Fantôme Saison D'Erezée - Printemps - Brasserie Fantôme

wrycon

Minnesota

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

Yellow-golden hue that seems to glow. Smells strange for a saison. The yeasts are present initially in the nose, but exit quickly and are replaced by an earthy almost smokiness. Wow, this is quite interesting. Some high tart / acidity / carbonation to start. This is muted halfway by another layer of intruding funk, that rounds down all the corners and lays fat on the tongue. The lingering aftertaste is a mixture of bitterness and sour smokiness. Very strange, but yet very drinkable.

Like It? Intrigued and Pleased, So Yes

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 01:50:30 | More by wrycon

bs870621345

New Jersey

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

Halloween, Fantome? Why not!

Pours a hazy yellow color with a good amount of head. Decent lacing and nice collar.

Smells like lemon, lime, bread, coriander, something tart, and a little brett. Hints of apples and pears in there too.

Taste follows smell, but its a bit messy. It seems to have a ton of flavor, but there is something just strange. I like it, but I'm not sure if I'd crave it again, not sure about that though.

Mouthfeel is a bit thick, not what I think of for a summer time easy drinker.

Overall, its good, not great. Would be for a very specific person.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2011 02:08:52 | More by bs870621345

ShogoKawada

Rhode Island

2.13/5  rDev -48.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

750ml undated into Jackie O's large tulip. I think I got this through the Bringing Back Tradition BIF.

A- Hazy golden orange, lively carbonation, lots of tiny white bubbles that settle pretty quickly.

S- Weird nose on this one, zippy lemon and orange, like an orangina. A bit grassy too. Not really liking this.

T- Same flavor. Way too sweet. Lots of ripe fruit and a buttery sweetness. Lingering chalky bitterness. Tart and a bit sour.. very confusing. Nothing really comes together, the flavors are fighting for real estate on my tongue.

M- Too much going on, cloying sweetness, ultimately not working. Slick mouthfeel builds and creeps me out.

O- They can't all be winners. I've yet to meet a fantome that's better than the traditional saison... this one's not even close..

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2011 00:28:45 | More by ShogoKawada

LSUPT

California

3.63/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml to Fantome tulips
First half of the 2 1/2 inch white, light head drops off almost instantly but the second half holds on for a little while leaving spotty lacing. Piña colada yellow to medium as I pour the separate glasses. Extremely cloudy with a few bubbles rising and some clinging to the bottom. 

Smell is smoky. Saaz hops? Rauch? Some bread, funk and yeast as well. Taste is more complex but there is a strong smoky flavor on the backend. Slight lemon, bread, slight pound cake flavor and a hint of bitterness. Nothing wrong with the mouthfeel. Nice medium body with a medium carbonation. Small bubbles and a creamy mouth. 

Mysterious is really the only way to describe these beers. The variation between bottles and within bottles is easily noticable. I'm not a fan of saaz hops, or smokiness in general, so it takes a couple dings but overall this was another solid saison from Fantome. 

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2011 02:56:25 | More by LSUPT

hmmmmmm

North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

into a flute
a-pours a cloudy pale straw yellow with a thin, half finger head of fine pure white bubbles. dies and builds quickly and with ease.
s-funk up front with some sweet grass and lemon, spice is very subdued with mostly black pepper and pink peppercorn
t-mostly citrus that is balanced almost 50/50 with barnyard. more tart than i would have expected with tart lemon and light spice lingering
m-wish there was more carbonation, but still appealing
a solid offering. will drink again.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2011 01:31:29 | More by hmmmmmm

zoolzoo

Connecticut

3.38/5  rDev -18%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

A: Quite cloudy, golden in color. One finger white head

S: Musty, funky, yeasty. Lemon rinds, honey sweetness.

T: Spiced lemon or orange juice, accents of peaches and pears. Dash of peppercorn, almost salty as well. Too much weight mid sip; should be thinner, more tart, more carbonated. Lingering lemon-ish almost pucker in the finish. Sort of odd, a difficult beer to put my finger on.

