Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait - Brouwerij Boon

DoubleJ

California

3.5/5  rDev -15%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

2003 Vintage! On-tap at Beachwood BBQ, on to the beer:

Pale orange in color with no head on the pour. Perhaps the age has taken the wind out of the head. Fruity and tart in the nose, like the aroma of sweettarts. That's something I like. The beer tastes like it was made awhile back; it's very low in carbonation, the acidity is greatly faded, and overall the flavor is mellower. Perhaps I enjoy the pucker of a fresh gueuze greater than the mellowness of an aged one, but I had higher hopes for this 8 year old Mariage Parfait.

Serving type: on-tap

09-12-2011 05:04:28 | More by DoubleJ

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Happy Gnone in MN.

Pours a clear amber/light orange, nice and bright, thin white head forms and quickly settles down to a thin ring around the glass, a few spots stick.

Smell is nice, apple cider, light and funky, ice wine sweetness, grapes, light acidity, some lemon rind, barnyard and some hay, lightly tart, alright.

Taste is similar, nice but plain, acidic up front lemons and a bit of astringent wood, grapes and ice wine, apple cider, hay, barnyard funkiness, ABV is well hidden.

Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with low carbonation, a touch of acetic character. Not a bad gueuze but lacks complexity.

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2011 17:18:42 | More by Viggo

spointon

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this one on tap, served in a wine glass at Binny's South Loop in Chicago on 8/1/2009.

A= This ale poured a cloudy orange color with gold and tan highlights. The foamy white head poured just 3/4" and quickly dropped to a thin ring. In fact, the carbonation all seemed to slowly leave this ale so by the time I was down to my last sip it was barely carbed. Just a couple spots of lace on my glass.

S= Pretty aromatic (pleasantly so) with notes of sourness, orchard fruit, esters, malt, and musty yeast. The sourness was sour without being all vinegar.

T= Much like the smell with the dominant flavors of course being the musty/barnyard yeast and a general sourness. I'll mention again though that the sourness was not painfull or full of too much vinegar. The middle was full of fruity flavors like apple, pear, and maybe a hint of tart cherry. The malts were soft but sweet enough to take some edge off the sourness. Finish was tart and dry with a lingering sense of wild yeast funk.

MF= Light side of medium bodied with a carbonation level that started out crisp and by the end of the glass was vert soft. Overall very refreshing and thirst quenching though.

D= I liked this beer a lot, but will freely admit it was my first gueuze so I have little frame of reference. Still, it was pretty easy to drink, the sourness was there but not overpowering, the ABV stayed very well hidden, and it was quite refreshing. An excellent beer!

Serving type: on-tap

08-02-2009 22:05:37 | More by spointon

Bierguy5

Ohio

4.47/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at The Map Room in Chicago. Menu states 8% ABV. Served in a wine glass. Pours a slightly hazy golden/peach color. Thin white ring of foam holds well for a while.

Sour, lactic, and slightly funky nose. Not overly wild, but still enough to bring the funk in a bit. A few citrusy notes seem to creep in at the end.

Tart up front, without being puckering. Fairly dry. A nice earthy component, with a bit of funk. Tartness is balanced rather well, as this really comes across as being refreshing, despite the ABV.

Medium body, with low carbonation. Very well balanced. Outstanding.

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2009 11:25:50 | More by Bierguy5

beertooth

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

On tap at the Maproom served in a 10oz wine glass.

This beer is a soft pumpkin color with a thin layer of pocked white head.

I'm getting a lot of wood in the nose and some milky sourness. Maybe some sour peach or old oranges too. Some musty wood too.

The first sip gives me a lot of acidic peach, bretty funk, and maybe a little green tea. Very dry and refreshing and a little enamel stripping.

Mouthfeel is a little thinner than I would like or expect, but that's fine.

I wouldn't pass this beer up if you find it on tap. I've yet to come across a bottle of it, but when I do I will pick it up.

