Fantôme Printemps

Bottled 750. Beer is a clear medium-light orange with a large, frothy, white, mostly lasting head. The aroma is malty with a light note of toasted grain, a trace of caramel; Hoppy with a heavy note of herb, moderate note of lemon zest, light note of green grass; Yeasty with a light note of basement; Light miscellaneous notes of mint, white pepper, spicy alcohol. The flavor is moderately bitter, light acidic, moderately sweet with a long, slightly warm, lightly bittersweet, trace-astringent finish. The body is medium, the texture is velvety and the carbonation is lively.

One of the more herbal fantome beers I have had. The bitterness was a bit much at first, i’m not sure if it was just the herbalness of this beer that really made the bitterness stand out. Peppery and light hints of citrus in the finish. My only dislike to this beer is even an hour after drinking it I kinda felt like i’d been chomping on some weird leaves, a bitter plant like taste left behind. Still a very tasty brew though.

Pretty damn sure this is a fresh bottle of the 2006 vintage: Dark orange, nice white head, fairly perfect carbonation level. Earthy orange peel aroma, strong, slight strawberry undertone, all most ashy and autumnal as well but fresh...herbal, lemon verbena, bay leaf, thyme,etc. Flavor is...WHOA, quite bitter but not so mich hop bitter, chicory maybe, echinacea? Sweet malt and herbal/bitter aftertaste finishing dry and flavorsome, no sourness...very nicely crafted.

Poured opaque orange with yellow yeast sediment floating around. Huge off white head. Aroma is sour fruits, orange peel, belgian yeast, with some vacuum like odors. Flavor is dried fruit, some lemon, orange, and pear. Slightly sour and bitter with a flat dry finish that leaves a apricot hoppiness behind.

Don’t know how old this is, bought it about 16 months ago, and it looked like it had been on the shelf awhile. Cork is removed with a promising pop. Clear amber. Two fingers of dense, frothy, off white carbonation. Aroma: grainy barn funk with a tinge of sourness, toasty caramel malt, crisp aromatic hops, some dark fruits, candi sugar? - smells like a cross between a belgian strong and a saison, a bit of pepper, and subtle alcohol. Flavor: crisp hops, grains, and musty barn funk up front - followed by smooth, roasty caramel, dark fruits, and candi sugar in the middle - dry, sour, spicy, peppery, yeasty and slightly alcoholic finish. Overcooked sourdough bread aftertaste, with the crust. Palate: rather light for all that’s going on - medium, balanced body. I’ve yet to have a beer of theirs I didn’t like. More Fantome on the way to Knightly very soon. Be careful when you see me.

This one poured hazy dark golden in color, with a huge fluffy white head. The head never eroded, and caused numerous repours. The aroma was spicy and citris, with some hops and funky malts as well. The flavor was floral and spicy up front, with hopcit, multiple fruity, and barnyardy elements at mid-palate. Medium and very carbonated on the palate. Another winner from Fantome.

What a perfect weekend to try this brew. Easter, sunny, friends and family. Pours a golden straw color with a nice white head. Good looking carbonation. The aroma is pleasant with light citrus, semi-sweet hints, bready yeast, and earthy spice. Lightly floral overall. Great blend of flavors (perfect with Easter lunch). Starts with some bitter spice (pepper?) but moves quickly to a semi-sweet citrus, with Belgian yeast. A mix that is very spring like and quenching. From there you move on to the finish of lightly bitter spice (saffron came to mind) and light noble hops. Wet medium body with lots of carbonation. Very refreshing. One of my favorites from Fantome.

A very well carbonated beer, after carefully pouring this beer to create as little foam as possible, I still end up with a three-finger thick head that almost runs over the top of my tulip glass. The head forms a rocky, yet fluffy surface, which sits atop a fully hazy orangish straw gold color. As I pour this beer I get aromatic notes of Fantôme funk; lightly sour with a solid fruity interface. The aroma is quite fruity; it smells of apples, melon, pears and even some tart plum like notes. The aroma is so light and refreshing, just so inviting and so typically embodying the best of Fantôme aromatics.

The beer is nice and light on the palate, easily quaffable, and with its high carbonation almost ephemerally as it vaporizes on the tongue. This beer has a nice, noticeable, yet not dominating sour tartness to it that reminds me of pears, and a tart green apple. This beer is quite fruity, even though there is almost no sweetness left in this beer. It is quite dry with a nice grain character that shows just under the dominant fermentation character. This beer is so refreshingly light, a perfect beer for hot weather (interestingly enough it has been almost 90*F here today). There is not a whole lot to say about this beer other than it is an incredible Saison!

<font size=-4>Purchased from: <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Place/arizona/scottsdale/papago-brewing-company/137.htm>Papago Brewing Co, Scottsdale, AZ<font size=-1>