleasant bitterness that lingers a bit as well. Easy to drink and very refreshing. Almost pilsner-like, but with much more complexity.

A nice beer, but that band-aid flavor kind of spoils it a bit for me. I don't have a lot of experience with this style and am currently exploring it more. I may or may not return to this one as I have already found others I like more.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 19:05:20 | More by deadonhisfeet

Dope

Massachusetts

3.35/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle states best before July 2013, lot "d"

A: Pours a clear amber with a small fizzy white head. Fades away at a moderate pace, leaving decent rings of lacing.

S: Smells like overripe peaches, apples and pears. Kinda smells like burning tires too, just a little bit. Not necessarily in a bad way, I love the smell of a dragstrip. A touch grassy too.

T: Very sour, tart, funky fruits up front. Similar to the aroma, pears and apples primarily. Maybe some rotting apples and apricot? Kind of has a bile-like taste for a moment. Wet, decaying grass. Aftertaste is interesting, kind of reminds me of key lime pie. Tart citrus and graham cracker.

M: Medium bodied, smooth.

O: Whoa. Super funky saison, which is pretty much what I was expecting. Tough one to rate. I was not a fan of the tart fruits up front, but I did enjoy the finish. Overall an interesting experiment but I doubt I've ever buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 01:32:56 | More by Dope

clayrock81

Virginia

4.38/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured a dense, cloudy orange with ever present one finger head and lcae. A musty, floral like aroma with funk and sourness and tart citric as well as some fruit like pear (tropical fruit) and grapeskin. Light to medium body, semi-smooth as the carbonation gives it a mellow constant crispness. I don't know what astounds me more: the rather large amount of sweetness that is derived from tropical fruits and some sugary goodness or the fruit notes themselves - pear, tangerine, apple, grape. Oh, and the oakiness is great too for letting it pass the tongue w/o being too sweet. And yet the balance is just right as there is an almost puckering tartness waiting to get out like cherry and citric zip (specifically orange) w/ a small hop bite. Then it finishes with this real crisp sour kick that somehow also leaves a touch of sticky sweetness on my lips. This was worth the wait (4+ years in the 757) and a great beer to relax with.
NOTE: Orginally reviewed this on 12/4/11 - had again at Monk's in Philly and don't know how new or old bottle is, but most of tasting notes I read here match this "new review" 16 months later with one difference and I hope somone might know about this special trait both my wife and I picked up. Very tart, some sweet and tart fruits, yeast and funk aplenty, but here was the one kicker that is different and it made the balance more amazing and I enjoyed the beer even slightly better than before. I bring this up as I don't know if we had a bad bottle, an aged bottle, a brand new bottle and they have tweaked the recipe since they make it "from scratch" on a yearly basis, so I've heard, but there was a musty, even smokiness to this beer. As in for a second I thought I had a German smoked beer. This taste is tucked in the background and seemed to bring out the tart and sourness, and spices, that much more. Just had to bring it up - still an incredble beer that anyone should try.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 15:59:56 | More by clayrock81

chrisgalvin

California

4.48/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

If George Clinton was the funk master, then Fantome is the funk master of the beer world. Seriously, every time I have a bottle of this it is different. Huge amounts of funk meets a sour twist with some weird mouthfeel and hints of Fantome madness. Whatever you are doing, Mr. Fantome, keep it up because this stuff is good.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 04:37:19 | More by chrisgalvin

tectactoe

Michigan

4.7/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Found this on the shelf in a store in Toledo... Hadn't seen one in Michigan anywhere so I jumped on it. Split with three others at a tasting. Pours a solid and cloudy, completely opaque and dull shade of yellow. Lots of chunky sediment particles float and swirl around the beer. The small white head, even after an aggressive pour, settles to a thin skin and ring at the edges of the beer. Pretty good looking as far as saisons go.

The aroma of Fantome Saison is simply unlike anything I've ever smelled before. So unique, different, weird, wonderful, and just an incredible combination of seemingly thousands of different things. Huge amounts of yeast; funk, cork, damp cellar, barnyard - all those weird ass things. Welcome to funk town. But strangely enough, the funk is met with a sweetness, something that I can't quite put my finger on. Some kind of nebulous fruitiness that stands out. It smells like Pez candy (seriously, tell me it doesn't). Lots of grassy, herbal, and floral notes join in, along with some light lemon zest, orange peel, and a handful of spices and herbs that I couldn't even begin to put my finger on. So many different fucking things blended in such a weird, albeit complementary way. It's different, and it works.

