Is Fantome "back"?

[beeraroundtown1]

Thanks for the heads up, I better do a sweep of the city this week if I strike out there.

John's market has Hiver and possibly Pissenlit. Mongers is sold out on Sur Lie, but I think still has some Pissenlit. If you see any others around let me know. The recent batch of Chocolat is excellent as well.

 

[TheeWalrusHunter]

Yeah I picked my bottle up at the Mongers too.

 

[greg4579]

Just wanted to give a shoutout to chefduff2 for distributing a box of Tomes to some Pittsburgh TB'ers. Looking forward to Dessert Ghost and Artist2!

 

[MooseLang]

Very interested to start hearing everybody's thoughts on Artist 2. Typically, dark Tomes scare me away.

But, as always, I'm curious.

 

[user 305963]

Cross post with DDT. Considerable pop when uncorking. Perfect level of carb for me. As mentioned above about Sur Lie, I get a lot of strawberries both on the nose and flavor. Fairly sweet with that typical Tome funk. Love it

 

[regularjohn]

Cross post with DDT. Considerable pop when uncorking. Perfect level of carb for me. As mentioned above about Sur Lie, I get a lot of strawberries both on the nose and flavor. Fairly sweet with that typical Tome funk. Love it

 

[rjose]

I have them all in stock for around $12 with my discount. Lots of trades/shipping in the works lmk if you want to do a little something something. I have Pissenlit, Saison and Dark White at the moment.

Where's your store? I can't find any Saison currently.

 

[stakem1]

I love Fantome, that goes without saying. I also have the utmost appreciation to the folks who assisted in getting this into my mouth. You know who you are, I tagged you at least twice, once was within the hour in the DDT.

Having said that, this is a tome i just dont get. I had to drink the entire bottle just to wrap my head around it. It was not bad by any stretch, it was just not my jam and very bleh by the standard i hold tomes up to. Nose opened up with cracked pepper, orange rinds and melons. Taste is green underdeveloped yeastiness, vegetative, clove, pear, melons, cracked pepper and is even a bit soapy with some phenols dancing around the edges.

I regret opening it. Probably would have enjoyed it more once the young feel went away. Im a little concerned because thats the general feeling ive had with a couple releases the past couple months. This is just a phase Stakem....just a phase.

 

[skrip]

I love Fantome, that goes without saying. I also have the utmost appreciation to the folks who assisted in getting this into my mouth. You know who you are, I tagged you at least twice, once was within the hour in the DDT.

Having said that, this is a tome i just dont get. I had to drink the entire bottle just to wrap my head around it. It was not bad by any stretch, it was just not my jam and very bleh by the standard i hold tomes up to. Nose opened up with cracked pepper, orange rinds and melons. Taste is green underdeveloped yeastiness, vegetative, clove, pear, melons, cracked pepper and is even a bit soapy with some phenols dancing around the edges.

I regret opening it. Probably would have enjoyed it more once the young feel went away. Im a little concerned because thats the general feeling ive had with a couple releases the past couple months. This is just a phase Stakem....just a phase.

i got a bit of unripe mangos but nothing too vegetative or off putting. definitely a lot of black pepper but very bright and slightly tart as well. a little soapy i could see but that doesn't usually bother me.

 

[stakem1]

i got a bit of unripe mangos but nothing too vegetative or off putting. definitely a lot of black pepper but very bright and slightly tart as well. a little soapy i could see but that doesn't usually bother me.

I might have to write this one off as tometastic bottle variation because my experience was far from bright or tart. In fact, the first glass I drank while cool was the most plain tasting tome ive experienced im a very long time. The taste was almost void of flavor until it warmed up.

 

[MooseLang]

I sound like a broken record, but every single Tome I've purchased over the past couple years was not great when I opened it after getting it. Yeasty, clovey, like stakem mentions. Then, you open your second bottle 6-8 months later, and it's amazing. A completely different beast.

This happened to me with batches of Saison, Dark White, Pissenlit, Printemps, Dalmatienne, Tonka...and the list goes on and on.

Only outliers I've had were B1 De Tous les Djapes and Desert Ghost. They were great off the bat.

Bottom line, sit on every new Tome for at least 6 months. They aren't ready yet.


(On the bright side, maybe this will keep people turned off from Tomes like the smokey phenolic thing did a few years ago. I mean, we can't have everyone know how good they become)

 

[Evahflow]

I sound like a broken record, but every single Tome I've purchased over the past couple years was not great when I opened it after getting it. Yeasty, clovey, like stakem mentions. Then, you open your second bottle 6-8 months later, and it's amazing. A completely different beast.

This happened to me with batches of Saison, Dark White, Pissenlit, Printemps, Dalmatienne, Tonka...and the list goes on and on.

Only outliers I've had were B1 De Tous les Djapes and Desert Ghost. They were great off the bat.

Bottom line, sit on every new Tome for at least 6 months. They aren't ready yet.


(On the bright side, maybe this will keep people turned off from Tomes like the smokey phenolic thing did a few years ago. I mean, we can't have everyone know how good they become)

I've had the same experience. I don't think they are sitting on shelves as long as they used to. Also ordering from etre I feel like we're getting fairly fresh beer. Everything I've ordered has tasted that way. Even Blaugies saisons. I agree with the 6+ months waiting time. I feel like most of the newer releases are getting to the states within 2 months of being brewed. Not enough time in the bottle.