Serving type: on-tap

05-02-2009 21:52:17 | More by beertooth

malcontent

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Into a chalice, pours a darker-than-straw golden with hardly any head to speak of. Nothing groundbreaking here.

Nose is a big improvement with all those great funky horseblanket/Camembert aromas I love in a gueuze.

Big rush of quinine and bitter lime peel dominate until being supplanted by a hint of sherry vinegar. Aftertaste is a slightly metallic slant on tarragon. Exactly why I love this style.

Somewhat listless although the appearance warned me of this. Definitely a sipper; the person I went out with took a sip and quipped, "I'd need to pair this with food." I feel exactly the opposite, as this shares everything in common with great Italian aperitifs. It whets your appetite, makes your stomach rumbles and gets your taste buds salivating. Enjoyed at the Long Room.

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2009 15:34:06 | More by malcontent

rtepiak

Poland

4.13/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pour is apple juice with no murkiness. and some head that dissipated of stuck right to the glass as lace. smell is sour as expected. then complex floral. an arrangement. iris, water lilly are the only one's that noticed. a back bone of watered down watermelon. taste is particularly sour. the finish was particularly bitter. finish has a cognac in the malt with a woody finish that seems the grunt of the bitter. i'm not a florist but its sort of a life time of flower arranging. had it again about 3 weeks later and the beer seems to have a gasoline odor to it almost. light wood sweet from the malt. pollen in the late here after once the keg had sat around a bit. .

next time i should have it a bit warmer. as it does mellow out and have a more... pollen finish.

Serving type: on-tap

03-28-2009 05:34:15 | More by rtepiak

Halcyondays

California

4.1/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours goldenrod with a mild bubbly white head, fair retention, nothing special to look at.

S: Great banyard funk, fermented apples, sweat, champagne grapes.

T: Similar in a lot of way to the original Gueze Boon, but seems more refined, the flavours aren't as out there. Horse blankets and wool form the main flavour with light sourdough malt, acidity and sour fruit. Quite complex.

M: Acidic, but it is quite light, seems thin at times, easy to drink.

D: A nice tasty lambic from Boon, another winner, just wish it wasn't so pricey.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2008 23:24:32 | More by Halcyondays

smakawhat

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from the 750ml bottle into a tulip glass. Vintage 2009. Huge forceful pop off the cork, nearly takes my hand right off

A real looker of a beer. Nearly crystal clear, with apricot pale orange like amber body. A roaring middle column of fire of carbonation in the middle. Head is very frothy and soapy, bleach white with two fingers but always populate with large bubbles from the side glass carbonation. Aggressive, colorful, always keeps a white creamy collar, nearly perfect.

Classic nose of earth wild funky yeast. Dry, a little bit of pepper sense. A bit one dimensional, but also a real solid classic geuze aroma. Not much else to say.

Palate hits with a light body presence. Not quite wet but lots of effervescent almost soda dioxide aftertaste. Mid palate brings large dry earth, with a quick finish and fleeting taste. Not much fruit character, but a light acidic quality and quick pepper in the mid palate. Oak aging doesn't seem obvious due to it's light character but is an easy drinker.

Overall a real easy drinking solid geuze with hints of simplicity, but not much diversity, complexity or extremes either.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 00:35:58 | More by smakawhat

MCImes

Minnesota

4.91/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

A- Geuze-y. They all look pretty similar. Golden color, medium-high carb. What do

S- Apricot, peach, lots of apple, pear, other white fruits. Funk.

T- This is one of my favoriet Geuzes. It is perfectly balanced IMO. It is sour without being biting. It has just enough residual sweetness to balance the sour. The white fruits just come pouring through every sip. This is a perfect palette cleanser. I love drinking it with steak, good cheese, or a salad (like a apple, candied walnut, bacon, cheddar, vinaigrette on spring greens...yummy). This is a very mellow geuze while still being packed with funky Belgian goodness and just the right amount of sourness. Its one of my all time favorites that isnt too hard to find.

