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Fantôme Brewery

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Coordinates: 50°17′08″N 5°30′40″E / 50.285549°N 5.511057°E / 50.285549; 5.511057
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Brasserie Fantôme
IndustryAlcoholic beverage
Founded1988
FounderDany Prignon
Headquarters
Soy, Érezée
,
Belgium
ProductsBeer
Production output
approximately 240 hL[1]
OwnerDany Prignon
Websitewww.fantome.be

Fantôme (Brasserie Fantôme) is a small brewery in Soy, Wallonia, Belgium. Founded in 1988 by Dany Prignon, it produces Saison, a type of farmhouse ale.

General

The brewery occupies a modest stone farmhouse on the main road through the village of Soy in the Marche-en-Famenne district of Luxembourg province

Founded in 1988, Brasserie Fantôme has gained international attention[2] and a cult following among lovers of craft beers.[3] Owned and run by Dany Prignon, Fantôme is known for its unique variations on the Saison style of farmhouse ale,[4] often involving the use of herbs, spices or fruit juice. Within the craft beer community, Fantome saisons are considered highly desirable and have developed a significant audience in the United States and United Kingdom. Ironically, while their complex, earthy, and herbal flavors have caused them to be sought out by connoisseurs outside Belgium,[5] Fantôme's products are difficult to find and not well known in the country of their origin.

The name of the brewery stems from a legend of the nearby town of La Roche-en-Ardenne, which asserts that the ghost of the long-dead Countess Berthe de La Roche can still be seen walking amidst the ruins of the town's castle.

There is a small bar adjacent to the brewery that is primarily open on weekends and for special occasions. Tours of the facility can be arranged by reservation as well.

Guided tour with the brewmaster, April 2010. The brick-insulated mash tun can be seen in the background

Production

The brewery's equipment, much of which was obtained from the original brewhouse of the Brasserie d'Achouffe, is capable of producing only one 750 liter batch at a time, which is matured in cylindro-conical fermenters and aged for several weeks before being hand bottled and labeled on the premises. Beer is made about once per week, with many of the specialties being produced only once per year.[6] Fantôme's products are available only in corked and capped 750ml bottles of green glass and on tap.

The brewery's cylindro-conical fermentation tanks.

Beers

  • Fantôme Saison (8.0% ABV), their flagship product, a fruity, strong take on the Saison style.[7] Described as "Intense — maybe too intense — flavors of orange, peach and strawberry; a lot going on."[8]
  • Saison d' Erezee (varies from 6.0% - 9.0% ABV) A quarterly product named for the season (Printemps - Été - Automne - Hiver) that varies in its formulation each year
  • Fantôme Chocolat (8.0% ABV), made with chocolate
  • Fantôme Speciale Noel (10.0% ABV), a Christmas beer with a spicy character
  • Fantôme Brise-BonBons! (8.0% ABV), a particularly hoppy beer
  • Fantôme Pissenlit (8.0% ABV) made with dandelions, literally "wet the bed" in French. Described as "highly spicy with touches of pepper and slight grass and floral notes, a touch of lemon-lime citrus."[9]
  • Fantôme Black Ghost (8.0% ABV) A dark beer whose formulation has changed over time.
  • Fantôme Strange Ghost (8.0% ABV)
  • Fantôme La Dalmatienne (8.0% ABV) An amber-colored winter offering.
  • Fantôme BBB Babillard (8.0% ABV) Produced based on the results of a members' poll from a popular online beer enthusiast forum.[10]

In addition to those listed above, there are many special and one-time products made at the whim of the brewmaster. Custom beers have been made on commission for bars, such as the Circus Fantôme created for the now-closed Beer Circus in Croydon, UK, or on behalf of charity, like the Fantôme Santé.

References

  1. ^ Beer Me! — Brasserie Fantôme — Soy, Luxembourg, Belgium
  2. ^ [1] Food & Wine, Summer Drinks Report by Ray Isle, May 2006. "Brasserie Fantôme, founded in 1988, has become widely known for its robust, spicy ales"
  3. ^ [2] Gourmet Magazine, Wine+Spirits+Beers, "Eight Great Saison Beers", article by Joshua M. Bernstein, 06/18/09. "Located in Belgium’s southeastern French-speaking-region of Wallonia (where saison was first produced), this tiny brewery has attracted a cult following thanks to its subversive use of herbs and spices."
  4. ^ TastingBeers.com International Focus article "Beer Country (Belgium)" by Charles D. Cook, Paragraph Publishing Ltd. Copyright 1999-2009
  5. ^ [3] Oakland Tribune article "A Tale of Two Beers: Rochefort 10 and Fantome Saison" by William Brand. Article launched 09/09/2008."...absolutely tiny and famous only among beer geeks..."
  6. ^ Kenning, David (2005). "Belgian Beers". Beers of the World. Bath, UK: Parragon Publishing. p. 161. ISBN 1-4054-5050-9.
  7. ^ [4] Michael Jackson's "The Beer Hunter", published in print 04/01/91, online 09/02/08. "In the Belgian province of Luxembourg, in the Ardennes village of Soy, a new micro-brewery called Fantome is making very fruity, strong, seasonal beers in loosely this style."
  8. ^ New York Times article "ALES OF THE TIMES: Chug This? Shame on You" by Eric Asimov, October 13, 2004
  9. ^ BellaOnline article "Pleasurable Saison & Belgian Beauty" by Beer and Brewing Editor Carolyn Smagalski
  10. ^ All About Beer Magazine "The Expanded List of Must-Taste Beers" Volume 24 Number 3, May 2003

50°17′08″N 5°30′40″E / 50.285549°N 5.511057°E / 50.285549; 5.511057

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