Fantôme Hiver (Winter)

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

750 ml bottle shared by Tmoney99. Pours a hazy golden color with floaties throughout. A large off white head develops with good retention and lacing. The aroma is an interesting blend of Belgian yeast, spices like ginger, herbs, and medicinal fruit. The flavor has a malty, cereal base that gets overwhelmed by a unique herbal floral funk. Dry, tart fruitiness is also present. On the light side of medium bodied, mostly smooth palate with a kick in the finish.

Bottle, capped with a cork... A muddy orange color, good head. Nice earthy, light fruity aroma. Taste is dry but not bone dry. Slight tartness to it, light fruit, maybe some orange/lemon, earthy. Well balanced, really smooth. A hidden sweetness in the aftertaste. Overall a really good saison.

Barnyard, and lots of it. I imagine this beer was brewed by scooping dirt out of a pasture and throwing a bunch of Belgian yeast in. This is the Funkmaster Flex of beers, taking funk to a new level. That said, it’s pretty good once you get past the smell. A little overrated, but definitely tasty stuff. Golden color, nice white head, smooth palate.

Hiver is a slight bit darker orange than Fantome Saison but has the same moldy, wet grass aroma. Interesting peppery taste. Easy to drink but not quite as funky as other Fantomes. I do wonder what sort of strange ingredients end up in these beers.... Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 12-15-2008 01:35:11

Pours golden amber, spices, bready, citrus, little yeasty, more spices, dry finish.

Bottle from River’s Bend. Poured hazy orange color with a large creamy white head that was lasted with excellent lacing. Moderate to heavy yeasty, herbs, ginger and cough drop aroma. Medium body with a dry smooth texture and lively carbonation. Medium to heavy sweet&sour spice flavor with a medium to heavy sweet&sour finish of moderate to long duration. Solid complex beer.

Pours a hazy, orangey-copper color with a moderately full, creamy, eggshell-colored head which is mostly lasting and leaves minimal lace. Nose is cereal and honey malts, herbal and grassy hops, with some tart apples, light white pepper, and some other cooking spices (basil, thyme). Flavor is similar with subtle malt presence of cereal and honey, light yeast notes are musty and earthy, the hops are more herbal and a bit citrusy, and other notes include sour apples, basil, and white pepper. Palate is soft to lively, silky, and medium bodied; not as carbonated as most saisons, but also not as dry. Finishes with the moderately low bitterness making more of a presence and drying just a touch with herbal hops, white pepper, and a light tartness. A very drinkable saison and at 8% nonetheless. Lacks some bitterness, dryness, and carbonation of typical saisons but this is Fantome, far from typical. Interesting take on the style and not what I was expecting from a winter beer.

20 Bottle at NachtBar. Yeasty Spicy cereal on aroma and flavor. Not over-carbonated like most American saisons. Good and traditional saison, but not altogether outstanding; BUT, very drinkable and smooth at 8%.