Very limited.
Fantome flys in to St. Louis! - Very, very, rare...
The Fantome "Phantom" beer is as elusive as the name suggests. The importer, Shelton Brothers, have no idea when or what they will get from Fantome. They just take what shows up at their door. The brewer, Dany Prignon, is apparently one of the most eccentric brewers in the world. I have only had the chance to taste a beer from Fantome once before, and that was thanks to Dylan at "33" Wine Bar who had a bottle he bought in Florida (I think). It was a strange and intriguing brew that made you feel privileged to have a chance to taste. It is a beer you want to try with friends and be able to discuss.
"Fantôme’s brewer, Dany Prignon, is a lively character who breaks all the rules when it comes to brewing with special ingredients. (How many other brewers have made a mushroom beer?) In fact, not all of his experiments are a success, but every beer is at least interesting and recall the early days of Belgian brewing.
Fantôme Seasonal Beers – The mysterious Fantôme brewer is always at work coo
king up another unique beer, often using secret herbs, spices, and fruits to evoke the current season. The recipes are never the same from year to year....The Winter beers are dark ruby red confections, with strong, malty flavors and are relatively straight-forward, without any notable trace of the phantom’s usual trickery." -- Shelton BrothersFantome Hiver...$12.99 / 750ml
"Fantome's winter offering, available December through March or so. Brewer Dany Prignon changes his recipes every year, so we can't so for sure what this year's beer will be like, but it is sure to please lovers of Dany's beers." -- importer
Fantome Noel...$12.99 / 750ml
"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. “Beautifully warming with an amazing, almost overwhelming, depth of character. Well balanced bittersweet, fruity ale which must surely be the ultimate winter warmer.” (The Beers of Wallonia.) Both authors of The Beers of Wallonia also give this Noël beer perfect 10’s. 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." -- importer