I take my first sip and my mouth is met with a flavor profile unlike anything else. I honestly don't even know where to begin or how to accurately describe this one. That mild, indecipherable fruity sweetness comes on right at the start. I wish I could put my finger on it, but I just can't. It follows that Pez aroma pretty closely, and tastes similarly, too. It provides a nice, light sweetness up front. Way before long, the yeast flavors start to take over - wet cork, damp celler, dare I say, "horseblanket"? I don't know what a goddamm horseblanket tastes like, but this might just be it. More and more, that initial sweetness almost starts providing a light tartness - not enough to pucker, but enough to be noted.

There's a substantial hop character; slightly herbal and grassy with lots of random floral flavors popping in and out. It might be hard to pick out at first, simply due to the enormous number of things going on here. As the sweetness and fruit flavors fade out towards the end, the funk flavors become a little more prominent and other finishing flavors come out, too: mild oak, wet hay, and some warming alcohol. Despite its decrescendo, however, there still is a little bit of sweetness that lasts until the finish. Crispy mouth feel, carbonation like a mofo, leaving a super dry finish.

Fantome Saison is a wonderful display of creativity and individuality - a seemingly "it's just crazy enough to work" type combination of flavors and aromas. Traveling from sweet and mildly tart to funky and bone dry, for a super unique and refreshing saison. Everyone teased me for getting such a hard-on over this beer, but I don't care. I fucking loved it. And I don't care if nobody else does - bigger pours for me next time!

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 02:41:22 | More by tectactoe

Akiloverbatim

New Jersey

4.63/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A few years ago, I heard Fantôme makes the bench mark for saisons... I can now attest to that. Best by on bottle July of 2013, multiple pours into a duvel tulip.

A: Gold like the hair of a cherub, with a thin eggshell head dissipating slowly. Then the yeast pour a bit more murky and brown like the hair on that dirty Matthew Mcconaughey fellow.

S: Green apples, fresh cut grass, brett. Delicious already.

T: Those tart apples were back, unripened peaches, citrus (lemon, pamplemousse) all backed with a lightly sweet malt and a pretty dry finish. The yeast pour all the same with a bit of the barn yard mixed in, still awesome.

M: Light and crisp with a drier finish. Nice bit of carb for a three year old bottle.

O: I would do this again and again. I will have to try a fresher bottle to make sure it's definitely worth the wait.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 17:01:45 | More by Akiloverbatim

jvillefan

California

3.41/5  rDev -22%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

As a note, I lowered all categories by one point because the first bottle I opened was contaminated. It pour like chunky syrup and smelled very sulfury.

A: A hazy pale yellow with a minimal white lacy head.

S: Ester aromas are dominate here. There is not a whole lot else present.

T: A pleasant ester flavor with rich pale malts.

M: Rich mouthfeel with sharp carbonated bite to it.

O: Depite Saisons not being my favorite style of beer, this is one of the better beers I've had.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 15:21:55 | More by jvillefan

ColdPoncho

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

After so long, it's hard to believe I've still never had this. 'Bout time. I've also heard this is a very smoky batch.

A - Very light yellow, makes me think of peaches for some reason, and very cloudy. It pours with a big white head which recedes to a heavy ring.

S - Very floral and fruity, a touch of funk, and mostly because I'm expecting it, I am able to detect hints of smoky wood.

T - A light sweet fruity thing on the front is followed and overtaken by a tart and earthy thing in the back. It's kinda boozy. I get a little bit of the smoke. Kind of a citrusy bitterness too

M - smooth and light, drying.

O - It seems possible that this is a weird batch, but I'm not getting very much of the smoke I've heard about. Overall, it's pretty good, seems like a good candidate for aging, though as it should probably back off the alcohol flavors a bit. This is good though, and I'll have to make an effort to try the various seasonal offerings as well.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 01:44:38 | More by ColdPoncho

pmarlowe

California

4.16/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

400th review.

I don't see a best by date. Tulip glass.

A: Pours an opaque light golden color with a finger of white head. Excellent retention and some swaths of lace.

S: Smells gorgeous. Light toasted, sweet malt, a little pepper spice, and a touch of lemon, cherry, and floral notes. Great aromas and nice complexity.

T: Malty with some fruit (apple and pear), with a slight sour lemon, finishing slightly flabby. The tartness dominates the flavor, to the detriment of the beer.

M: Medium carbonation with some bite--crisp and effervescent like champagne--with a creamy mouthfeel and medium body.

O: Smells amazing but taste doesn't quite live up to it. Somehow I remember this tasting a lot better last time I had it. Something with the tartness being overwhelming.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 05:21:18 | More by pmarlowe

cfrances33

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle thanks to WhereTheWildBeersGo, poured into a Hill Farmstead stem.

Pour: Hazy bright orange, with two fingers of fluffy, sticky white head. Head leaves a little bit of lacing, and remains as a thick film.

Smell: Big tart lemon pith and pear skin up front. Some citrus and some green apples. A nice clean funk comes through. Maybe a slight doughyness.

