Fantôme Saison D'Erezée - Printemps - Brasserie Fantôme

aasher

Indiana

3.53/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This spring seasonal pours a light bodied, very cloudy and creamy tangerine orange in color with a billowing three finger, very soapy white head. The nose is mellow and citrusy with traditional Belgian yeast character. It's nothing crazy, not overly unique, but true to the style. The flavors are dry and musty. There is plenty of orange peel , grass, and musty funk and yeast. It has a grainy after taste. It's different. It's just really mellow. The flavors are what you'd expect from the style, and this brewery. This beer just isn't really unique. Compared to their other offerings, this is kind of in the middle of the pack. The mouthfeel isn't as stellar as their other beers. It's dry, lighter in body, and is relatively easy to drink. Still, it is hard to compare a saison like this to their regular. They're totally different while still sharing house characteristics.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 02:41:37 | More by aasher

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

3.91/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

750ml bottle poured into a Duvel tulip.

A: Hazy golden color. The foamy white head retains wonderfully and leaves a thick blanket of lacing coating the glass.

S: Lemon rind tartness. Freshly cut grass. Pepper, spices, and garden herbs. Slightly musty like an old book. Bread and biscuit malt base. Lightly estery with a sense of banana, pineapple, and tangerine.

T: Much more funky than the nose suggested. Rustic, horse blanket. Sharply phenolic with a strong hit of clove. Pepper and spice. Light lemony tartness. Herbal mid palate with tastes of thyme, oregano, or other such garden herbs. Playful tropical esters of pineapple and tangerine. Grass and hay. Grainy. Phenols come back toward the end with brute force, stopping just short of being a total turn-off. Medicinal, band-aid. Finishes with strong phenols, hay, and must.

M: Medium bodied. Feels slightly weighted due to a restrained carbonation. Very creamy and even a little slick.

O: Very raw and rustic. A bit much, actually. It would be world-class if the phenols were reigned in a bit more. They get a little rubbery and plastic-y. It isn't enough to derail the beer though. In fact, the strong phenols seem to fit in an odd sort of way.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 22:14:26 | More by ryan1788a5

drgonzo2k2

California

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

05-17-2013 14:01:59 | More by drgonzo2k2

BAsbill

California

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

05-17-2013 05:53:34 | More by BAsbill

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.96/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle poured into a snifter.

Appearance - Clear golden yellow. Nice white head. Retains well.

Smell - Lots of pale malt. Fruity and yeasty. Some lemon and grassiness.

Taste - Bright lemon tart flavor. Sugary and very malty. Grainy malt, but a lot of sugars. Similar grassiness. Lemongrass?

Mouthfeel - Pretty heavy. Too much sugar. Medium carbonation.

Overall - Hefty saison with some very interesting adjuncts. Just too much sugar to be really great.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 03:00:27 | More by Alieniloquium

paulromeroii

California

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

05-10-2013 06:31:20 | More by paulromeroii

magictacosinus

California

3.2/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.25

When I heard they were offering flights including this at Trappist Provisions, I knew I had to pass by and try some Fantôme kookiness for the first time. This was very strange! Poured into a 6oz wine glass out of a 750ml bottle.

Pours a golden straw, classic saison color with a frothy, white head. Bubbles seem to come in dregs, but dissipate rather quickly. The head seems to eventually go away as the carbonation disappears, but some decent lacing remains on the glass. Not bad, but NOTHING that indicated me what I was about to get myself into.

Right, so right at the front, I'm immediately getting all kinds of off aromas and phenols that Fantôme is known for, and yet to be credited or disregarded for: grassiness, barnyard haystacks, funky earthiness, manure (not joking), sweat, dandelions, basil, rosemary, lightly tinged lemongrass. What the hell is this? Completely bizarre - cannot make out any notes resembling malts or grains for that matter, although if anything validates as "rustic" or "earthy" in the realm of beers, this takes it to the most literal form possible.

The flavor is ever MORE bizarre! There's immediately touch of the grassy haystack flavors (luckily no cow dung here) that immediately changes into a peat smoked malty haze. Charred bark melds with gritty grains and malts and immediately a charcoal-like aftertaste follows. There's a tinge of pepper, maybe some strange off saltiness, but the smoky flavor goes on for a while, and leaves bright dandelion and cilantro herbal flavors at the back of the tongue. A touch of bitterness, and maybe some grainy earthiness, but otherwise totally out of whack in a way that is fascinating yet not very pleasant. Alcohol is marvelously hidden. I shouldn't have let this sit around and get warmer though - by the end, the smokiness turns to a near pork rind astringency, and the grassiness gets so funky and herbal that I was on the verge of gagging without even aiming to.