M- enough residual sugar to perfectly balance the sourness.

O- I think it deserves higher than the 92 it has right now. Im aging some from 2007 and its drinking sooo nice. Be sure to drink it at 55-65*. It gets worse as it gets colder. The younger stuff is good too, but it just gets better with time.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 17:42:42 | More by MCImes

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

4.09/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

2009 vintage.

Beer is clear golden amber in colour, with a large white head. Fades steadily.

Smell is funky and yeasty. Smells a bit of apple, as well as hay. Maybe a touch of honey.

Taste is good, but not as nice as the nose. Tart, funky and very dry. Some green apple and a bit of white pepper.

Light bodied, strongly carbonated, quite astringent.

Overall, a decent geuze, but not a great one.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 19:05:38 | More by jrenihan

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5

A-Glowing but murky. Big head that dies to a thinner layer. Freckles of lacing.

S-Funky and Gueuzey. Impending tartness.

T-Not too aggressive with the tartness. More musty than tart. Its one of the more agreeable versions of the Gueuze.

M-Drinks far too easy for a Gueuze with such a high ABV. Drinks like the usual 5% Gueuze...with a bit more body and lingering effect.

O/D-Pretty neat. If I am going to have this style, I want it to be offensively puckering. This is more subdued; especially at its ABV.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 03:21:44 | More by VelvetExtract

lackenhauser

Maryland

4.2/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

2007 vintage with a best by date of 2030!!! Nice, deep orange color with a decent fluffy white head. Sharp and tart aroma-grassy and apple like. Very tart flavor with a nice apple/pear flavor-almost cider like. Spicy and peppery. Very smooth mouthfeel-the tartness and effervescence is rather subdued I am suprised. Nice grain like quality. A great beer for sure. Had my first geuze 20 odd years ago and certainly didnt "get it" then. This is just a great beer and a great experience.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 21:26:45 | More by lackenhauser

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a Local Option cervoise.

2009 vintage. I popped this bottle with a friend of mine who's soon to tie the knot, a sort of toast to good tidings and good futures. It pours a hazy sunset amber topped by a finger of off-white foam. The nose comprises mild mandarin orange, white wine grapes (pretty close to Chardonnay), light vanilla, and a smattering of very light cobweb. The taste brings in more of the same, with a good amount of the inherent funk seeping into the mandarin orange character. The body is a light-leaning medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a dry, sticky finish. Overall, a very nice gueuze, hopefully a glass of healthy portents for my buddy and his lady.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 06:03:17 | More by TMoney2591

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.16/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2009 vintage. this beer is outstanding, thanks to my rare beer club for hooking this up. a real treat. it pours a radiant orangey yellow color, hazy, but not nearly as much as some others. the head is over two inches tall, and leaves excellent lacing. the nose is sour and punchy, just how I like it. not as complex as some, but still a lot going on with a lemony acid profile and a floral sort of yeast that goes well with the souring agents. the flavor is just like the nose, very straightforward gueuze. im picking up a little more oak in this than I usually do, which I think helps the sour set in and make a little bigger impression. its very refreshing, and it hides its strength incredibly well. im surprised at its elegance, being as big as it is. I think the age has mellowed it just a bit, as the carbonation isn't quite as effervescent as it probably was. but the relaxed feel really works for me, and the light body helps it stay drinkable. overall an excellent example of the style, it has that perfect sour funk profile that is just right for this time of year. this one is a winner, worthy of seeking out. could see giving it another 10 years or so too...

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 20:58:10 | More by StonedTrippin

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4.04/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2007 vintage. Poured from a bottle into a Duvel tulip. The pour is clear, dark gold with a large rocky-looking sudsy head that dissipates quickly. Lots of sour notes on the nose. Apple cider vinegar and cedar predominate. Upon swirling, some funky barnyard notes start to rise.

