Fantôme Hiver (Winter)

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

750 ml bottle


Thanks to hezron for sharing this at a small tasting on the 10th. It was the first beer we sampled of three and probably the best of the afternoon. The best part is that this particular bottle cost a whopping $3.99 at the local grocery store. Now that’s value.

Aroma / Appearance - A bubbly off-white head settled into the chestnut colored body, leaving only a faint trace of coating. The nose was an interesting take on the typical saison. I detected many fruity characteristics including apples and pears. In addition there was a mixture of vanilla, hay and bittersweet cheap chocoloate (like Hersheys).

Flavor / Palate - After taking a sip, I found that my expectation was completely diffferent. Instead of an average beer, this one had plenty of complexity and balance. Wheat, semi-sweet chocoloate, honey and butterscotch were among the first few sips. Towards the end it resembled rye bread. The malt profile was very well done, making this an intruiging and excellent take on the saison style.

Bottle: Poured a dirty dark yellow color ale with a small foamy head with minimal retention. Aroma of weird spice mix with some strong Saaz hops. Taste is incredibly dry probably from the mix of spices and hops but doesn’t really excite my taste buds. Body is about average and carbonation is quite low. Not bad but just doesn’t provide the magic that I usually find in Fantome beers.

A transluscent brown color, some sediment in suspension on an undisturbed bottle, with a fat-bubbled head that is sustained by aggressive carbonation. Aroma is milk-like but absolutey dominated by cola and soybean fried potato chips with some nice dark fruit touches. Though for a winter beer I would assume deeper, lusher malt aromas. Flavor is all about the dark, sundried fruit and a little cola that is all lifted away by a nice carbonation level. A touch of cork in this beer is actually welcome to add an ethereal, background complexity and to help perceptively dry the beer out from being cloying. This is pretty tasty.

Sampled head to head with Fantome Noel. Pours a cloudy tan color with a small, tan head. Head lasts with the entire beer. Spicier than the Noel, this beer presents itself with a certain "bite". Carmel, heavy anise, and a grassy note dominate this beer, along with the background sweetness. Slightly sticky, but entirely drinkable. Definitely recommended.

鼮ml bottle) Bieropholie/SAQ Imports and brought to my door by Lubiere. I had always thought that I had review this beer? I’ve passed it over numerous times only to find that I haven’t... or at least not reviewed it. And I am ashamed as this is unbelievable! Pours a large frothy lasting white head and a cloudy light amber body with floaties. Nose of marshmallows, vanilla, wild yeast, citrus and coriander. The flavour echos the nose yet with a herbal tongue, Fluff spread and vanilla soy milk mixed with rosemary. The guy may be a crazy brewer but its incredibly enjoyable beer!

Pours a medium amber, mostly clear with medium to high carbonation. Initial huge off white head but fades and leaves some good lacing. Aroma is mostly cork, some soy, light oxidation, salt, olives, acetic acid, and some barnyard funk. Flavor and body are a bit light, but still pretty complex. Lots of cork, bready yeast, light crystal malts, very light acidity on the tip of the tongue, and a ligth alcohol flim on the tongue in the end. Prettty good overall, but my bottle might have been a bit old.

Robe blonde foncée voilée surmontée d’une mousse blanche mince. Arômes de fruits, d’épices et de cassonade. Saveurs acides de pomme verte, de citron, de sucre et d’épices.

750ml bottle: This beer pours a very hazy red-tinged mahogany brown color. There was a small off-white head that dies off quickly. The aroma is pleasant, albeit a little weaker than I expected for this beer. The aroma is complex. It is appealing, with notes of caramel, sourness and I’m not quite sure. It is definitely complex. The taste is good. Somewhat tart, a hint of pepperiness, some fruits, caramel, the list goes on. Very nice.