O: A good saison, held back by a slogging mouthfeel and some overly contrasted flavors. A bit tiring on the palate as the glass warms.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2011 22:47:32 | More by zoolzoo

zeff80

Missouri

4.33/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured out a very cloudy, straw yellow color with a one-finger, white head of bubbly foam. It left thin rings of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled estery and spicy. Lots of yeasty notes, too.

T - It tasted fruity with apple and pear notes. Good funky, phenolic flavor on top of sweet caramel.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry, clean finish.

O - This is an outstanding saison. Another great brew from Fantome.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2011 01:07:53 | More by zeff80

rem5

New York

3.8/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is not one of Fantome's better beers, although better than the best imitation. No other brewery can touch Fantome on Saisons.

Pours a hazy golden. Decent carbonation, however no head and no lacing.

Smells citrusy, spicy, and almost a little cheesy. (if you've ever been in a cheese shop). The smell may also be a result of the flavor. It has an odd smokey flavor. Smoked peat or something similar.

Taste is very interesting. It is definitely a traditional fantome saison with some "extras". I think it has an additional spice addition and smoked malt or peat.

Overall, irrespective of what BA calculates this, I would give it a B+. Its no Magic Ghost but its not bad. Certainly an acquired taste and should be enjoyed with food. Something salty even.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 17:03:17 | More by rem5

chuck19

Maine

4.6/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

when the levee breaks....

You will love this beer. It looks like adult lemonade. It taste like a damn good beer. The beer poured exceptional . The head was light and small.

The smell was great. A lemon floral smell popped right out. It was ONE OF THE BEST I have tried.

The taste was good. Hints of lemons, floral notes, bacon-y (smoked) flavor hints. My friend that tried it with me noticed a barnyard musty-ness, a funk if you will.

The mouth feels fine. It is smooth, I would even go as far as to say delicate.

Overall loved this beer. I have only had a couple by Fantôme but so far I enjoy what they bring to the table.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 04:18:41 | More by chuck19

kscaldef

Oregon

2.73/5  rDev -33.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Pours a light straw color. Modest, quickly receding head. Aroma is dominated by a light, lemony aroma. The flavor starts lemony and floral and tart. An aftertaste builds that's grainy and bitter. I really want to like this based on the aroma and initial flavor, but the aftertaste is a real turn off. I set this aside for a bit hoping it would be more to my taste after it warmed a bit, but while a bit more malt complexity did come out, the aftertaste was there same as ever. It's a shame because I really like the standard Fantome Saison, but the additions in this variation render it really unpalatable to me.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 03:52:27 | More by kscaldef

rapidsequence

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

75o ml green bottle, corked and crown capped. It has a place for notching the best by date, but nothing is marked. $16 from Bruisin' Ales.

Appearance: Hazy yellow gold color, tightly bubbled white head with suboptimal retention for a saison. Some sticky clumps of lacing.

Smell: Tart, fruity, sweet, and spicy. One of the strongest lemon aromas I've ever noted in a beer. Sweet notes of pear and apple. Phenolic spice (tiny bit o' bandaid) and some pepper. A slightly funky woody or leathery smell too. Lots going on.

Taste: Plenty of tart lemon in the flavor as well, but its not too overbearing as there's quite a bit of fruity esters and pale malt sweetness to help balance. The spices are hard to place, and I think there's a bit much. Also a little bandaid in the flavor as well. A bit to much lemon and spice.

Mouthfeel: Not quite as carbed as I'm used to with a saison, but it does have a nice dry finish.

Overall: A complex and interesting saison, but with a bit too much spice and lemon. I'll stick to the regular Fantome, which is as good as it gets.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2011 23:39:59 | More by rapidsequence

hwwty4

Missouri

4.28/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured a corked and capped 750 into my Tripel Karmeliet tulip.

