Fantôme Saison D'Erezée - Hiver - Brasserie Fantôme

MadScientist

New York

3.83/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: A slightly hazey, light amber beer with a finger of creamy and rocky white foam. The head has great retention, lasting a long time and leaving some lacing on the glass.

S: Initially a pilsner like Saaz hop and soft Pils malt aroma with that German import beer kind of light struck skunk. There are just enough faint aromas of orange and peppery phenols to let you know it's brewed with Belgian yeast. Moderately low German hops aroma, moderate Pils malt and a low soft alcohol.

T: Moderately-strong hops and orange peel-like bitterness with a moderate Pils malt sweetness dominate the flavor. There is a great tasting orange fruitiness with moderately-light peppery phenols. and a light spicy hops flavor.

M: Medium-light bodied with a moderately-high carbonation. It's slightly cream with a light CO2 dryness on the tongue.

O: A great beer that is just shy of excellent from the aroma being off. It might be from being misshandled in a green glass bottle that contributed to the beer being light struck but what ever it was the skunkiness overwhelms the fruity esters and spicy phenols in the nose. The fruit and spice is definitely in the flavor and their pretty wonderful.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 22:19:25 | More by MadScientist

Verecund

North Carolina

1.5/5  rDev -62.7%

05-23-2013 02:02:48 | More by Verecund

BAsbill

California

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

05-22-2013 21:41:10 | More by BAsbill

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.41/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2012 vintage... seriously...

A: Pours an almost completely transparent lemon gold with one full finger of pure white head. The foam sticks around for a bit, but fades wonderfully over time. Nice bit of lacing as it drinks.

S: The nose is wonderful on this beer. I get lemon/lime citrus (almost like Gatorade), a bit of malt, and a touch of apple juice. I’m looking forward to this one.

T: The taste follows the nose almost exactly. I get a nice light malt sweetness right away followed instantaneously by that yummy lemon/lime flavor. A touch of spice enters in next with apple cider like qualities. The finish is dry, a bit yeasty, but really nice.

M: Medium bodied beer. It takes control of the palate straight away, the flavors dance, and the finish is just slightly drying.

O: Really enjoyed this brew. I know there are a lot of terrible bottles of this out there. But the bottle we opened is drinking wonderfully. I’d drink a lot more of this if I knew the bottle integrity wasn’t going to be an issue.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 16:57:30 | More by trxxpaxxs

jtladner

District of Columbia

1.54/5  rDev -61.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 1.5

I was really excited to try this beer, it was my first (and currently only) Fantome. The beer looked great, but unfortunately I seem to have gotten one of the skunked bottles that I have seen many people post about. Both the aroma and the taste were completely dominated by something that I can best describe as burning tires.

At first I though that maybe it was meant to be a kind of smokey saison, but after reading other reviews it is clear that this is not the case. Even if the taste had been intentional (which I am pretty sure it wasn't), it was not pleasant at all and most of it ended up going down the drain.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 18:01:00 | More by jtladner

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Pours a murky amber hue. Huge, gigantic, billowing head. Head refuses to die quickly and leaves curtains of lace.

S-Crazy aroma. Almost a bit leathery or peaty. Supremely earthy. Incredibly musty. Stewed spinach. Very unique.

T-The oddest tasting beer I have had in quite a while. Sweetness is more noticeable here than in the nose. Also a bunch of bitterness by a crazily earthy hoppiness. The rest of the beer is just a plethora of wacky flavors. Wet wood, peaty moss, leather, decomposing vegetation, soil and peppery spice. A trip for sure.

M-Tingly bubbles. Medium to full in body. A weird, lasting bitterness.

O/D-My first Fantome. I have stayed away from the brewer due to inconsistency of product, high price and relative shelf rarity. Judging by how unique and odd this one is, I need to pay up and try their other offerings when available.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 21:58:25 | More by VelvetExtract

mscudder

Georgia

3.25/5  rDev -19.2%

05-12-2013 03:02:56 | More by mscudder

drgonzo2k2

California

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

05-11-2013 15:23:40 | More by drgonzo2k2

millelacsmark

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

05-09-2013 21:47:56 | More by millelacsmark

Jordantb313

Colorado

4/5  rDev -0.5%

05-09-2013 17:20:32 | More by Jordantb313

NateMac13

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

05-04-2013 15:53:03 | More by NateMac13

imperialking

Illinois

4/5  rDev -0.5%

04-29-2013 19:20:40 | More by imperialking

drummermattie02

Texas

3/5  rDev -25.4%

04-29-2013 13:56:18 | More by drummermattie02

MoistPope

California

4.5/5  rDev +11.9%

04-28-2013 05:13:20 | More by MoistPope

Immortale25

Florida

3.99/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured into a Tapered Guinness pint glass. No freshness date.