This was utterly strange, and I admit full responsibility knowing what I was I was getting into here. It seems every review of this beer is different too, and while I don't think I got a bad bottle (indeed, the earthiness here is astonishing), the malts may be too over dried or smoked. This was an eye-opening beer indeed, but I do hope I have more uplifting rather than physically demanding beers from Fantôme in the future. As of this review, I have a saison in my cellar that I'd like to open soon. Here's hoping it turns out okay!

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 07:39:53 | More by magictacosinus

chippo33

Vermont

3.75/5  rDev -9%

05-08-2013 04:54:52 | More by chippo33

CTJman

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -2.9%

04-29-2013 23:58:02 | More by CTJman

drummermattie02

Texas

3/5  rDev -27.2%

04-29-2013 13:57:20 | More by drummermattie02

MoistPope

California

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

04-28-2013 05:13:44 | More by MoistPope

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5

Pretty sure this bottle is from last printemps. But it's the best I can do. Tasted 31 March 2013.

Pours a mostly clear orangey gold. One finger of white head, okay retention, not much lacing. A bunch of big bubbles sitting on the surface after it subsides.

Smell begins with a blast of white grapes. Powerful chardonnay, followed by a light floral note, and underlain by pale malts. It's different, without much of the other elements I expect from a saison. No funk, only the tiniest hint of spice.

Taste is similarly dominated by dry white wine. That's almost all I taste, and it's an oaky chardonnay-like dryness. It's like a good chardonnay, but sadly, I don't like chardonnay, and I really wish this tasted more like a beer. Where exactly is the saison character in this? If I dig, I can find about 20% that feels like saison, in the robust pale malts and the sizzly spicing. But the rest says white wine. Weird.

Feel is quite light-bodied, evaporative on the back end. Medium-low carbonation, which is just fine. The lightness is really pleasant, making it feel delicate and refreshing. The high point of the beer.

There are some things I really like about this beer, and I'm actually enjoying drinking it, mostly. But it reminds me way more of a dry white wine than a beer, and that's not what I'm looking for.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 06:22:26 | More by zeledonia

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

4.03/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

I’ve had this in my fridge for long enough; time for some legendary Belgian beer.

A: A truly captivating presence – pours a luminescent gold with a torrent of bubbles rising through. It shines in every light, constantly drawing your eyes to the glass. After a few moments, what’s left above the body is a layer of hardy lacing, showing precisely where the white, creamy head had previously risen to; that, plus a half-inch of creamy retention, give this the classic saison look.

S: A nose that’s alive with complexity, a delicate mix of fresh fruit and earthen mineral scents. A long-winded tone of soil and dark herbs bring to mind mushrooms, mulch, and leather – abnormal as they may be, they hang on for the duration of the nose, and my palate becomes more and more intrigued by the minute. Lime rind and fresh mango pick up toward the middle, pushing toward the final Belgian end: zesty, catty hops and a mildly funky yeast note.

T: This is a slow-developing, exquisite palate; flavors go deeper and deeper with every subsequent sip. Moderate phenolic flavors with a strong backbone of soft candi sugar and sweet malt comprise its strongest, most superficial layers, but interspersed throughout is a woody, meaty, herb-laden flavor of (like the nose) cooked mushroom and hickory – it’s absolutely mind-boggling how it works so well nestled amongst the otherwise sweet palate. There’s a certain funk to it, too, a musty effect that goes perfectly with the herbs that the mushroom tastes bring with them. Hops are present throughout the palate, but take a back seat until the finish; the syrupy character of the sugars melds with leafy, rindy hops and a wood-smoked dryness to form a chewy, balanced aftertaste.

M: Quite filling, to be honest. I never thought I’d have a saison that would be this much of a sipper, but the sugars of the palate thicken it up to the point of syrupiness, nearly. It would go well with a nice seafood dinner – not light enough to be overtaken by the food, not heavy enough to become the centerpiece of the meal.

O: A saison that people described as having mushroom and smoky rauchbier flavors would scare me out of a purchase, but plunging headlong into unknown flavors is what craft beer is all about. Now that I’ve had it, I know exactly what I would expect the next time I drank it, and I don’t think that would be as fun; picking out all the intricacies of a strange beer like this is the main reason I buy these crazy Belgian concoctions in the first place.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 23:32:20 | More by BarryMFBurton

Atomicskis5

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

04-11-2013 02:05:38 | More by Atomicskis5

ncstateplaya

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -9%

04-03-2013 15:56:41 | More by ncstateplaya

Boilerfood

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev -15%

04-02-2013 01:58:01 | More by Boilerfood

tectactoe

Michigan

4.06/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Mike for popping this one open - I'm always excited to try something from Fantome that I've never had before. Pours a bright orange-tinted yellow color; cloudy and musky with a few pieces of sediment floating around. The foamy white head is a few sparks of carbonation short of being fizzy; it lasts for only a few moments before it's gone.

