Fantôme Printemps

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

Serve in Tulip

Bottle @ RBSG 04’ Grand Tasting
Clear orange color, nice head & lacing. The aroma has bright hops & a decent barny malt & brettanomyces nose. The flavor is full & yeasty with some fruity light hops. Fresh & clear for Fantome, but still good.

Hazy caramel colour with a fluffy white head. Brown sugar and spice in the aroma. Slightest hint of tartness in the background.

The body’s a light amber and somewhat hazy. The head is a pale tan and lingers only shortly, its lacing sliding down the glass and back into the ale as you drink. Nice tart, funky aroma, fruity, lightly floral, with a splash of watered honey. Nice tart flavor with a soft/sharp malt, spices, an herbal bitterness, sor apples and lemons, a soapy yeast, and a touch of alcohol. The finish is dry and satisfying. Another good one from Fantôme. I wish I could remember where the heck I picked it up recently.

Cloudy yellow colour with a white head. Malty, fruity and light sweet aroma with vague tart notes and hints of yeast. Fruity, light sweet flavor with yeasty and acidic notes. Light dry, citric finish.

Rather sweet nose, cinnamon spice, sweet pepper, light toffee. Complex aroma yes, but that’s not what I expected. Light tartness, some green apple, some woody feel, earthy trends. Pleasant display, much more organized than chaotic aroma.

UPDATED: OCT 23, 2005 Head is initially large, frothy, white, mostly lasting. Body is hazy medium yellow, bottle conditioned. Aroma is lightly malty (toasted grain), moderately hoppy (herbs, flowers), lightly yeasty (barnyard), with notes of white pepper, honey, clove, dried pineapple, a country meadow bursting with flowers and small furry creatures. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately acidic, moderately bitter. Light to medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. Quite an aromatically hoppy little Fantome, this one...smells like a blend of Saaz and Hallertauer. Wonderful balance, extremely quaffable yet deliciously sippable, with a bright, fresh, and varied aroma of both noble hops and country air’s splendor. Awesome, just jaw-droppingly awesome. No way it’s 8%, though...tastes like 5-6%.

UPDATED: JUN 26, 2005 This was one of my least favorites from fantome (besides some of the ones I have had that were contaminated). This one may have been partially contaminated too but it was still drinkable and decent. Pours light cloudy and golden with a minimal head and very low carbonation for a saison. Aroma is yeasty, fruity, some spice and definately some lactic acid sourness. Flavor is somewhat fruity, farmhouse-like with hay and barnyard smells but finishes off with lots of sourness. Finish is tart acidic and sour, which isnt over the top so it actually makes it nice and drinkable but still I dont think that much sourness belongs in a saison which is why I believe my bottle may have been partially contaminated. I will retry after I go through all the other available Fantomes.

Bottled. Very strong and nice aroma with grass, flowers and very herbal. Pale golden color, white head, good lace. Light sweet, bitter, grass, herbal. The flavors much less strong than the aroma. Little dry. Exceptional tasting beer. No non-Fantome beer matches this one in any way.