Fantôme Printemps

750 ml bottle from Sam’s in Chicago. Purchased in November ’06, assuming its the 2006 version. Bright copper amber colour with a mostly lasting creamy, frothy, and rocky off-white head. Heavenly aroma of bread, citrus, pungent hops, pepper, pineapple, spice (grains of paradise perhaps?), passion fruit, and light yeast with tart cherry and candyish notes. Crisp toasty cereal malts to start with a balance of tartness and sweetness in the middle, finishing with a noticeable spicy and assertive peppery zing. Light to medium bodied, juicy and refreshing mouthfeel with a dry warming spicy finish. As with all the Fantomes I’ve had incredibly drinkable for 8% abv, especially surprising given the spicy heat lingering on the finish.

some lemony flavors that go with the spring feel of this beer. it’s like fantome always knows what exactly to match up the seasons with the flavors. theres some lemongrass, some alfalfa, and some white pepper, anise, and honey. some floral notes and apple with hints of raisin and sour cherries. not as much funk in this one as others which is oddly disappointing.

Bottle. Sweet crystal and light lemon rind aroma. Nicely acidic flavor - toasty malt under lemon juice and weed stem. Refreshing stuff.

Blind tasting at Sombeast’s house

This was one of the middling saisons of the six that I tried blind. While it was not flawed I did not find it to be outstanding. I have no idea what vintage we sampled but it lacked something. While I do not expect saisons to be extremely complex I would like a little bit of character.

Aroma / Appearance - Creamy vanilla, flowers, peach and honey form a sweet but relatively neutral nose. Nothing about it sucked me in; in fact I was rather indifferent about trying it after the bouquet. The caramel body had a temporary foam head which was quick to pass.

Flavor / Palate - Mineral water, lemons and wheat bread form a midafternoon snack. After that comes a light dessert with bitter semisweet chocolate decorating cherries. It has a solid but not compelling finish. I might drink this if offered it but it did not wow me into wanting a bottle for myself.

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.

Saison #10 consumed ’blind’ at the Pewaukee tasting. Clear, light brown color. Aroma and flavor dominated by a collection of old mixed flowers being collected for seeds from my grandmother’s garden. A little sweetness, sourness, some definite astringency in the flavor. Strange spices. Moderate-light mouthfeel. Healthy carbonation.

Dull brown, white foamy hat. Aroma of herbs, dry cheese, cider fails to deliver. Weak but spicy carrot-tomato-fruit soup flavor. Thin, watery mouthfeel. I wish I knew what other people see in this one.

Bottle: Poured a hazy brown with a white head. The aroma was earthy outdoor fruit. The taste was spice and roasted like with a tangy dry finish.