Fantôme Dark White
Brasserie Fantôme

Bottle pour into a tulip glass.
Orange amber copper color with a white fractionally khaki moist foamy sticky head.
Floral, hat, horse blanket, spice, with a thick crisp mouthfeel and creamy finish.

Lot 1b feb 18. Bb 2022.

Clear golden bronze color with a lot of head and lace.

Orange peel and herbal notes. Floral and grassy. Citrusy. Black pepper and coriander. Lots of spices. Solid. Easy drinking.
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Lot 3j M 16 bb 2019 consumed 5/21

White head. Color is a cloudy crab apple skin.

Very interesting flavor. A lot of apples, like apple sauce, peppery, sweeter than most fantomes. Unique spices. Orange citrus and orange peel. Maybe a hint of mint. Awesome. 4.25

Pours a cloudy, deep amber coloration with a large, creamy head. Smells of doughy, slightly caramelly malt and fruity/spicy yeast esters of green apple, pear, gooseberry, clove and white pepper, with just a hint of freshly mown grass.Taste is an excellent balance of slightly sweet'ish doughy, mildly caramelly malt, prominent fruity/spicy yeast esters of lightly tart green apple, pear, apricot, gooseberry, clove and white pepper, light hoppy accents of tropical fruit and grass, some quite subtle funk and an additional spiciness that gently unfolds ever so slightly in the aftertaste. Finishes with a very light tartness and bitterness, with some fruity esters and spice lingering in the aftertaste. Smooth, almost velvety, mouthfeel with a medium body and carbonation.

Another excellent Saison from Fantôme that exemplifies the complexity of their yeast culture and is enrichened by some additional hoppy and spicy accents, with the tartness being rather light here and very little funk coming through, making for a very complex, yet quite subtle balance that is just exquisite. The spices are also used rather subtely here, making it difficult to tell where the estery spice ends and the additional spices begin, although apart from the clove and pepper, there is perhaps some allspice, anise, cumin or cinnamon to this. All in all just an excellent balance of sweet'ish malt, both hoppy and estery fruit notes, light bitterness, tartness and spice, as well as very subtle funk.

750 mL Bottle. ABV 4.7%.
Appearance: Murky orange/pink/brown, Medium carbonation, Two fingers of off white airy and fluffy head, Great retention, Cap remains.
Aroma: Malt sweetness, Spice, Orchard fruit (pear, apple), Stone fruit, Grassy, Floral, Grainy, Hops.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, Prickly carbonation, Grainy, Crisp.
Flavour: Spice, Bitter, Orchard fruit (pear, apple), Stone fruit, Grassy hops.
Overall: Sure. Try it if you have the money to blow. This is my first from Fantome and not something I'll revisit. It fits the style somewhat well, I guess, but it's kind of just... there.

Review: 137

 

 

A: Poured into a Duvel tulip to a deep gold topped by a dense finger and a half of rocky off white head which fades slowly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing.
S: Smells of orchard fruits and honey with some grassy hops and light spice
T: Taste is slightly funky but a lot of orchard fruits with some peppery bite. Slight funk but good grassy note with some additional spice. Very light honey sweetness at times as well. On the swallow this beer is more orchard fruits, peppery spice notes, grassyness, and light chalky yeast.
M: This beer has a body which is on the lighter side of medium with a slightly slick feel on the palate. Carbonation is effervescent and just slightly prickly while the beer has a drying finish.
O: Overall this is an interesting beer. I expected something a little lighter but this one is a really beautiful shade of gold. Really nice complexity and flavor on this one which makes it a joy to drink. Definitely light on the funk which is nice since some of their beers have a little too much band aid flavor for my preference. Worth a try if you like the style.

 

 

 

 

From Boxbeers. In Teku glass. Playing The Silent Age. Very smooth, with a thick, sticky feel in spite of its low abv. Soft yet easily noticeable funky notes combined with a nice sweetness

A 750ml green glass bottle with no visible BB date. The ABV also seems to be unstated - I can't see it. Picked up ages ago from Trembling Madness in York; I'm not sure how old this bottle is but it must be at least a couple of years old.

A: Poured into a Duvel tulip. Bottle conditioned. A deep reddish-marmalade hue with good carbonation. Produces a smallish head of white foam that dissipates rapidly, leaving only a thin collar.

S: Aroma of fruity yeast with hints of phenolics, subtle spice, mild dried fruit, marzipan, vague caramel, faint brown sugar, earthiness and significant oxidation (probably adding to the impression of sweetness). Quite complex but generally uninspiring.

T: Tastes of fruity yeast with notes of phenolics, spice, subtle dried fruit, marzipan/almonds, light caramel, mild brown sugar, a musty earthiness and oxidation. Little hop character and no bitterness to speak of. As with the aroma, complex but past its best.

M: Mouthfeel is smooth and lightly tingly, with pleasant carbonation and good body. Aftertaste of fruity yeast esters, subtle spice, earthiness and a lingering oxidised sweetness.

O: A bit too old - I held on to this one for too long. Subpar looks, while the aroma and flavour are a flawed blend of fruity esters, oxidation, mild spice and sweetness. Decent body. Possesses some balance but way past its best. Oh well; I might re-review if I come across it again.