Category Archives: Fantome

Oh yeah.  It’s time for another craft beer review and today I’m going to be trying the Fantome Dark White produced by Brasserie Fantome situated in Soy, Belgium.

I’m super pumped about trying this brew.  It’s no secret that I love me some Fantome.

Even though no description was found on the website, fantome.be, go check it out when you get a chance anyway.

I’m getting thirsty.  How ’bout you guys?

This beer came in a 25.4 oz. bottle and it had an ABV of 4.0%.

It poured a dark orange to caramel color and it was semi-hazy.  The crown was huge, billowy, soft and semi-rocky.  The retention time was outstanding.  The head stuck around for what seemed like forever and the lacing was spectacular also.  Lots of cobwebs left on the side of the tulip with each passing sip.

This beer produced a somewhat lighter nose than most Fantome beers, but it still had a nice and complex bouquet.  Hints of barnyard funk and Belgian yeast.  It also released some smokey fragrances intermingled with a light earthiness.  A nice and proper mustiness combined with hints of grain and overripe pear.  Very slight peppery spices began to come through as it warmed a touch.

The flavor was almost exactly like the aroma except that it seemed to be a little more forthcoming.  Everything was accentuated a bit.  The funk was “louder”, the yeast and the spices more more pronounced and the pear was “juicier”.  The smokiness was just a delicate little attribute that fell in line with the style.  This was well balanced and great tasting brew in my opinion.

The mouthfeel was medium bodied.  Crisp, refreshing, thirst quenching, mostly dry and just a little bit bitey. The carbonation was very lively and a very nice amount of flavor was left behind after each gulp.

Yeah, this is another great beer from Fantome.  For such a low ABV beer it’s packed with a ton of flavor and character.  Plus at 4.0% it makes for a killer Spring and Summertime drink.  I was finished with this bottle before I even knew what had happened.  If you guys haven’t tried the Fantome Dark White yet and have access to it, don’t hesitate and grab a bottle.  I think that if you appreciate what Dany Prignon does you’ll love this beer. I know I did.

Thanks for reading and commenting everyone.  I’m most grateful.

Until next time.  Cheers.

Score:  4.2 out of 5

Grade:  A-

How’s it going guys?  I hope you are ready for a craft beer review.  Today, I’m going to be having another beer from one of my favorite brewers… Mr. Dany Prignon.  The brew is his flagship Fantome Saison made in Soy, Belgium.

No small talk here.  Let’s get to the website, fantome.be, and see if we can find some info on it.

This is a tremendously delicious, textural, and fizzy county ale, bright gold colour, citric and sour, reminiscent of a good champagne or lambic but in a class all its own.

Fantôme – Golden ale, 8% alc. by volume, with a wonderfully musty and characterful aroma. There are many drinkers out there who believe this is the “Nectar of the Gods.” Certainly no other brewer makes beer like this, in Belgium or anywhere. How many beers of 8% plus offer such fresh fruitiness? A solid Belgian saison beer at its base, with an unusual overlay of fruitiness.

Alright.  Let’s imbibe.

Like all Fantome products that I’ve tried so far, this one comes in a 25.4 oz. bottle and it has an ABV of 8.0%.

It poured a hazy, orange to yellow color with a white head.  The cap was sized very well.  The texture was soapy, soft and foamy and as it settled it became very smooth.  The retention time was great and the lacing was choice.  Very attractive to say the least.

The bouquet produced some beautiful floral notes with somewhat of a sweet character.  Tones of fresh pear, clean breads and freshly cut grasses.  The yeast and the funk were noticed, however neither were extremely robust.  It smelled more “fresh” and “new” than funky, stale or musty…. and that wasn’t a bad thing.  It seemed to be a lot more harmonized and balanced in that regard.  Nice.  Not that I don’t appreciate and love the extreme funk that these beers tend to have, but it was nice to experience a slightly different take.

The flavor released those fresh grassy hops too, which gave it a modest amount of bitterness.  Very floral with some more of that “not quite ripe” pear.  The savor was semi-tart with just a tad bit of lemon.  The funk was relaxed, but very well integrated.  Little to no peppery spice, however a sturdy yeast was tasted.  Wonderful.

The mouthfeel was medium bodied.  Smooth, but crisp, and dry.  Refreshing and thirst quenching as well.  The carbonation was lively and vibrant, yet not stingy.  It seemed to just tickle the tongue ever so slightly.  An outstanding dose of flavor was left behind on the palate after each sip.

Well, Fantome never disappoints.  This Saison has become one of my staples even though it is, to some degree, different than most Saisons that are out there.  I realize that the recipe may change a bit from time to time, but it never let’s me down.  I’m always satisfied.  The spectacular drinkability makes this a killer Spring/Summer brew.  One that I would highly recommend if you can obtain a bottle.  Have you guys ever tried the Fantome Saison?  What did you think of it?  I’d really be interested in hearing another opinion.

Thanks for reading and commenting everyone.  I really appreciate it.

Until next time.  Cheers.

Score:  4.45 out of 5

Grade:  A

Hi again everyone.  For today’s craft beer review I’m going to be trying the Fantome Boo! produced by the Brasserie Fantome located in Soy, Belgium.

Anyone that knows me realizes how much I respect and appreciate what Mr. Dany Prignon does at Fantome.  I have yet to have this particular beer, so when it was offered I jumped at the chance to procure a bottle.

Well, I couldn’t find the commercial description on the fantome.be website, so let’s just go ahead and get it in a glass and see how it smells and tastes for ourselves.

Let’s pour.

Like all Fantome beers that I’ve has thus far this one comes in a 25.4 oz. bottle and it has an ABV of 8.0%.

This brew poured a deep orange to caramel color.  The crown was slightly off white, soapy, rocky and soft.  It was sized very well and the retention time was spectacular.  Lots of patchy “cobwebs” of lace stuck to the sides of the tulip for the entire drink.  It looked great.

The nose smelled of spices.  Hints of nutmeg and clove.  Tones of pumpkin grazed the nostrils as well.  It presented some of that much loved barnyard funk, however it seemed to be a bit more mild mannered than some of the other Fantome products I’ve tried.  Oh well.  Further into the aroma I began to receive a fragrance of orange citrus and herbal breadiness.  Very well balanced and pleasant all the way around in my opinion.

The taste let that funky goodness come forth a touch more.  Again, spices of nutmeg and clove followed by the pumpkin.  I even picked up a light savor of black peppercorn.  No orange citrus was found in there, but the yeasty relishes were spot on, which helped balance and harmonize the overall profile.

The mouthfeel was medium bodied.  Mostly smooth, dry, crisp and slightly refreshing.  The carbonation was near perfect.  Not too lively, but spritzy enough to dance on the tongue. Only a small dab of warmth was felt and enough flavor was left on the palate for me to enjoy between sips after each swallow.

Well, I’ve never been a fan of “pumpkin” type beers, but this one is different… and in a good way.  The funk really sets this thing off for me.  It tends to hide a lot of that pumpkin spice that, too me, is overbearing and distracting in some of those beers.  Even though this is not a typical Saison, it still retains enough of those characteristics to keep me interested for the entire drink.  The ease of drinkability is quite good too.  I know I’d much rather have this any day than any of those regurgitated pumpkin beers that flood the shelves every Fall. Either way, I really dug this brew and if you guys have the opportunity to try it, please do so.  I’d love to hear your opinion of the Fantome Boo!.

Thanks for reading and commenting everyone.  I really appreciate it.

Until next time.

Cheers.

Score:  4.0 out of 5

Grade:  B+