Fantôme de Noël Brewed by Brasserie Fantôme -
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
A very dark and entirely unique holiday seasonal beer, at a whopping 10% alc. by volume. Reportedly spiced with honey, caramel, coriander, black pepper, and other secret ingredients. The alcohol content probably goes a long way toward explaining that very warm and satisfied feeling one finds on the very first sip. A rich, dark-flavored beer with lots of deep-roasted chocolate malt, but still fairly dry, with a hint of sourness at the core. It is very spicy, with some winter spruce flavor in the bargain. The wild yeast sourness also adds to its welcoming character.
This guy is as spicy and yeasty as any winter ale I've had. There is a faint mustiness/funk in the nose. there is a faint braggot taste/style to this. Honey and yeast is present with tons of carbonation. It is corked and capped. When the cap, that took almost no force to remove, was removed there was a few seconds spent staring at the cork slowly rising from its home. I stood there mesmerized by the sight. A loud BANG followed by a gusher of beer brought me out of my stupor. To say this beer is carbonated is an understatement.