The first beer up for review is the Belgian artisanal ale known as the Fantome de Noel. Starting with this beer is similar to starting a blog about great ancient cities with a post on Rome, it's grandeur and mysterious nature is hard to beat. This 10% ALC seasonal winter brew falls under the flavorful "saison" or farmhouse style. It is produced by the Fantome brewery located deep in the Ardennes forest of Belgium where ghosts, elves, foxes and other creatures use herbs, exotic spices, and other ingredients to produce adventurous brews that sync with the seasons.
The Fantome de Noel is a dark chestnut brown with a mellow head that features subtle, tiny little bubbles. The flavor is fruity and spicy with just a touch of sourness that adds yet another angle to the already oaky, warm, and complex brew. The high alcohol content is masked dangerously well by the dark fruit, spice, subtle sourness, and ghostly magic. The body is fairly thin and features a delicate carbonation that Santa surely loves. Overall this is a truly excellent beer no matter what season you are in!
Grade: A
I will serve this instead of eggnog next Christmas!
ReplyDelete