Fantôme de Noël

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

Pours a light brown, two finger-head that goes quickly leaving no lace, pour slowly. Some yeast left in bottle. Deep ruby color. Very good carbonation. Medium bodied. Starts malty and sweet, finishes with a good mix of hops and malt. $8.55 for a 750ml bottle from Colonial Spirits, Acton, Ma.

750 ml bottle is at least a year old: color is a rich warm garnet/mahogany color with a light tan quickly fading head. aroma is sour, spicy and earthy. lemon and lime. black peper and balsamic vinegar. a fair amount of sourness and acicity in this x-mas beer. lemon and lime tartness. dry cocoa and rosemary. sours grapes and caramel. maybe a hint of cedar. dry finish silky smooth.

Big thanks to beeryum for this one. Pours turbid ruby/magenta with medium, off-white head. Aroma of malt, dark fruit, hops, cabernet, chocolate....prize winning aroma! Tastes malty, spicy, with some citrus, merlot, cinnamon, chocolate, and a complex, dense finish. Outstanding!

Holy crap, this is a good beer! Pours a wonderful brown, with exquisite lacing. Flavor is dull raisin, strong spice, and a variety of fruits, most notably strawberry. Complex, yet simple. I’ve had this beer before, but this version surpasses others. Not much different than a spring seasonal, but what the hey. I’d love this one again. Awesome!

750ml bottle, i believe this is from 2006. pours muddy ruby with creamy tan head into fantome tulip. nose is oaky vanilla, hints of funky brett notes, caramel and chocolate notes, a spice i can’t put my finger on, and pepper. awesome nose. flavor has that great fantome house character, caramel and slight cocoa, hints of spice, touch of sourness, slight brown sugar finish. the alcohol doesn’t even warm. wow this is so light and drinkable. each sip really begs for another. at times it reminds me of Jolly Pumpkin Fuego but this is uniquely fantome and one of their finest.

Clouded ruddy amber dark murk with a soapy head of off-white. Pears and vinous notes with currants, cream, raisins and gentle brandy. Creamy and nutty. Peculiar leathery wood yand earth, with Sanka coffee. A note of orange peel dipped in milk chocolate, with a rough cheese (something pungent, soft and french) mingling with oats and grain from a horse barn. The delectable wild spontaneous lambic-like qualities really light me up, with some touches of sourness, cherries and soft leather. Delicious! Palate is sweet, but the alcohol was pleasently hidden until the finish, with nutty dryness. A little thin texture.

Bottle, shared by GodOfThunder. Dark brown with a fuzzy tan head. Tons of fig, chocolate, fruity, cherries, caramel, some spices and funk in the nose. Much the same with some pleasant tartness in flavor, caramel, fruity, spicy, chocolate, bretty yeast spice. Lush mouthfeel, pleasant carb, drying finish. Very nice, Christmas Fantome-style.

Bottle shared with cole and savvy1982. Thanks for the share savvy! Pours a hazy chestnut brown. The aroma is very complex with candy sugar notes with hints of hops and spice. Flavor is crazy complex, plums sweet fruit, candy, just a hint of tartness. Very nice carbonation. Excellent.