This beer pours a hazy lemon with a massive 4 inch cap that fades into just a thin lip around the insides of the glass. Just a hint of lacing as the beer disappears. The aroma is typical Fantôme. Up front is Fantôme funk. Hints of green bottle funk mixed with musty closets and damp earth. Complimenting the funk is lemon zest and flower petals. Also, what reminds me of musty oak. Almost what I think a very old barrel would smell like. The flavor is ramped up Fantôme funk. Good bit of musty clothes, and damp earth. Fresh cut grass mixed with bright lemony citrus. There is a very floral component to the flavor profile. Also just a bit of fresh ground pepper. The mouthfeel is dead on. The best aspect of any Fantôme beer is its mouthfeel. Dany Prignon nails the mouthfeel every time. There are very few breweries where I expect to have a fantastic beer every time and Fantôme is one of those. I have never been let down by them.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 00:25:20 | More by hwwty4

Cavery

California

4.38/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Shared between Klym, SundaySour, and myself on July 28th 2011.

Poured into 5oz taster tulips.

A: Foamy champagne head with some white grape juice characters. Real straw yellow body with visually fizzy carbonation. Patchy lacing with a distinct high water mark. There's a very consistent orange/yellow body coloration. Almost curious uniformity in the unexpectedly brighter color of the brew.

S: Smooth fresh straw, juicy white nectarines, and some peach flesh. Sprouts with a real freshness. Crisp celery with some rye bread. Hard to explain sweet bread toast notes. A roasted walnut linger that is awesome.

T: Sweet wheat champagne really comes through. Some pumpkin seed flavors in a mix of other seeds/nuts. Plain sunflower seeds and watermelon flesh at the rind. Super interesting creamy nut linger that hits me like hummus. This reminds me a lot of vegan cuisine. There's a lovely champagne mustard linger in the flavor that is unbelievable.

M: Excellent bubbly mouth that's somewhere between a Belgian pale and champagne. Light bubble presence from trillions of micro-bubbles. The mouth dries extremely quickly. A semi-dry finish that stays just a tad moist. Tropical humidity in the mouth, without any compromise to rolling sensations of dryness. To enjoy the sensation of rapid evaporation, simply take another sip. This truly is a party in the mouth.

O: This is crazy delicious. The flavors are really strong in the end. Light champagne wheat in the start; which leads to nutty and seedy pale ale flavors in the middle-end. The lingers in this beer are so unique, like white bean dips and creamed seeds. A late vibrant note of champagne mustard and herbs rocks my socks. Just an incredibly drinkable saison, enjoy this with or without food. The flavors stand on their own, but would be awesome with a sweet pickle and Swiss cheese sandwich!

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2011 05:18:02 | More by Cavery

DrewShal9

Massachusetts

4.95/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: literally looks like a slightly watered down bottle of orange gatorade with a minimal white head
S: woody,oaky, earthy, hay, lemon and citrus as well as some apple and a tinge of smoke.
T: lemons/citrus, fleshy fruits, and finishes with some smoke. Very delicious.
M: very silky and smooth with some bubbles that dance and tickle the tongue. Enjoying this very much!
O: definitely worth the almost $20 spent on this saison! Very enjoyable and wish I had picked up more of these as this is an amazing brew. So much harmony from all elements and its very drinkable!

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2011 22:28:18 | More by DrewShal9

mrandypandy

Georgia

3.8/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml capped and corked bottle purchased at Hop City in Atlanta.

A- Pours a medium yellow/orange. Hazy. Fizzy white head with good retention. Looks good.
S- Hmm. Very powerful aroma. Musty, earthy, with a touch of barnyard funk thrown in for good measure. I like.
T- Interesting. My wife immediately said it tasted like smoke, and I pick it up too. As it warms I get a more earthy and mineral quality to it. High on the barnyard hay and funk.
M- Good body. Medium with a nice compliment of carbonation.
O- Not sure what to think about this. Great appearance and aroma, but I'm having a hard time shaking the smoky taste in the finish. Better as it warms a bit.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 23:33:32 | More by mrandypandy

andrewinski1

Maine

4.43/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pored into a goblet. The color is hazy orange with a white head on top of about half an inch. There is a bit of sticky lacing.

the aroma is full of zesty citrus and a hint of sweet honey.