Taste: Follows the nose with tart lemons and pear juice up front, and a sweet yeasty doughiness. Some light white pepper. Progresses into more sweet biscuits and finishes tart with citrus.

Mouthfeel: Great tartness, but a bit of a fuller, juicy body. Sweetness at depth and gives this beer a bigger body than I'd expect.

Overall: This beer doesn't disappoint, and is something I will regularly seek out.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 02:51:01 | More by cfrances33

Alieniloquium

Florida

4.18/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 mL bottle poured into a De Struise chalice. Best by 1/2013. Just in time!

Appearance - Clear golden orange/yellow. Lots of chunks in the bottom of the bottle. Nice white head and some lacing.

Smell - Very fruity. Citrus and some cidery notes. Lots of sweet malts there too. Wine like finish to the nose.

Taste - Much more acidic, but equally fruity. Brett character is more intense, as is its acidity. Yeasty and sweet in the finish. Nice acidic white wine finish.

Mouthfeel - Crisp, acidic, well carbonated. Not too heavy. Feels light for its size. It is just barely too sweet, but acceptable.

Overall - This is a great beer. Wish this were more available to me. Complexity and flavor are all there. Not as funky as other saisons and pretty sweet, but it all seems to work together.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 05:22:51 | More by Alieniloquium

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.95/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

"biere artisanale sur lie"
Lot n "a" & "c"
Best before end: "J 13"
I was a bit nervous picking this up because I knew it had been at the store for a long time and was exposed to artificial light all the time. Most likely temperature variations, as well, because it isn't the cleanest or newest store I've been to. But it turned out to be a great bottle.

A: Gorgeous, hazy, bright golden-orange with a massive head. Bright white, foamy, super fine bubbles. The layer of foam moves as one entity around the glass without leaving much lacing. Almost oily. The thick, pillowy head lingers forever. So awesome. Higher than a "5."

S: Explosion of wild yeast, fresh air, bright citrus, cedar, flowers, barn. I honestly picture a bucolic farm in the Belgian countryside when I smell this. So complex and so enticing. I can't take my nose away. As in the appearance, this is higher than a "5."

T: Oh my goodness. Everything in the nose but the citrus is much more pronounced. The yeast really shows itself. Very earthy, barny, fruity. Incredibly effervescent.

M: So damn smooth and so damn tasty. The carbonation is perfect. The finish is absurd! I really want to give this beer a perfect "5" but the yeast and finish can be a bit cloying as the beer warms.

O: It isn't fair comparing beers like this and Dupont's Saison to the American attempts at the style but all is fair in love and beer. The only two Saisons that can come close to this are anything from Dupont and Hill Farmstead. Everything else seems to be a Belgian IPA or while a "good" American Saison, it doesn't even come close. And I've had a lot of American-style Saisons. This is phenomenal, top-class stuff. I would drink this every day if I could. I will most certainly drink this on a summer day in Belgium one day soon.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 03:42:05 | More by Gatch

mick303

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 mL bottle with freshness date into a wine glass yields a tight head of foam, pretty solid lacing and retention. Colour is an apricot gold, quite hazy, with solid carbonation.

Smell is an interesting bracing sourness first, yeast comes through, candy sugars. Malt is there in the background, light and subdued.

Taste is a slightly tart, yeasty and definitely wild start. The yeastiness is quite forward, with strong apple and fruity funky aspect. As it develops it has some fruity lychee sweetness, dryness (barn attic), and some more hop-forward bitterness. On the end it has some fruity sweetness, slight malt. Terrific complexity and flavour, that really grows on you. Great.

Mouthfeel has a high carbonation, it is moderatetely bodied. Very refreshing, the slight wild bracingness is balanced nicely. Very dry and drinkable. Alcohol is barely perceptible and drinks well.

This one was a bit of a surprise about what to expect. It is certainly a treat. Had this about a month before the bottle's best before, and was quite impressed with the dry complexity of flavours it packed together quite well. A bit more sour and wild than I anticipated, but I really enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 22:28:20 | More by mick303

kojevergas

California

4/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 2 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

8.00% ABV confirmed. 1 pint 9.4 fl oz green glass bottle with a pressure cap sealed over an internally-housed cork served into a New Belgium stem-goblet in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Acquired at Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa, California for right around $15. Expectations are extremely high given this brewery's reputation as one of the master brewers of saisons.

Imported by the Shelton Bastards.

I pulled it from the fridge but it seemed far too cold to serve. I'm letting it warm up to an appropriate temperature for the style before serving. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

First, a note on presentation. Green bottles, really? This is a disappointment and the brewer should know better.

Yielded a satisfying pop when I removed the cork. No issues with liquid surging out or anything.

