Fantôme Chocolat

Brewed by Brasserie Fantôme
Style: Saison
Soy-Erezée, Belgium

Bottle @ ORL throwdown. Hazy deep amber with a light white head. Nose of Fantome funk (some mint, horsey brett), light cocoa, a hint of toasted malts. Tastes of some spicy hops, a little hotness, fruity. Drying finish, though also leaves a slight twinge of heat in your mouth.

I can’t help but chuckle at the grade school drawing of Fantome’s ghost, but whatever their artistic spirit, the brewers at Fantome make exceptional beers, the Chocolat being no exception. Though a chocolate beer, with the cacao solids commanding a monopoly on brown in the desert world, the beer’s head takes on an aspen white shade, clear and crisp. The body, instead of being brown and murky like a porter, is instead a cloudy brass shade. You’d have no idea this was a chocolate beer if it wasn’t for subtle hints in the aroma and flavor. The aroma, for example, takes most of its cues from roast chicken and banana, alongside a puff of wheat. The chocolate is more on the sideline, both as chocolate malt and as dry chocolate syrup. The flavor begins with a slight tingle of chocolate, intensely sweet but ethereal, before being overtaken by wave of dry booziness and wheat. Once these flavors have subsided the chocolate comes back in the form of powdered cocoa, paired with an eye-opening alcohol punch. But even here the chocolate is no leading figure flavor. It’s part of a bigger, better, grander mix. And I’m thankful for it. Other chocolate dominant beers can take off. The first one of that kind I ever tried was absolutely repulsive. But this Fantome is tastefully restrained, giving off full flavors of chocolate in a room of other worthy flavors.

orangish pour chocolate grassy pepper aroma earthy has a little cocoa and pepper flavor slight sour very interesting

Courtesy cmillward. Pours a lightly hazy, glowing dark orange color. A foamy, cream colored head leaves soapy, jagged lines and spots of lace on the glass. Aromas include toasted, glazed biscuit, light cocoa powder, pepper, and a touch of sweet orchard fruit. Flavors aren’t as spicy as expected, with just a very light dusting of spent chili appearing in the finish. The fruity sweetness is there, as is the light cocoa and sweet biscuit notes. Not as funky as many other Fantômes. Medium bodied with moderate carbonation, the brew is smooth and easy to drink, showing no traces of the 8% ABV. Overall, pretty solid, but not what I was expecting.

Throwdown. Aroma hints at a little chocolate but thats the only touch of it in this beer. Moderately tart and funky, with a classic fantome funky yeasty finish. Dry with a mild herbal quality.

pours a dark gold color with a big foamy white head. aroma is citrusy with light fruit and earthy funk. tastes of sour funky fruits with a hint of spice. no where on the mouth do I find cocoa or chili pepper. a bit tart on the finish.

Bottle. Aroma started with sourness, light fruits, cocoa powder comes in as it warms. Flavor allows for the appearance of the cocoa powder a bit sooner. Comes together as a refreshing, amber-malt saison with that cocoa twist at the end. Impressive, but for the second time with a Fantome, not something I would see myself buying regularly, more of something to experience once or twice.

750ml Bottle: Aroma is lightly sour and smells of cocoa and yeast. Poured a turbid medium-brown color with a small, fizzy, off-white head that diminished immediately. Cloudy. Opaque. Very sparkling. Particles. Flavor is light to medium sour. Tastes of sour fruit, and nothing else. Medium body. Thin, chalky texture. Lively carbonation. Sour finish. Where are the cocoa and chili??? Over carbonated. Like a sour soda.