2009-02-18

Fantôme  “belgian «saison» ale brewed with spices” (sic)  made by Brasserie Fantôme and imported by Shelton Brothers.  8% abv.

This brewery takes the name of a ghost or phantom thus their labels feature an all-white cartoonish representation of a mythical spirit.  But lest you be tempted to impart some childish character to the beers based on this graphic, rest assured that they are quite sophisticated and grown up.  Overall, I felt this was really quite an amazing and charming beer, offering something for every type of enlightened beer drinker.

Like many saisons, this one is quite highly carbonated. My first sniff made me cough as my nostrils burned with CO2 as if I had stuck my head over a huge open fermenter. Perhaps that was a greeting from the more ethereal Fantôme. After a moment, I found an earthy and musty aroma mixing with the gas’s minerally tang.

The color was more golden than bronze, but fully hazy with no chance of seeing through even the thinnest glass of it. 

Ultimately in the palate I found a malty-soft acidity forming the backbone upon which the entire beer rides.  The main cargo includes fruitiness (sour apples and some ripe peach), some pale malt and a persistent dose of carbonated minerality. The finish has more sour tang than bitterness, but remains supple rather than sharp, blending all the flavors of the beer into a delightful aftertaste.

Neither label nor website offered any hint as to the ingredients even though both claim the use of spices.  Apparently these vary by season and year; Jackson describes a past edition that included dandelions.