A: Pours a two finger white colour head - disappointingly thin - with no real cream. Retention is average (~2 minutes), which is forgivable given the ABV. Body colour is a dull orange muted orange. No yeast particles are visible - at least not this high up in the bottle. No bubble show. Nontransparent but non-opaque. It's not much to look at, to be honest, but it's appropriate for the style.

Sm: The aroma is more the quality I was expecting from such a highly regarded saison. Pale malts, rich evocative spices, muted floral hopping, bubblegum, indistinct bright fruit, apple, pear, grass, heavy fruit esters, some lemon citrus injection, berries, cilantro, orange, pepper, pineapple, hints of subtle barnyard funk, and lemongrass. There's more there, but admittedly my broken nose can't detect them - or maybe I'm just not refined enough. I do know that there's serious complexity and subtlety to this aroma, and it's rare for the style. I can't wait to give this a taste. I suppose if I had to pick one note, I'd say pear is dominant. A moderate strength aroma. Near perfect. The one flaw is that the berry does ring artificial; it could just be me but it doesn't feel as natural as I'd like. Also, the crystal malt is a bit overdone.

T: Fruit esters are the first thing I get. Lots of pear, some crisp apple, hints of berries. The spicing manifests more as it warms, with hints of pepper coming through, though nowhere near as much as I'd like. I like my saisons very peppery, and it's limited here. I get some lychee-like fruit but it doesn't destroy the balance - that's hard to accomplish. Hints of cilantro, maybe. Some orange and orange rind. Not as grassy as anticipated, but it certainly comprises a part of the body - which is itself built primarily with pale malts. Maybe some biscuit malt as well. Certainly crystal malt, though not as much as suggested by the aroma. Redolent even of watermelon on the climax. Heavy fruit skin throughout. I don't get any earthiness, which I consider a good thing. Maybe some herbal notes, but more in a cilantro or spice sense. Boy, do I wish it had more pepper. Is that...strawberry? Yes. In any case, it's certainly a refreshing flavour and has layers of complexity and subtlety that emerge more and more as it warms. I certainly like it. No alcohol comes through. Fleeting hints of a yeasty character are present, but I don't get any earthy or biscuity yeasty notes; I'm a bit let down in that regard. Residual sugar lingers on the finish; I feel I should brush my teeth after finishing with this one - but it's not too sweet. Maybe some buried candied fig; there's certainly a candied something but I don't know that I'd go so far as to call it candi sugar. Hopping is floral but seemingly minimal, with hops mainly chosen for their ability to accentuate fruity esters. An apt choice here.

Constructively: Not enough black pepper. Not enough spicing. A bit too much white lychee sweetness. I criticize, but I nitpick. This is, in large part, a masterfully brewed beer.

Mf: Smooth, wet. Just coarse enough to bring out the flavour more. A bit of tingly character from the crystal malt. Thickness is ideal. Carbonation is near perfect - maybe a bit overdone in anticipation of aging. Complements the flavour nicely. Crisp and yet soft - like biting into a good pear.

Dr: All around a very drinkable saison, and one I expect that would improve with age. I do want more pepper and spicing in my saisons, but this beer delivers on every other point. Certainly one of the most complex saisons I've ever had the delight to drink. This is a requisite drink for anyone seriously delving into the world of saisons. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the ABV - it's so well hidden that it's an afterthought. This could easily be 5% and I doubt I'd know the difference.

High B+

I'd love to try this aged, and could easily see it reaching an A- rating in my book after a year or two in a cellar.

Would pair well with fresh pear or a good green apple. Perhaps a salad would suit it well as well, but watch it with the acidic dressing.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 00:01:28 | More by kojevergas

nataku00

California

4.65/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle poured into a tulip, cork has code 086/477044 on it. I've had the bottle for about two years though. Beer pours a slightly hazy golden yellow with a finger of off white soft head. Head dissipates quickly, leaving some light lacing until only a thin collar of bubbles remain. Tried to not disturb the yeast much but still a bit of sediment on the first pour. Decent number of tiny bubbles but not particularly effervescent.

Nose is heavy fruity ester, red apple, ripe pear, fresh grapes, with some lighter floral, grassy, biscuit malts, and a earthy funk. Smells very sweet, but light. As it warms, more of the brett funk really comes through, horse blanket and wet horse hair.

Taking a sip, heavy brett flavors, funky earthy, wet animal like funk, matched with sweet fruit esters, apple, pear and grape. Not much malt flavor as the funk continues through to the finish. Very drying, leaving the tongue almost scratchy, with lingering wet animal hair funk, grassy and floral flavors.

Light to medium body with a decent amount of fine carbonation. Really interesting beer that changes as it warmed in the glass. Initially more ester forward, then really brett heavy as it warmed.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 03:32:59 | More by nataku00