Fantôme de Noël

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

Courtesy of Secret Santa. <P> I just had this at a Florida RB Tasting, but I was rocked so it was nice to get a bottle to enjoy at my leisure....ie sober. <P> 2004 vintage. Aroma is STRONG and imparts spice and chocolate malt. I found that odd, but welcome. Hazy light brown with a head that is creamy and screams drink me. The flavor is highly chocolate in the fore, but fades to strong coffee flavor due to some sourness in the finish. This is a flavor I love immensely and actively seek out. I can’t believe how well the chocolate malts reach their potential in this style. It tastes like a spiked chocolate/coffee with a complex funky saison thrown in and it really makes a statement. The flavor is beautiful and the feel of the beer is amazing. A fantastic MUST TRY beer. <P> And at 10% the alcohol is amazingly well masked. I’d guess 6.5% if asked based on the flavor.

Thanks to beerprincess at Indy 12/10/05 gathering. Brown with tan head. Vinegar fruityness in the aroma make it a unique. Roasted and chocolate malts with a vinegar based sourness that has moments of light fruityness. Definate tangyness in the character and a spicey presence.

A lot going on here. Rich mahogany pour. Great, complicated aromas...yeasty sourness, and roasted malt. Chocolate, coffee, and that odd sourness intertwined. Holiday spicing pretty prominent...molasses, brown sugar, honey, and a BIG alcohol burn.

(Bottle courtesy ’beerprincess’ Indy tasting 12/10/05) Aroma is strong ashtray, black pepper, yeast, and carmel. Pours dark cloudy brown with a nice head and great lacing. Flavor is more appealing than the aroma. The ashtray is replaced by a common Fantome spicyness and farmhouse yeast. Roasty chocolate malt and more spice comes through as it warms. Palate is clean and crisp. A great winter saision.

Bottle. Thanks to someone at the Indy Circle City Samplers rate party. Pours a cloudy yellow honey color. Aroma is strong of vinegar. Flavor is very active, with notes of vinegar, and has a numbing feel on the tongue. Bad notes, but good beer.

Good stuff this was. Too bad my notes suck. A reddish brown appearance. A big spice presence with a lot of cherries and grapes present. A sour aftertaste. Good stuff!

Bottle shared at the First Annual Florida Ratebeer Gathering. These ratings were taken from one day of about 60 different tastings all were good and all have blended together in my memory but I know I thoroughly enjoyed every one of them and none were bad.

[bottle from State Line Liquors, Elkton, MD] Pours like a coke with no head and some limited effervescence. Hazy. Fresh sour cherries/grape/woody aroma with some noble hops and a little bit of raisin/oxidized character. Musty dry with cherry/grape notes and a terrific sourness that ends surprisingly clean. Not too complex and perfectly balanced between bitter, sweet, and sour. Light body with a little mouth puckering sourness. Hard to believe this is 10% abv.