Fantôme La Gourmande

750. capped. thanks, suzy g! pours a murky light amber with minimal white head. lemon, grass, and crackers on the nose. creamy medium body with mild carb. lemon, grass, caramel, and a doughy tang on the mid palate. mild lemony finish.

Colore arancio opaco, lievito in sospensione. Schiuma arancio.Aroma di lieviti e spezie. Fresco profumo agrumato.Gusto fresco di agrume, andando oltre alla scorza d’arancia amara e erbe.Ottimo finale frizzante.Ottima

2003 bottle sampled July ’09.

Hazy yellow with a large and attractive white head. Absolutely spectacular aroma, plenty of orange zest and yeasty esters, dusty musty cellar (though not overpowering the spice and peel). Mineral and sour flavor, yeasty not bringing through the best of dust and spice in the nose (in retrospect, this one would be fun to try fresh as well, though no regrets given that this bottle was six years old when I got it.) While enjoying the 2003 bottle, my daughter asked me when she was born. 2003. She was delighted that I was drinking a beer of the same age.

2004 bottle shared by Simon at the Del Mar Doom 6/27. Another great and interesting Fantome offering. Appearance was picture perfect ... nose was musty as can be w/ lemony-orangey notes. Flavor was lemon zest, corriander, funk/dusty, barnyardy ... and as Simon put it - "football field, horse, essense of Europe". Damn cool beer.q

Bottle brought by Simon to the 6/27/09 D-METAL tasting in Del Mar, shared with Katie and Jared. Cloudy orange color with frothy white head and medium-sized bubbles. Aroma has lots of orange and lemon citrus notes with potpourri, light coriander and cellar must. Also some hay and lemongrass hanging around. Flavor is somewhat dusty, with mellowed citrus. Seems like it has aged a bit. Medium-bodied palate with lingering tones of soft ginger and spice. Overall, has a bit of farmhouse funk, lots of citrus and is well-balanced.

Bottle@TheWolf. Pours clear golden yellow with a thin egg white head. Spicy aroma with notes of citrus fruit, pepper fruit, grain and brett. Flavour is dry with notes of lemons, spice and malt.

Cloudy golden with a small white head. Extremely spicy aroma, with pepper and chili dominating, some malt and a little funk. Dry and spicy, very complex flavour

75cl bottle @ The Wolf. Tasted blind. Pours clear golden with a small egg white foamy head. Grain, yeast, fruit, medicine, herbal. Quite spicy. Medium bodied. Fresh...