Fantôme Hiver (Winter)

25 oz bottle. Pours a copper body with a small fizzy white head that retained as a thin ring. The nose is very funky with lots of cork, mold, horseblanket, and some wet hay. The flavor is dry and funky with a very "Fantome" taste to it. Lots of cork and cobweb with heavy brett funkiness. Some various soices and herbs. Mouthfeel is pretty dry and funky with a bit more body than most Saisons. OK, but not great. Pretty well what I think of most Fantome brews.

Serving: 750 ml. bottle. Appearance: Murky, brownish amber color with a large, foamy, off-white head. Bits of sediment sink to the bottom and little bits of detritus are suspended in the brew. Not the most attractive beverage for sure. Aroma: Dusty, yeasty, hay, light spice notes, and some horse blanket. Strange stuff indeed, but intriguing. Flavor: Metallic at first then the slight sour note hits you. This passes quickly leaving notes of earth, a light sweetness, apple, pear, a bit of funk, and some alcohol. Definitely complex. It begs you to have another sip but strangely the flavor seems to lessen as I move further down the bottle. Palate: Very high carbonation that sort of numbs the tongue. It has a light mouthfeel and a short, clean finish. Overall: A very interesting saison that is definitely worth a try.

750ml bottle. Pours a very cloudy orangish amber with a huge off white head that lasts. Aroma is earthy, spicy, with slight funk, some yeast and also a touch of light fruit. Taste is tart, slight funk with a bready, toasty malt backbone and some spice. This is a nice darker winter saison.

Pours a cloudy dark golden ripe banana color with slight golden yellow hues when held to a light source and a one finger fizzy white head that quickly fades into a lasting ring. Not much in the way of lacing. Spicy aroma with a lot of crisp light fruit notes. Not as earthy as I expected with hints of apple, cherry, berry, pear, pepper and bread. Not skunky or earthy as many of their other beers and saisons in general seem to be. This beer has a very complex flavor, especially when it warms up properly. Very crisp medium body with a decent amount of bready yeast in the mouthfeel and a lot of crisp light fruit notes. Apple and pear come to mind but there is also a very nice berry, especially strawberry presence as ell as some sweet cherry. In addition to the sweet fruit notes from the Belgian yeast strain there is a slight peppery sweetness and a very subtle medicinal note. Not funky or earthy as most of the saisons I’ve had and very little bitterness or hops.

Poured a deep golden, bronze color with a half inch, fluffy tan head. Large bubbles and lacing on glass. Nose is earthy, caramel and citrus. Good yeast character as well. Taste is citrus, an orangy touch with a bit of caramel and a medicinal character.

Bottle. 25.4 oz. Pours a deep, murky, cloudy orange gold with a creamy, thick cloud-white head. Aroma of wheat, honey, vanilla, and hints of malt. Full bodied with a sturdy, yet mellow finish. Outstanding saison.

Bottle. Light cloudy amber pour with a thick off white head. Aroma of cigar, leather and faint ginger spices. Full bodied musty taste of barnyard funk, faint vanilla with a surprising sour finish.

Special thanks to cmillward. VAnilla cookie aroma, maybe some Ginger snap or clove. Flavor is musky, fruity and spicy. Nice blend and complexity. Good stuff.