2010 Brouwerij Boon Geuze Mariage Parfait

Community Tasting Notes (2) Avg Score: 95 points

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  11/20/2021 - forceberry wrote: 95 Points

  A blend of vintage-dated lambic brewed in 2010 (95%) that is slightly stronger than a typical lambic (8% ABV) and young, still fermenting lambic (5%) that gives the beer its carbonation. The base beer is fermented spontaneously and then aged in old oak foudres for three years. Bottled on 12th of September 2013, best by 12th of September 2033. 8% alcohol. Tasted along with 15 other Gueuzes.
  
  Luminous, fully clear and quite pale amber color. Pungent, somewhat restrained and quite funky nose with aromas of ammonia, grainy malt, some lemony citrus fruit, a little bit of phenolic spice, light crunchy notes of ripe green apple, a hint of evolved caramel character and a developed touch of dried fruits and bruised apple. The beer feels dry, tart and medium-bodied on the palate with a quite crisp carbonation and slightly restrained flavors of bretty leather and farmhouse funk, some tobacco, a little bit of sweet grainy malt, light fruity notes of ripe yet tangy winter apple, a hint of honeyed richness and a touch of stable floor. Moderately high sourness and no perceptible hop bitterness. The finish is juicy, long and wonderfully complex with rather pronounced sourness and somewhat funky flavors of old leather, some ripe winter apple, a little bit of oxidative caramel character, light evolved notes of dried fruits and honey, a hint of grainy malt and a touch of barnyard.
  
  A beautiful, complex and wonderfully balanced Gueuze that is on a completely different level compared to the regular Boon Oude Geuze. This beer shows noticeably more complexity with slightly silkier acidity, whereas the normal Oude Geuze feels leaner with more emphasis on hop bitterness. Although this beer is almost completely identical to Boon Vat 79 (composed of 85% lambic aged for three years in a single foudre and 15% new lambic), this beer didn't show as much depth and concentration as the Vat 79 bottling - which makes sense to bottle that specific vat separately from the main Mariage Parfait blend. Nevertheless, this is a fantastic lambic by any standards and although it might feel slightly underwhelming in intensity compared to the likes of Cantillon and Hanssens Artisanaal, this is easily at the same level in quality. Consistently one of my favorite Gueuzes and simply ridiculous value at 3,49€ for a 0,375-liter bottle.

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  5/21/2015 - forceberry wrote: 95 Points

  A blend of vintage-dated 3-years old lambic (95%) that is stronger than is typical (8% ABV) with a tiny addition of young, still fermenting lambic (5%) giving the beer its carbonation.
  
  Slightly hazy concentrated yellow color with orange highlights. Big, frothy and short-lived white head. Lots of aromas typical of old lambic: ammonia (think of cooking kidneys), rustic bretty aromas of cow manure, lemony tartness, some bruised apple and a hint of old, cracking leather. Bone-dry and sour palate with flavors of remarkable intensity: sweet peaches and apricots, bretty notes reminiscent of sweet leather and even vanilla, some phenolic spiciness and hints of ripe lemon. Hop bitterness and aromatics are completely absent, typical of the style. Quite rich carbonation with pronounced, but not overtly tart sourness, giving the beer surprisingly easily approachable character. Very long, wild and complex finish with green apple sourness, a little vegetal greenness, some farmhousey manure notes, hints of cream and dried old wood and a touch of leather. The aftertaste is surprisingly crisp and refreshing, which might be hard to believe after all those adjectives.
  
  A truly wonderful, interesting, complex and delicious gueuze with remarkable intensity and concentration. Truly a meditation beer, but not without cellaring - these beers can easily withstand decades of cellaring, so a beer as unique as this won't be hitting its stride before 10 years of age. Get a case of these and forget them in your cellar for some years! At 3,49€ for a half bottle (37,5 cl) this is one of the best beer purchases there is.

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