The beer has a light body and very dry, tart flavor. Lots of acidity here, but still pleasant to drink. The acidity is pretty well-balanced by the alcohol. The beer doesn't taste boozy at all, but the alcohol smooths out the flavors and provide additional body. Up front, the beer has a nice, crisp wheat-like graininess, but the fruit and wine-like sour notes march in and combine with it very well. Tart, dry finish leaves you salivating and ready for more.

Overall, a nice gueuze, but not the best. The flavor is very pleasant and well-balanced, but others seem to have more complexity than this one. I may want to visit this one again after I've had a few more. This is still a new style to me and I'm trying to decide what I do and do not like.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 23:45:07 | More by deadonhisfeet

mwilbur

Minnesota

4.21/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2009 vintage. Poured from 750 mL bottle into tulip.
A: Pours a beautiful hazy orange-yellow with high carbonation producing a 2+ inch bubbly white head. Good retention.
S: Strong aroma of musty horse blanket greets you a few feet away from the glass. Citrus--sweet and tart, earthy minerals, and a hint of berries and green apples.
T: The bright citrus note that hits first quickly turns toward tart lemon and lime notes. Musty...and...dusty (I don't think I've used that word before to describe a beer). Interesting. Whiffs of leather, green apples, grass, and a note of brine in the finish. With warming, minerals, oak, and green apple notes come more to the forefront.
M: Light body. Carbonated effervescence. Tart, lightly sweet, and acidic (this is moderated by the 3 yrs of aging in this one). Dry white wine finish (french viognier immediately comes to mind).
D: A nice example of style. A solid geuze. Very refreshing and extremely easy to drink (the 8% is nearly imperceptible).

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 03:24:36 | More by mwilbur

blankust

Oklahoma

3.58/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

Poured into chalice style glass, from bottle, solid pop from cork

Appearance: straw yellow, very effervescent with 1&1/2 finger head.
Aroma: funk and cork
Taste: it seems like I could taste cork very tart, long lasting background mustiness, 8% alcohol barely noticeable.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 01:16:51 | More by blankust

CloudStrife

New York

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

375 ml poured into a snifter. 2007 Vintage. Bottled 10-09-2010 (subtracted 20 years from best by date per website)

A: Pours a mostly opaque cloudy amber with a 1 finger that is not very compact and quick to dissipate. Lots of visible carbonation shooting to the surface. Head finishes as just a ring around the outside of the glass.

S: A very tart and sour fruitiness with a complimenting oak backing. A bit of funk and cellar in there. The fruit comes through as a blend of berries and cherries.

T: This one is certainly on the tart side of the spectrum. Intense at first any other flavor is undeserniable. After a second or two a fruitiness comes out. Oak notes are solid in the middle as well. A lambic yeast finish. I'm always a fan of pouring in the yeast for the last bit of the glass but would recommend skipping that on this vintage.

M: Light to medium body with great carbonation. Mouth puckering with its sour qualities. Any alcohol is lost in the tartness. Just a bit of stickiness upon finish.

Overall I will certainly be picking up a few more of these. About as far on the tart side as I would think sours can get. A little lacking in some complexity with fruitiness and whatnot but nonetheless a must try for anyone seeking the extreme.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 23:33:03 | More by CloudStrife

riored4v

Colorado

4.66/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured in to a tulip with a 1.5 finger, white head. Slightly hazed, golden colored body.

Aroma is lemony and citric. Good amounts of vinegar with some slight funk. Malty and a bit grainy.

Taste was lemony and acidic as well. Slight vinegar with some barnyard type funk. A bit earthy hop flavor with a fair amount of maltiness and grainy flavor.

Mouthfeel was medium/light body with high carb and a dry finish.