Lots of lemon and lemon zest in the first whiff I take. Almost borderline Lemon Pledge, without the heavy amounts of "cleaner" in it, although it does have a very crisp and clean smell. I can definitely say that I haven't smelled anything else like this; other bits of fruit dangle around the edges - pear, light citrus, and maybe even banana? Spices seem heavy as well; clove, white pepper, and maybe even ginger.

Printemps, like many Fantome brews, is so hard to figure out. It's so enigmatic, strange, different, and just completely unlike anything else. I have nothing else to compare to. I finally pick up a familiar smell - some wet hay and light funky barnyard, very characteristic of the yeast used in many Fantome beers. I can't even imagine how this one will taste.

As expected, I take a sip and the first thing I think is, "what the hell am I tasting?" So different and unique and strange and tasty, all at once. Lemon hits first up front - not tart, however, rather it's sweet and actually quite spiced. Bits of cardamom, white pepper, clove, ginger, and a clusterfuck of other unidentifiable things rush into the scene. Light rotten banana and sweet pear accompany the lemon zest in the fruit department as well.

Malts lend a big helping hand; some caramel and sufficient breadiness give a nice backbone to the beer. This beer is sweet without being sickeningly so, and so goddamn discernible that it's crazy. I'm getting some notes very reminiscent of Pez candy and light strawberry fruits near the end, too - something that I was picking up on much heavier in the regular Fantome saison. Must be something unique to the brewery. Whatever it is, I love it. Medium bodied with a crisp mouth feel and a dry finish, lots of carbonation.

Holy smokes, I don't even know where to begin with this one. It's so extremely different than anything else out there that it's quite hard to gauge relative to anything else. So tasty and unique, refreshing and drinkable for being 8% ABV. Fantome never disappoints (not me, anyway) and Printemps is no exception.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 14:10:30 | More by tectactoe

LambicPentameter

Kansas

4/5  rDev -2.9%

03-31-2013 22:42:39 | More by LambicPentameter

Gobzilla

California

4/5  rDev -2.9%

03-30-2013 23:33:44 | More by Gobzilla

kmoen

California

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%

03-28-2013 04:06:51 | More by kmoen

slainte35

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +15.3%

03-15-2013 18:04:53 | More by slainte35

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

4.04/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

750mL bottle poured into a snifter

Thanks to Hojo for breaking this out

A cloudy orange body with a fluffy white head than never quite dissipates. Good amount of clingy lace, with some modest sip marks.

The nose is fairly straightforward for a Fantome. Some underlying notes of sage, leather, citrus, doughy yeast, and a touch of mint.

An excellently balanced saison. Delicate flavors roll over the tongue. A little bit of grassy/earthy bitterness with herbs, mint, lemon, and slightly damp wheat.

Light bodied, crisp, and pretty damn dry.

This is a great classic example of the style with a ton of nuanced complexity. It seemed like something new popped up with every sip.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 14:30:35 | More by ColForbinBC

spycow

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.9%

03-11-2013 04:47:38 | More by spycow

csustar001

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +15.3%

02-28-2013 11:56:15 | More by csustar001

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

750ml bottle into a matching Fantome tulip. At the time of this review, this is the most current, fresh release that has a new style label that matches the Hiver and Classic saison label. The brew itself pours a brilliant clear golden copper color with a rich white froth of head that holds with solid retention and paints webby strings of lace on the glass. Rising bubbles of carbonation support the cap without even needing to swirl. Subsequent pours get hazier as you approach the dregs on the bottom of the bottle.

The aroma has an oily lemon essence somewhat reminescent of coriander. Some herbal hop inclusion is also there along with almost an addition of garden herbs like parsley an a cooling sort of mint. There is a bit of a solvent alcohol note that while not out of place for an 8% brew, it is atypical for Fantome which usually hides the alcohol masterfully.

The flavor is a bit herbal, bitter and rindy. A taste of grass is left inside the mouth along with mint, herbs and rinds somewhat like coriander but with more of an oily feel and less lemon than expected. There is some funk present in this that is minorly phenolic. Like the aroma suggested, the neutral sort of alcohol presence is fairly bold from mid palate into the finish that really draws out the perceived bitterness.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. It is always a unique experience enjoying Fantome. I gotta say though that maybe it is the freshness of this offering that I am not particularly fond of or perhaps a more aggressive hopping rate in Dany's offerings lately. While I have enjoyed this brew significantly more in the past, this was still a worthwhile adventure. Like all Fantome offerings, you have little to no idea what you are in for. This was by no means the worst Fantome offering ive but it also pales in comparison to the classic Fantome saison when it is "on."

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 23:11:29 | More by stakem