The taste is full os appley fruit glavor with a spicy citrus kick. There is a touch of biscuity malt flavor as well, but the yeast and hop profiles dominate.

This is medium bodied and has a nice full mouthfeel. The spicyness really makes this refreshing.

Well I like Fantome so this scores high for me.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2011 02:48:20 | More by andrewinski1

Bendurgin

Maine

4.4/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Shared by Andy and poured into a tulip. Pours a hazy golden straw color with about a finger of white head. Soapy lace.

A bit of lemon up front with a fresh cut grassy aroma to it. A little bit fruity and peppery to finish. This has a bit of a lemon zing to the flavor. Grassy hops and a dry peppery and somewhat butter flavor to round this out.

The feel is nice and light and the carbonation is subtle. Kind of dry on the finish.

Overall another home run from Fantome in my opinion. A great summer night brew here.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2011 02:46:13 | More by Bendurgin

Klym

California

4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip. Shared with Cavery.

A: A wheat gold color with a microbubble head that leaves a little lacing.

S: The first thing that struck me from this beer was actually a skunk (as in the animal) smell. It died down after it warmed up a tad but still lingered. Otherwise, wheat, lemongrass and a tad of hay.

T: No skunk in taste, otherwise it's very similar to the nose. There's a really nice and interesting rotted-wood funk character to the taste that I find remarkably enjoyable. Really awesome flavors running around this for a saison.

M: Medium body with plentiful carbonation and a dry finish. Does the beer just fine.

O: Pretty excellent saison. I'll be seeking out more fantome after this.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 15:48:50 | More by Klym

zoso1967

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From what I understand these beers differ from year to year. Unfortunately, the date code was not filled out on this bottle, so I am not sure what vintage it is.

Fantome Printemps pours a cloudy golden color that has a bit of orange amber showing through at the widest part of the vessel. The head is almost white, but not quite there. It dissipates quickly and does not leave much lace.

Wow, the aroma of this beer is pretty crazy. It is super bright and fresh with plenty of zesty lemon and lime aromas mixed in with some white pepper and a minty herbalness. There is also a pale malt character and some floral hoppy character.

The flavor carries the same very citrusy and peppery character. There is a definite spice thing going on in the flavor as well as an extremely floral character. I am having a really tough time placing some of the flavors in this brew. The malt character is fairly buried, but is pale in makeup with a touch of grainy wheat like character.

The body is medium with a very effervescent carbonation that you can even hear when pouring. As I savor the beer it warms up and smoothes out, adding another dimension to the beer. The finish is dry and crisp with some citrusy flavors.

Drinking this beer was quite the experience. It will stand out as one of the more unique brews I have. I really wish I understood the dating system and could figure out when this brew was made. Far from the best saison I have ever drank, but surely the most unique.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 09:14:57 | More by zoso1967

dragonWhale

New York

4.45/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

The bottle unleashes a great cascade of foam into the glass. Creamy, tiny white bubbles seeking escape from the murky orange below. The turtle slowly pulls the head back in, leaving a beer with little lace and no staying head.
The first aroma is the barnyard. A closer inspection reveals hay and lemons, a bit of coriander, perhaps. Nice, but not something particularly special. However, the first tilt to lips is refreshing and delightful, and at $9.99 a sixpack, this is going to be my go-to-beer for the summer. Shiit, wouldn't that be nice? Big lemony flavor with some hay and grain. Goes down so smoothly. Dry without being thin. The slightest bit of pucker to it.
yeah, this one.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2011 01:52:14 | More by dragonWhale