 

[beeraroundtown1]

Hmmm, desert ghost was the best fresh tome I've had since Tonka. Bottle variation!?!.

This last Bris was not my jam fresh, struggled on that one.

Thanks to the extreme generosity of mrk_d I'm getting to try Artist2, can't wait!

Sante 20 some day unless west coast customs had their way.

 

[user 305963]

I love Fantome, that goes without saying. I also have the utmost appreciation to the folks who assisted in getting this into my mouth. You know who you are, I tagged you at least twice, once was within the hour in the DDT.

Having said that, this is a tome i just dont get. I had to drink the entire bottle just to wrap my head around it. It was not bad by any stretch, it was just not my jam and very bleh by the standard i hold tomes up to. Nose opened up with cracked pepper, orange rinds and melons. Taste is green underdeveloped yeastiness, vegetative, clove, pear, melons, cracked pepper and is even a bit soapy with some phenols dancing around the edges.

I regret opening it. Probably would have enjoyed it more once the young feel went away. Im a little concerned because thats the general feeling ive had with a couple releases the past couple months. This is just a phase Stakem....just a phase.

 

[DWhite]

I like the 6 month rule myself. It's hard to find these bottles enough for me buying two of each isn't feasible. So to best enjoy a bottle I only get one of I'm going to wait at least 6 months before I open. The last regular saison I found on the shelf and opened that night I feel could have used more time in the bottle.

 

[regularjohn]

out of the kindness of my heart i'll take a bottle for science. there is no way they're all bad

 

[TheeWalrusHunter]

Well I picked up a bottle of Chocolate. Honestly it sounds disgusting. I am determined to understand what the **** this is all about and the only way to know is to go balls deep into the ghost den.

chili chocolate saison? kill me.

 

[regularjohn]

chili chocolate saison? kill me.

i liked coffee ruby so i would probably crush that chocolate

 

[tosh1]

Well I picked up a bottle of Chocolate. Honestly it sounds disgusting. I am determined to understand what the **** this is all about and the only way to know is to go balls deep into the ghost den.

chili chocolate saison? kill me.

Open, enjoy(ish), likely never buy again.

Nothing in it to stop future purchases, but I am not stocking up.

 

[TheeWalrusHunter]

Open, enjoy(ish), likely never buy again.

Nothing in it to stop future purchases, but I am not stocking up.

I think you just described 95% of my beer purchases.

 

[tosh1]

i liked coffee ruby so i would probably crush that chocolate

Kk 'nother bottle to buy this week.

 

[regularjohn]

Kk 'nother bottle to buy this week.

 

[tosh1]

I need to send you the list of sht that is turding it up. Srs.

 

[Evahflow]

Coffee Ruby was easily the worst Fantome I've ever had. Just tasted like really bitter stale extremely over roasted coffee. I wouldn't be surprised if there were good bottles of it out there since that's the fantome way. I just find it hard to believe any good qualities Fantome is known for could come through the Dark bitter burt flavors in it.

 

[beeraroundtown1]

Coffee Ruby was easily the worst Fantome I've ever had. Just tasted like really bitter stale extremely over roasted coffee. I wouldn't be surprised if there were good bottles of it out there since that's the fantome way. I just find it hard to believe any good qualities Fantome is known for could come through the Dark bitter burt flavors in it.

US or Belgian bottles? Original or Coffee Ruby Dark? The first bottles of Coffee Ruby I got from Etre were great, the dark not as good, but still nice. Didn't try any of the US releases though.

 

[Evahflow]

US or Belgian bottles? Original or Coffee Ruby Dark? The first bottles of Coffee Ruby I got from Etre were great, the dark not as good, but still nice. Didn't try any of the US releases though.

I've had both versions Original was from Belgium Dark was US off a shelf. Tasted the same to me. I've had lots of people tell me it's good though. Tome Roulette

 

[thunderbirdesq]

Coffee Ruby was easily the worst Fantome I've ever had. Just tasted like really bitter stale extremely over roasted coffee. I wouldn't be surprised if there were good bottles of it out there since that's the fantome way. I just find it hard to believe any good qualities Fantome is known for could come through the Dark bitter burt flavors in it.

I just opened one the other day, it was excellent tons of cherry and caramel, a bit of roast, not stale or acrid. Coffee was present but nowhere near what you describe. Kind of Flanders Red/english brown ale blend thing going on.

 

[Evahflow]

I just opened one the other day, it was excellent tons of cherry and caramel, a bit of roast, not stale or acrid. Coffee was present but nowhere near what you describe. Kind of Flanders Red/english brown ale blend thing going on.

Wish I got a bottle that was like that. I'll have to pick one up if I ever see them again.

 

[lazerviking]

I just opened one the other day, it was excellent tons of cherry and caramel, a bit of roast, not stale or acrid. Coffee was present but nowhere near what you describe. Kind of Flanders Red/english brown ale blend thing going on.

This has also been my experience.

 

[Dunt1]

Coffee Ruby was easily the worst Fantome I've ever had. Just tasted like really bitter stale extremely over roasted coffee. I wouldn't be surprised if there were good bottles of it out there since that's the fantome way. I just find it hard to believe any good qualities Fantome is known for could come through the Dark bitter burt flavors in it.

The Coffee Ruby's I've opened have been excellent. Coffee Ruby and Hyper Predator are about as good as I think you'll experience for a coffee saison.