Fantôme Printemps

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

Hazy caramel colour with a nice tan head-reminiscent of apple cider. Aroma of spice, apples, sugar and floral hops. Medium-bodied; Spicey pepper flavour with some mushrooms and tons of other nuances. Overall, a great and complex beer that makes it hard for me to differentiate all the flavours, as usual from Fantome! I sampled this 75 cL bottle on 15-May-2004 at the May RB Party in Toronto, Onatrio.

Hazy amber colour, like unfiltered apple cider. Spicey and fruity aroma with hints of yeast, brown sugar and apple. Flavour is quite complex, and it was tough to find all the good stuff in there from just a small sample in the middle of a session of tasting 30+ beers. Nonetheless, it was very good.

750mL bottle, shared with artusory. Pours a murky, medium grapefruit color; white head with a solid rim of medium bubbles; good lacing. Light lemons and doughiness in the aroma; mild levels of characteristic Fantôme funk. Medium mouthfeel: spritzy carbonation; fluffy lemon and dense, pleasant doughy and estery core; mild viscosity, but remains very soft and drinkable. Lengthy, doughy finish. Relaxed funk from the Fantômes I’ve had.

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/scottsd Brewing Co, Scottsdale, AZ<font size=-1>

Bottle pours a murky yellow with fizzy white head.   Lots and lots of carbonation.   Lacing is slick, not wanting to stick to the glass.   Head has dissapated now.   Initial aroma is champagne like with some yeasty like qualities.   Perhaps a bit of a citrusy smell as well.   Taste is wonderful, spicey/citrusy/yeasty flavor.   Definate grapefruit flavor.   Mouthfeel is full, however a bit overly fizzy.   Finish is flowery, a bit sour.   Very enjoyable!   Would be nicer if it wasn't as carbonated.

Bottle (75 cl) at Delirium Café, Göteborg, Sweden, shared with two other dudes. Hazy amber with almost no head, just some bubbles. Fruity and cidery malt aroma with wood, horsestable and earthy, citric hops. Light to medium bodied. Dry finish, alcohol very well masked.

My first thought was "This tastes like being outside" Palate was thick and full and softly effervescent - wonderful. Sweet like mellow fruits - honeydew and cantaloupe. At the end you get bonus flavors of white pepper and other unknown spices. Undeniably delicious.

This saison pours with a cloudy yellow body topped by a thick head with some lacing. The aroma is sour, skunky and slightly grassy. The flavor is slightly sweet yet slightly sour and grassy wtih a touch of skunk. Light bodied, smooth and slightly dry.