Fantôme Hiver (Winter)

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

Bottle. Orange reddish color, pours a huge head. Coreander, anis, cardemom and red berries in the spicy aroma and flavor. Malty, slightly tart and alcoholic. Why oh why so many spices in this beer? It could habe been so nice.

pours the color of ruby red grapefruit juice. aroma is also slightly citric; floral yet savory. some kind of fruit juice additive? this is strange even for fantome. an almost soapy flavor washes over the tounge with a very wet (but not thin) mouthfeel then ends with a mostly dry bitterness. slightly metallic, a bit peppery. i am confounded by the flavor, but becoming obsessed with the truly unique color. perhaps the flavor echoes the color and the spiciness i detect is grapefruit juice, or maybe some variation of the traditional belgian spice. this is truly odd.

750 mL bottle brought to my by my friend Alraomon from Sam’s Quik Shop in Durham. Winter 07-08 version. Hazy peach colored pour shows a medium head that fades to an omnipresent white layer on the beer’s surface. Small floaties. Aroma is yeast, lime, some funkiness and a peppery spiciness. The spice is more pronounced in the taste, with notes of white pepper, dill, cardamon and ginger. Also very noticeable is the yeast along with some subtler citrus, cheesy and caramel notes. Very dry.

From the back room at Brawley;s, Charlotte. Cloudy orange, with a decent sized beige head. Spicy, sour, woody sour winey sour aroa. Lots of flavors - touches of red wine and citrus, but also hints of coffee and chocolate, and some other earthy flavors mixed in. Very enjoyable.

Hazy brown with medium beige head. Spicy aroma with cardemum notes. Spicy flavor with malty and tobacco notes.

750, I’m on a saison and Fantome Kick so why not, shared with my girlfriend. Pours dark orange with a 1 finger tan head with lacing. Nose is sweet and slightly spiced through my cold induced nose. Taste is both bright and slightly bitter with some oaky notes with some other citrus and spice. Really tasty.

Pours cloudy light amber with off white head. Aroma is sour, spicy and has a slighy woody smell. Similar flavors with that Fantome taste to it. Medium body with lively carbonation and a dry finish. Very good.

Bottled, number 086 of 477044 (hah! good one, Puzz!). Beautiful cloudy copper pour reveals the most enticing and wonderful aroma upon first pour, loaded with soy, perfume, salt, kumquat, and the richest balsamic vinegar. Not in an acidic way, just the pure grape essence of it. Wow. As it warms and breathes the aroma mellows and lightens into what is mostly just a musky, salty perfume, however the first pour aroma is worth a 10 alone. Flavor is loaded with flowers and leafy greens, with a spritzy tangy body and perfume finish. A bit thin in the body, however, this is a joy to drink, and goes down way easier than the 8% De Molen Saison I had the other day. No difficulty in killing off this entire bottle myself at all. Once again, another ace from Fantome. I know no other more consistent brewer in the world.