Boon Brewery Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait (6/10)

As part of a recent Rare Beer Club shipment, I received a bottle of Boon Brewery's Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait, a Belgian Geuze style beer.

Since I'm not that familiar with the style, I looked it up.  The Beer Judge Certification Program guidelines for the "Gueuze" style say that it should have a sour aroma that may be described as "barnyard, earthy, goaty, hay, horsey, or horse blanket" as well as having fruit aroms like grapefruit, citrus, apple, rhubarb, or honey.  The flavor should be moderately sour and acidic, in balance with the malt and other characteristics.  Fruit and honey flavors are common.  Hops bitterness is usually absent or very mild.

Mariage Parfait pours a nice amber-like gold color with a thick white head that lasts a while.

The aroma is similar to a fresh lemon, with a bit of barnyard funk to it.

The flavor starts a little malty and sweet, but quickly gives way to a lemony kind of sourness.  Hints of the funk make an appearance in the flavor sporadically.  The finish is sour and bitter.

I can't say that the sour style has yet become a favorite of mine, so take my rating with a grain of salt if you're a fan of sour beers.  I gave it a 6 out of 10, primarily because it's a bit too sour for my liking.  Beer Advocate gives it a 92 out of 100 or "outstanding" rating, so I'm in the minority there.  Rate Beer also appreciates it, giving it a 98 out of 100 overall.

Although this was shipped to me as a "Rare" beer, I've seen it occasionally on store shelves around town.  I don't recall where I last saw it, but believe it may have been The Andersons General Store near Sawmill Road.

Beer Reindeer

Last Christmas, my stepchildren (aged 21+, FYI) surprised me with the four-pack of "reindeer beers" pictured at the left.

To create these, they first chose a pack of beer they knew I would like, in this case Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.  You could use pretty much any other beer that comes in a brown bottle.  (I suppose you could use other colored bottles, but it wouldn't look quite like reindeer.)

Purchase plastic stick-on "googly eyes", red plastic stick-on pom-pom "noses", and pipe cleaners.

Stick the eyes and noses on the bottle necks as seen in the image at the left.

Cut some of the pipe cleaners into small pieces, about 2-3 inches long.  Leave the rest at full length.

Wrap a long pipe cleaner around the neck of the bottle, just below the cap and spread the ends out to make the "antlers".  Then take one of the small pieces of pipe cleaner and tie it around each antler to give it the shape seen above.

It's a craft item that won't take you very long to do and is sure to bring a smile to your favorite beer lover.

Brasserie Des Legendes Noel Des Geants (10/10)

When I saw this beer on the shelf in 2013 at The Andersons General Store in Dublin, It immediately caught my attention.  It had an interesting bottle, an understated label, and it was a Belgian Christmas Beer.  Priced at $9.99 a bottle, it went on my Christmas list that year.  Thankfully, Santa has developed an appreciation for Belgian ales and placed a bottle under my tree.

Noel des Geants comes from Brasserie des Legendes (Brewery of the Legends) of Belgium.  They produce a number of other beers that I haven't encountered in Ohio in the past but will keep an eye out for now that I've had this one.

Noel des Geants pours a clear mahogany color with a thick head of beige foam.  It's beautiful to look at.

The aroma combines dark fruit, rich malt, and honey.  It smells as good as it looks.

Flavor is where this beer really shines... especially when you let it age for a few months in the cellar.  It's sweet, fruity, spicy, and has a strong caramel note.  Without question, one of the more delicious beers I've ever had and one that I look forward to having again.

I've seen it at The Andersons and sporadically at a few other shops around town.  If you enjoy Belgian beers, look for it.

Beer Advocate gave this only an 85-87 rating (very good).  Rate Beer gave it an 82 overall.  I think I enjoyed it a bit more than they did.  I'm giving it the full 10 out of 10.