Fantôme Brise-BonBons!

Bottle: Cloudy gold color with a large sandy head. Clumpy lacing. Nose of citrus, cloves, spiciness, and fruity. Flavor is crisp and clean with plenty of florals, spices, earthyness, and grass. A little caramel sweetness into some more herbal notes. Fun! Thanks BuckeyeBoy.

4-6-08 bottle shared at tasting (warm sample)
Thick orange with a nice thick white head. Sweet, yet sour smell that is somewhat perplexing as it seems "off" in a way. Metallic and unrefreshing flavor. Sweet and buttery almost. Just not a very good sample.

On draft at Max’s. Very nice, all fizzy and fruity with a dash of peppery spice. You feel the heat, but in a good way. Then we have a sea change of bitterness to mix things up. Yet the transition seems to be seamless.

Bottle shared at tasting (I believe by guezelover)
Pours a bright cloudy orange with a lasting beige head. Smell is dusty herbal, bright and lightly funky. Taste is overwhelmingly metallic. Some tart and funkiness, but very thin overall. I found this very unappealing. Perhaps was served too warm in fact, which didn’t help.

Nice golden yellow color with a frothy white head, great retention and lacing. Aroma was slightly tart with some lemon zest to it, but don’t you worry, there’s more, you better believe there’s more. Aroma is simply remarkable, cracked peppercorn, fresh bread, hay, some kind of flower I can’t name, and beyond those, I’m not sure if I’m able to put into words what I notice. Taste has some tartness to it, just the right amount of it too. Many of the aromas are echoed in the taste with just a slightly spicier finish. Less than medium bodied, but not thin, carbonation was on the high side. Amazing beer. I need more.

Caged and corked bottle.Large off-white fizzy, frothy head that was mostly lasting, fair amount of lacing, transparent, fast rising carbonation, and a yellow and golden hue. Nose was sweet, yeasty, earthy, hint of pepper, and mildly spicy. Flavor was semi-sweet, some hops and malt, fruity, spicy, and finishes dry. Mouthfeel was spritely and semi-refreshing and dry. Medium in body.Quaffable, easy to drink, good for the style, and worthy of a try.

Pours a lightly hazy, glowing tangerine color. A large, spongy, off-white head is well retained, leaving organic splotches of lacing on the glass. The aroma shows a very unique, musty, earthy, peppery hop profile over pale malts, light toffee, and mild spices. Flavors follow suit, with earthy, spicy hops working well amidst a classic saison background of pale malts and spices. Moderately funky yeast lends a uniquely Belgian feel. It smells and tastes just like a hopped up Belgian saison should. The silky, substantial mouthfeel is perfectly carbonated and easy drinking. Very reminiscent of De Ranke Père Noël, but better integrated and more smooth. Another solid, unique brew from Fantôme.

Great beer. Full palate. Lovely malt profile, nicely hopped and lots of spice and citrus, bitter and sweet. Nice work, Dany.