Fantôme Amazonian Ghost
Brasserie Fantôme

Bottle for 14 euro at Labirratorium in Madrid. Best before end of 2018.

No cork in the 750ml green bottle. Just a crown cap. Odd for Fantome...

Gushes a bit of course. Classic Fantome.

Pours almost entirely foam in the teku. Retention is good - ~10 minutes. Leaves messy lacing as it recedes.

Body is a turbid of average vibrance. Fine yeast particulate is plainly visible within.

Appears highly carbonated.

AROMA: Starchy and dry. Biscuity brettanomyces yeast. Minor funkiness. I don't detect any guarana. Aged grassy hops. White peppercorn. Indistinct spices.

Aromatic intensity is average.

TASTE: Herbal undertones are evident - possibly from the hops, but I suspect they're compared by the guarana. Comparing it to my memories of drinking BAWLS guarana as a teen, I do get some guarana flavour. Grassy hop character. Neutral Belgian pale malt. Faint peppercorn. Vague spices. Definitely plant-like, but that's not necessarily a good thing.

It's underwhelming, to be frank. Lacks Fantome's usual intricate spice profile, and the brettanomyces bruxellensis funkiness is lackluster, never really punching through.

Balanced if somewhat reticent, though I'd stop short of calling it shallow. Simplistic by Fantome standards - and even in comparison to more complex U.S. brewed saisons.

TEXTURE: Dry and starchy, with an appropriate coarseness. Not unrefreshing. Light bodied. Even a bit thin. Not oily, gushed, hot, astringent, or the like.

Well-carbonated in spite of its appearance.

OVERALL: Drinkable, though far from a paragon of its style - and isn't that what we come to Fantome for? I definitely wouldn't pay this price for another bottle, but it's not a bad brew. The guarana doesn't really lend it any unique characteristics, which I imagine was the intent.

C+ (3.06) / ABOVE AVERAGE

 

 

 

 

 

The bottle gushed big time upon opening. Nice and drinkable with some interesting berry flavors in the finish.

Big thanks to Thirstybird for the opportunity to try this one. Pours a murky orange-caramel with a rocky, one inch, bright white head that quickly dissipates into a sudsy skim. Nose is grassy and grainy with a hint something fruity and slightly vegetal. Taste is interesting - consistent with nose and not at all unpleasant. Finish is fairly clean, lightly malty and slightly minty/medicinal. Mouthfeel is light in body with a lively, assertive carbonation. All that said, despite the bottle leaking slightly in transit, the carbonation was well maintained. One of the more pleasant Fantome experiences that I've had of late.

 

 

 

Thanks to GRG1313 for sharing this one at his tasting.

Pours a murky orange-brown with a foamy off-white head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. A foamy lattice of lace coats the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, honey, and spice aromas. Taste is much the same with grain, honey, spice, and slight smoke flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of spice and earth bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a low level of carbonation with an almost flat and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but I am not getting any distinct plant or fruit qualities from the guarana that is supposedly used in this one.

Serving type: bottle.