Overall an excellent beer. Wished I could get more of this easily. Loads of sour tartness while remaining drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 02:05:38 | More by riored4v

merc7186

New York

3.54/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

2007 Vintage. 375ml poured into a snifter glass.

A: Hazy Golden Straw/Orangish Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head, Some Lacing

S: Musty, Hay, Earthy, Mild Lemon

T: Musty Lemons, Medicine, Mildly Funky

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Dank, Mildly Bitter

Overall, it is okay for the price but for a few bucks more, there are much better options out there (3F Oude Gueze or Lindemans Cuvee Rene).

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 02:54:19 | More by merc7186

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.26/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2008 vintage, bb 27/07/2031

Appearance. Pours a hazy honey-gold with a finger of white head.

Smell. Sweet pears and tart green apples, some light earthy funk and old wood. Smells really nice.

Taste. Green apples again and a little bit of lemon juice, some lightly bitter wood and nice earthy, dry funk. There's a bit of a brett quality that stands out a bit more than most other classic gueuzes I've tried, not that this is a bad thing.

Mouthfeel. Medium body with medium-strong carbonation.

Overall. A very nice gueuze that would probably just get better with more age. With that, I may buy a bottle the next time I see it to put away for a while.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 03:11:57 | More by Rutager

Jonada

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2007 Vintage 375ml bottle

Appearance: Dark rusty orange color with a little over 1 finger of an off white head. There's a decent amount of visible carbonation streaming through the glass.

Smell: Sour lemon juice, wet hay, funk, oak, slight green apple

Taste: Oak, lemon cough drops, funk, white grape, musty. Much more funk in the taste than in the nose. Dry, slightly bitter finish. Sourness straddles the line between low and medium and is definitely not as sour as I was expecting.

Mouthfeel: Light, crip mouthfeel. High carbonation. Slight warming alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 08:07:10 | More by Jonada

AxesandAnchors

Oregon

4.18/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

2008 Vintage

A: Pours a super cloudy burnt orange color. Not a ton of carbonation, I was expecting more. Even though the head dissipates quite quickly it is easily roused. Nice consistent flow of carbonation from the bottom of the glass, although its quit hard to see through the cloudiness. I can't see any large yeast particles floating around.

S: Mild orange peel, lemon grass, hay, maybe some apple, slightly vinegary. I wouldn't describe it as funky, but there is an obvious musk about it.

T: Pretty light tartness for the style. Has an orange/apple and lemon cider like flavor. The oak is present but not heavy. White grape skins. The funk is super mild and really balances well with the fruit character.

M: Fantastic mouth feel. Very spritzer-esque, the tartness combined with the carbonation really dance on your tongue.

O: Executed, fantastically. I loved this beer, my only complaint would be that the nose is a little lackluster...don't judge a book by its nose however, this brew is tasty.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 22:13:52 | More by AxesandAnchors

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.01/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2004 vintage. 750ml corked and caged bottle into a Cantillon tulip. Shared by schen9303.

Pours a 3 finger frothy, light cream colored head with good retention. Beer is a clear orange that reveals ample carbonation. Thin, sticky legs. Lacing is sparse but thick with decent stick. One of the better gueuze's I've come across in this department.

Nose is cheese, wet hay, citrus, lemon, and a saturated oakiness. Moderately sour but very aromatic and funky. Really good.

Opens lemon rind, tart, cheesy. Some hay and wet wood. Puckeringly dry. Tanic with some wine-like sour notes. Finishes with a light ethanol note mixed with more lemon, hay and cheese. A light sweet tartness pervades the aftertaste. Solid.

Light bodied with moderate to ample carbonation. Lively yet smooth and oily in the mouth with a hint of booziness going down. Finishes messy with a dry, sticky aftertaste. Some alcohol comes through as this one warms which is a touch unappealing. Also not as lively as it could be. Still decent though.

Overall, I was very pleasantly surprised by this. Big, wet, funky, cheesy notes make this one a gueuze-head's gueuze. Could use a bit more liveliness in the feel and there's a very slight, mellow alcohol taste that I could do without. Still all things considered, I gotta go back and get the rest of the remaining bottles of these.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 01:55:41 | More by SpeedwayJim