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.55/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

a nice and rich golden color with a smooth even coating of lace ringing the glass. nice head of about three inches tops the glass and settles down into a smooth layer that persists throughout the sessioon.

aroma is light, lots of lemon right up front here with huge carbonation and hints of pears and bananas. lots of grains and bready notes, light yeast with a touch of citrus follows. warming brings the fruit out a touch more with a healthy dose of lemon rind. clean and crisp with a light feel and a very nice level of carbonation. crisp flavor of light tart apple, light grains and a touch of sweet grains fills out the profile. but the strong almost soda like taste was hard to ignore.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2011 01:56:02 | More by mikesgroove

kbutler1

Minnesota

3.58/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle. Thanks to Mothman for this one. Poured into a tulip glass a cloudy straw yellow color with a fluffy white head. The aroma is strong lemon lime aroma mixed with some medicinal notes. Smells like a lemon lime soda. Light mouthfeel. The medicinal notes in nose is stronger in the taste. Light lemon in the flavor as well with some bitterness that builds in the end. It’s decent for a summer brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2011 12:58:01 | More by kbutler1

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into naked lady duvel glass.

Pours a finger of white head. Decent retention. Color is a hazed straw yellow.

Aroma: Lemon/lime citrus soda. Smells like sprite. Has some straw/wheat flavors. Not very funky.

Taste: Again, it starts out with a lemon lime soda. Very sprite like. Unique. Straw flavors with a light farmhouse flavor. A bit of spice.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and clean. Lighter bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Ends clean.

Overall, this beer was very unique, but very tasty. Extremely drinkable. Not for everyone, but I do recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2011 23:23:22 | More by mothman

Dspohn

California

4.47/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I love saisons and always jump at the chance to try a new Fantome. Got my buddy to pick one of these up in Colorado and bring it back to CA.

750 mL with a batch number on the cork but not sure what the date it was bottled is. Poured into a tulip.

Pours a darker shade of yellow topped with a couple inches of solid white head which receded into a nice ring of foam leaving some scattered lacing. A nice swirl revived a half inch of head.

A nice burst of lemon and green apple and some kind of fruit candy that for the life of me I couldn't recall but definitely recognized. A mellow dusty funkiness throughout gave some nice character to this beer, a tinge of tartness as well but not as much as some Fantomes I've had. Tasty earthy floral notes meld into grassy bitter and spicy hops, shares some characteristics of a green tea. A good dose of tasty farmhouse belgian yeast. A delectable and complex beer. Absolutely no alcohol presence.

Light and refreshing for 8% with a dry finish, a beautiful summer beer with smooth carbonation. Very enjoyable. I love Fantome.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2011 21:54:34 | More by Dspohn

hopsbreath

Oregon

2.95/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

750ml bottle poured into a pair of Fantome tulips and shared with TulipSnifter. Cost was about $14.00 at a local Portland bottle shop.

A: Pure clear lemon juice with a huge paper white head. Ridiculous lacing. 5/5

S: Lemon zest, lemon zest, lemon zest... WOW! How do you even do that? Secondary characteristics are very herbal. Rosemary specifically is very robust. My interest is officially piqued. 4.5/5

T: Rosemary dominates here again. I'm going out on a limb here and saying that it was definitely a brewing ingredient. Unfortunately, it comes off a little too strong and is cloyingly powerful. Some esters and a small amount of funk linger in the background but little else is discernable. I can't call this good because of how it turns one-dimensional, and I can't even call it average since it's so unique. I'm afraid I'm just not impressed by this bottle of Fantome. 2/5

M: Creamy body with soft carbonation. Just what I expect from a Fantome. 4/5

O: It smells great but fails on the taste. A below average score seems appropriate. Due to bottle variation, I would be willing to give this another chance, but this is one variation I would not want to revisit. 2.5/5

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2011 08:13:04 | More by hopsbreath