A few nifty newbies this week. The fall seasonals are starting to roll in. Seems earlier than last year and last year seemed earlier than the year before. There’s a Christmas-at-the-mall-after-Labor-Day thing going on here. We’re particularly excited about Fantôme Pissenlit, made from dandelions.

Dany, the offbeat brewer at Fantôme, will try anything, and the results are always interesting. A beer made from dandelions would be worth a try if only because no one has ever brewed one before, but the great news is that this is actually a very good beer.Dany and some cohorts get busy every spring picking bushels of dandelions that grow in the fields around the picturesque farmhouse brewery. The yellow flowers are removed and dried in the sun, then soaked in water for a few days. The thick, dark dandelion “tea” that results is the basis for the Pissenlit, which is made also from traditional barley malt and hops. It resembles a classic saison beer – golden spritzy brew, strong and very flavorful, with a good hop bite. You may have to strain to taste the dandelions, but you know they’re in there.“Pissenlit” is the French word for dandelion. Literally, it means “pee in bed,” which we guess describes the physical effect the flower has on French-speaking persons.

CANTILLON Cuveé de Champions
CANTILLON Kriek
CANTILLON Lou Pepe Gueze ’06
FANTÔME Saison
FANTÔME Pissenlit
NEW HOLLAND Ichabod Pumpkin Ale
OSKAR BLUES Mama’s Little Yella Pils (cans)