Fantôme Black Ghost

I really liked this one. Muddy brown pour with a decent cream colored head. Medium body.Yeasty nose with a touch of sourness coming through. I get a slight sour cherry bite with some of the mentioned woodiness. Also has a good malty backbone that just anchors everything wonderfully.

Whoa...I was expecting a Saison, just because it was from Fantome. Whoops. Pours a dark reddish-brown, very nice head production and lacing. Some caramel and dark fruit in the aroma, also some toasted porterish notes (although sweeter.) I’m not noticing the cherry sourness mentioned to the extent others are, this bottle has been set down for a while though. Quite malty, and the hop bite at the end is the only thing I can really pick out that reminds me of the other Fantome’s I’ve had.

Murky brown color with hints of orange through the edges. Aromas of oak, light caramel, mild mace and tart cherry, lightly float off the dark ecru lid of bubbles. Pure Fantome flavors from the very first sip; Iron and cherries, black malts and dark berries, trapped in the spice laced cobwebs hung by black ghosts, or perhaps fairies. Dry in the linger with mild pepper that’s warming, from the back of the throat to the bottom of my stomach (in which many a gasses are currently forming). Seems simple, but yet that really isn’t true, for this real is a formidable brew. Still half a glass remaining, what more can I say, some cask conditioned qualities come out and start reigning. Light whiskey, no port, wait zinfandel for sure. Yes, zinfandel, a rich tannin laden one, with lots of pepper. I know I could continue on, but the last of the bottle is done and luckily i have one more bottle thanks SecretSanta. What a very fun rate.

Muy interesante mi amigo. Este cerveza me gusto pero yo no sabe Espanol so I’ll start back here to say this threw me for a loop initially and so long as I like the beer, that’s a good thing. Didn’t just LOVE it, but it stood out in a large tasting. Woody, fruity, acidic, dry, and then drier. Not one I’ll be dying to try again soon, but hit the spot this particular night.

Deep mahagony color, almost opaque with large, creamy tan head. Awesome nose--plums and grapes with sourness, brett, some sweetness. Funky licorice flavor combines with plums, horseblanket, strong bitterness and mild sweetness. Strangely refreshing, harkening to its saison roots I suppose.

WTF is up with this stuff? I had this about 3 years ago and it was a very good Belgian sour. This was more like a yeasty,woody,corkish tasting weak porter. Poured murky very strong tea color with a rocky tannish head. Smelled of yeast,wood,cork. Tasted the same as aroma except with funky I’m not sure WTF this is taste. Maybe horsehide. Reminded me a bit of the De Dolle stout with more funk to it.This bottle was bought in late spring and popped today. BIG disapointment. Didn’t suck but I wasexpecting more from this usually great brewer. Interesting but won’t buy again.

Original Rating November 5, 2004: Pours a murky brown color with a tiny head. Interstingly spicy nose with... hmm... it almost smells like a malty Saison. The taste seems to confirm this. It definitely has the "barn taste" thing going on, but the malt really picks it up and gives it a healthy backbone. That’s what I find really missing from most Saisons. Tasty, very tasty... 8/4/8/3/16 Re-rating June 11, 2008: Dark brown with a medium head. I’ll stick with the "saison spiced" nose and add a bit of fresh cardboard (in a good way) and BBQ. Dry malt taste, slightly biscuty. Some apple fruitiness. Dry yeast. Spice. Nice. Same score.

Cloudy and hazy dark plum in color, small creamy brown head that leaves some lacing in the glass that doesn’t last, chocolate and yeasty aromas. Plum, cherry, chocolate-toffee and spicy flavors. Medium bodied with not much carbonation, almost flat mouthfeel, finishes with a pleasant sourness.