In the past few months, I've purchased two separate bottles of Fantome from completely stores. One was La Dalmatienne and one was Printemps. Both tasted like burnt rubber/plastic and it was BAD. Is this because the stores leave the green bottles out in the light constantly? I'm getting a little hesitant to buy anymore Fantome. This is in and around Kansas City, MO, FYI.
Yes - about half of the Fantome I've had has been skunked beyond all recognition, which is unfortunate because the good stuff is VERY good.
It truly was a shame, particularly the La Dalmatienne. The beer really was quite tasty until the BLAST of burnt plastic/chemical washes over the whole palate.
I bought a regular Fantome about a year back that was completely flat and not good. I think they have higher bottle variation/QC variablitiy than most. When it's great, it's great - when it's bad, it sucks. Kinda sours you on them when you pay $15 for a flat bottle.
Is it coming from the brewery this way? Or is it getting skunked from sitting under the lights in those green bottles? I've heard varying answers.
I can't imagine how it would be coming from the brewery that way. It's a long, hot trip from Belgium to here.
ive had 2 bad bottles of fantome Saison in the last 6 years have had more superior bottles then bad by far and when its on its sublime however a bad bottle sits with you @ $14
Light-struck bottles won't cause plasticy phenols, it'll give you the signature "skunk-like" or sometimes rubbery aroma from the UV light affecting the hop oils. Extreme temperature shifts, hot storage, age (oxidation), etc... can all negatively affect the beer. Certainly some of the problems described are at least occasionally from further upstream in the chain than the reseller.
Funny you should mention this. I recently bought a Printemps and before I drank it I read some reviews and watched some Youtube reviews on it. I cracked mine open and it was seriously a drain pour. I got the same burnt plastic/smokey flavor out of it. It was awful. I thought for a while that the bottle was mislabeled and it was one of their other beers after reading reviews.
This last one (La Dalmatienne from Royal) really disappointed me. I didn't really smell the nastiness before I tasted it and it smelled sour and tart, just like it's supposed to. One sip. BLECH. Drain pour.
