Fantôme de Noël

Bottle. Aroma first of strong coffee, immediately joined by a gritty, earthy sourness. Very dry fruits linger in the background. Toward the end of the glass, I got one whiff that smelled like a fruity coffee drink. Flavor includes coffee at the beginning, but this fades toward the end into generalized dark (but not very roasted) malt and increasing-in-complexity sour/funky/sweet notes. Deep earthiness gets a little too heavy for me in the mouth. Although I did appreciate the increasing intensity and complexity of the brew, it was more of an interesting experience to try rather than a beer I could ever see turning to regularly. The flavors just didn’t come together for me in any sense outside of interesting.

Bottle (Also from Knightly Spirits, just as the rater below me...). Pours a dark brown with a light tan head that persists. Aroma of sweet/sour fruits (reminds me of a sour ale, like Duchesse de Bourgogne), also maybe some raisins. The flavor was a surprise, based on the aroma, very much of coffee and roast initially, as well as some sweet and sour notes. As the beer warmed, the sweet/sour notes became more pronounced. This is an interesting beer and not exactly what I expected from a saison (I have had exactly one beer that is similar to this--Captain Lawrence Smoke from the Oak Wine barrel, which is a porter...). Anyway, its blend of sourness and roast/coffee is fairly unique, so it was interesting to try. However, as I had more of it, I didn’t really care for it anymore, so in the end it was just ok.

22oz bottle from Knightly Spirits. Pours an awesome dark brown almost like a stout but with deeper reddish hues. Modest tan head that stays around for the duration. Nose is thick with chocolate, caramel, honey and of course that fantome sourness and light funk. Incredible aroma. Light carbonation. This is a remarkably unique beer, a cross between a saison, a stout and a scotch ale and ABT. The sourness and spiciness of a saison hits first then is followed by intense dark fruit reminscent of a good ABT, following that is a bit of dark chocolate bitterness reminscent of a stout and to finish it all off a huge scotch ale like caramel note and a dry and slightly tart finish. Incredible. Not sure how Fantome comes up with this, but they never fail to impress me. Also worth noting there is absolutely no hint of the 10% ABV. This thing is so well balanced its crazy. I think maybe a touch more carbonation would have been good but other than that, magnificent.

750 ml. bottle gratefully received from Marcus. Opened as a light gusher. Very dark hazy amber color with a fine beige head. Very fruity aroma (but not sweet) backed with spice. Full bodied with creamy carbonation. There’s a touch of sour, not much hop, seems to be mild funk, maybe some coffee or chocolate. Seems a little grapey. No heat at all. Finishes a bit woody. Notes like a mild brown ale. As time goes on it turns somewhat peppery. Quite the amazing drink.

[bottle] Dark brown pour with a large brownish head. Aroma is tart and spicy. Flavor is a bit sour from the brett, little to no hops, but the bitterness builds over time.

[Bottle, ’06 vintage] Pours dark brown with a good tan head. Sour aroma with a good deal of sweet malt and some vinous fruitiness. Taste is also somewhat sour, with dark chocolate and a unique roasted malt towards the end. medium mouthfeel with a long finish. Overall an enjoyable beer.

750 ml bottle. A very cloudy dark red/brown beer with a small and fast disappearing light brown head. Nice but not the best Fantome appearence. The aroma is very complex, funky, yeasty, lightly vinous, woody and sour, with no alcohol signs. There are notes of grass, earth and grapes, plus some other spices hard to define. The flavour is balanced, with medium sweetness, and notes of spices (pepper, coriander) and fruits (grapes, plums). Medium acidity. Only medium body (I would have preferred a stronger body in a Noel, but I give the same a 5 on palate), lively carbonation, very lightly alcoholic, dry long finish with reasonable bitterness. On eof my favourite beer from one of my favourite breweries in the world; great complexity, great drinkability, no alcohol traces and immense personality.

Foam Rangers tasting. Dirty brown with tan head. Nose of sour cherries, chocolate and bready yeasts. Flavor is over spiced, which kind of hurts the body.