Fantôme Printemps

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

Serve in Tulip

15 celsius in a trappist glass: Hazy liquid gold appearance, marvelously shiny. 1cm head that could last longer. Pure fresh cut grass emanes from this holy grail. Ridiculous amount of fine herbs (Chives, alfalfa, parsley) gives this seducing nose an almost botanic feel. In mouth, a weird fruitiness joins the blend, red bays, currant, coriander, sage. Quite hard to describe and original like any other of the house's creations. Finish also keeps this kind of herbal fruitiness and you just can't help but feel this has been made from quality water from a good well or straight from a pollution-less cascade. Different and refreshing in its wet hay acidity, but I doubt I'd buy again. Props to Martin for that generous sample!

Mondial 2005. Good cork explosion. Incredible amount of foam in initial pour, that the sever poured off just foam for Olivier. Creamy smooth, creamy finish. Yeasty, fruity. Unknown spices, woodiness

This one poured hazy dark golden in color, with a huge fluffy white head. The head never eroded, and caused numerous repours. The aroma was spicy and citris, with some hops and funky malts as well. The flavor was floral and spicy up front, with hopcit, multiple fruity, and barnyardy elements at mid-palate. Medium and very carbonated on the palate. Another winner from Fantome.

Bottled. Poured a translucent coppery orange with a short white head… got much hazier with later pours. Aroma picked up lots of funky, dusty, crazy spices.. some caramel and dusty toffee… sweet, gummy-like candies emerge toward the back. Flavor found sweet candy, heavy coriander and peppery spices.. toffee and more spices… some lemon sourness at the finish… also some ugly spices. Somewhat thin on the palate with oddly-placed heavy caramel and toffee thickness. Not one of my favorites that night.

750 mL bottle purchased at Liquor Max in Loveland, CO. Pours hazy orange with a small, fizzy, white head, mostly lasting with fair lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (hay, straw, cereal), average hops (flowers, grass), heavy yeast (horse blanket, barnyard, earth) with notes of grapes, pear, and wood. Medium bodied, sticky texture, lively carbonation, and a bitter finish. Average duration, light sweetness and acidity, moderate bitterness.

750 ml green bottle poured a hazy gold with a lasting creamy white head. Ar4omas of straw, mint, lemon and light spice. Palate was light bodied and crisp with a dry finish. Flavors of straw, lemon, mint and light spice with a crisp dry lightly bitter finish.

Bottle. Pours a Golden brown body with an off white head. The nose is an incredible lemon zest. Yeasty bready flavor spices of pepper and cinnamon lemon and citrus. Some etoh coming though.

Bottle. Really lovely nice and soft. Orange rind, spicey and delictae. Light, but it sure manages to cover most corners of the mouth, which is quite astonishing. Very nice.