Style: Saison
Brewery: Brasserie Fantome
Origin: Belgium
Size: 75cl
Alcohol: 8%
Price: 98kr
Systembolaget: 10527
Fantôme was founded in 1988 by Dany Prignon and is a small brewery based in Soy, Wallonia, Belgium. It produces just saisons, which is a type of farmhouse ale that originates from that region. The brewery is named after the legend of the ghost of the long-dead Countess Berthe de La Roche, who can still be seen walking amidst the ruins of the town’s castle. They only produce 750L batches at one time, using old equipment obtained from the Brasserie d’Achouffe, who are known for making Chouffe beers. As this tasting was being held on Halloween tasting, I thought this ghost labelled bottle would be the perfect start!
This was almost clear gold in colour, with a thick bubble bath head that held for a fair amount of time. The aroma was pleasant but light, with notes of herbs, hay and apricot all found. The beer was well carbonated, with a fizz that continued all the way through the sample. The taste was similar to the aroma, with the straw, light stone fruit, lemon, wool and spices all rounded off with a farmyard funk. The aftertaste was quite short, but left the mouth pleasantly dry.
This is the epitome of how I would expect a saison to be. Lively yet light, the fresh aromas and taste were delicate but still robust enough to hold their own on the palate. This was an exceptional saison and I understand why this brewery receives so much praise. This was a winner and a great way to start the tasting.