The two most popular candidates for dark energy, i.e. a cosmological constant and quintessence, are very difficult to distinguish observationally, mostly because the quintessence field does not have sizable fluctuations. We study a scalar field model for dark energy in which the scalar field is invariant under reflection symmetry, phi -> -phi. Under general assumptions, there is a phase transition at late times (z < 0.5). Before the phase transition, the field behaves as a cosmological constant. After the phase transition, a time-dependent scalar condensate forms, the field couples with dark matter and develops sizable perturbations tracking those of dark matter. The background cosmological evolution is in agreement with existing observations, but might be distinguished from that of a cosmological constant by future Supernovae surveys. The growth of cosmological perturbations carries the imprint of the phase transition, however a non-linear approach has to be developed in order to study it quantitatively.

6 pages, 7 figures. References added. Discussion on the early evolution of the field added. Matches the version to appear on PRD