A- Pours a murky dark amber color with a full three fingers worth of off-white head that retains good and long before becoming a .

S- Initially skunky aroma that's common with these green glass imports but then the saison funk shines through and is driven by a lemony citrus from the spices and wheat.

T- Strange medicinal flavor that's puzzling as to where it's coming from. Is it the yeast? Is it the alcohol? Is it the spice? Like nothing I've ever tasted. A bit of a peaty smokiness is definitely there too. Not sweet, but also not necessarily bitter. Leaves me scratching my head.

M- A bit tart and dry with medium-high carbonation and a medium body.

O- A mystery of a beer but it's certainly unique, complex and quite drinkable. Not sure I would buy again at the $13 price tag (and it was on sale) but I'm glad I finally got to try one of Fantome's beers. Not your typical saison.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 02:35:27 | More by Immortale25

mahak213

New York

3.79/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Not sure of the vintage, but I'm going to assume it's not the most recent since it doesn't taste like a smokey tire...

Appearance- Beautiful hazy golden orange with a huge, soapy white head. Tons of lacing, it really looks nice!

Smell- Herbal and fruity up front with a strange sweetness I can't really pin point

Taste- Sweet fruitiness up front, with big orange and grapefruit notes. Finishes herbal and slightly bitter. It's actually reminiscent of an very malty and earthy IPA

Mouthfeel- Medium body and light carbonation, finishes slightly sticky. Would have liked it to be a bit cleaner and crisper, but it's still nice.

Overall- A very unique saison, I don't get any of the typical funk or breadiness, but it's pretty nice.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 00:33:39 | More by mahak213

MinorThreat

Colorado

1.54/5  rDev -61.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 1.25 | taste: 1 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 1.5

Served from a cork and cap bottle. This is the second bottle I have had from this batch; I wanted to give it a second chance after being very disappointed with the first bottle.

A-Hazy light rusty gold color with an impressive froathy head and great retention/lacing. This was the best part of this beer by a long shot.

S-Odd notes of rubber, grass, burnt hair and herbal hop notes. Very odd and off putting.

T- Atrocious. Burning rubber and solvent nail polish remover/alcohol. Chemical, harsh, and just dreadful. I have really enjoyed this one in the past but this batch is a disaster.

M-It honestly is so hard to get past the taste that the mouthfeel is hard to say. Oily yet effervescent and light.

O-Sadly I dropped 17.99ea on two of the worst bottles in recent memory. Will I give Fantome another chance? Of course. They have made so many great beers that it should be chalked up as an aberration. With that said, I will not be purchasing and Hiver till I am certain that the current batch is long gone.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 20:00:00 | More by MinorThreat

SupremePie

Vermont

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

04-18-2013 20:21:37 | More by SupremePie

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Appearance. Pours a lightly hazy, rich yellow-gold with two fingers of thick white head.

Smell. Light grainy malts and lactic sourness, some earthy funk and lemon, and a good amount of medicinal herby hops, aged I would guess ...being the experienced expert in brewing ingredients that I am. *rolls eyes* Hey, I know what tastes good to me and how to describe what I taste in relative terms. I think that's all that's asked for in these reviews, right? Anyways, back to it...

Taste. Whoa! Not what I was expecting. Big medicinal herbs, very earthy and fairly bitter with just a touch of lemon. There's a very slight tang, but not sour like I was getting from the smell. Woody and savoury herbs linger, but I can't quite say what they are. Possibly lemongrass, maybe even thyme. I dunno, but it's very interesting and gets better the more I drink (after the initial shock).

Mouthfeel. Medium+ body, lowish and fine carbonation.

Overall. One of the most interesting beers I've tried in recent memory. Lots of earthy, herby big flavour, but nothing offensive. So glad I took a chance on this grab from Belmont Station on a fairly recent trip to Portland.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 01:50:07 | More by Rutager

concealed

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

04-12-2013 01:50:34 | More by concealed

Atomicskis5

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -0.5%

04-11-2013 02:09:37 | More by Atomicskis5

YobroitsJoe

Maryland

4.75/5  rDev +18.2%

04-04-2013 05:37:03 | More by YobroitsJoe

RochefortChris

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

03-31-2013 02:38:10 | More by RochefortChris

kmoen

California

4.5/5  rDev +11.9%

03-28-2013 05:06:31 | More by kmoen

bigd84

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%

03-24-2013 17:48:29 | More by bigd84