I’ve been waiting on this beer.

Well-carbonated, by not overly so. Thick, billowy head with some excellent retention. Lace works nicely close to the body of the beer.

There’s quite a lot of sweetness here, and that’s entirely appropriate if this is a Tripel, and simultaneously a little jarring if this is a Fantôme, Saison/Farmhouse.

At the outset the tastes just seem generically sweet, then shortly afterwards thye become more tropical in nature then they flip again to a more specifically noticeable peach. Quite pronounced. Alcohol is advertised at 9%, and it definitely drinks a little higher than some Fantôme beer – good for a ‘Tripel’. It has a prickly carbonation which is welcome, appropriate, and stylistically pleasing, and invokes a certain level of spice/heat. VERY interesting that it goes well beyond the normal white-pepper of classic Tripels.

Incredibly, incredibly interesting beer that is exciting to me, and delicious. Definitely elevated to the top few of my favorite Fantôme beers of all time. The famous funk might be the most reserved it ever has been, with the Tripel notes fighting against it. That may suggest a conflict of sorts, but its much closer to a complement rather than indicating any strife. I think that this beer informs us about Tripels that are far more traditional, and at the same time pushes those boundaries. That feels like a huge achievement to me.

This beer is a triumph, if somewhat atypically Fantôme. It’s feasible that some “Fantôme purists” – is that an oxymoron? – may disapprove; I on the other hand, find it both delightful and essential.