Oude Geuze Boon à l’Ancienne – VAT 31 Mono Blend

Boon Oude Geuze VAT 31 Limited Edition

For four and a half years, the lambic matured in foeder 31 that was used for this Oude Geuze Boon. Foeder 31 is a large oak barrel that was built between 1905 and 1908 by the company Bodenheim from Kassel (Germany). The barrel ended up in a Brussels lambic brewery in 1919 as part of a large consignment of material that was sent to Belgium as compensation for the damage Belgium had suffered during the First World War.

The foeder served in this brewery until 1988 when it was sold to the Boon brewery together with about 20 other foeders. Initially, these foeders were used for the maturation of lambic of 1 year for Oude Geuze Boon. From 1992 onwards, the foeders that supplied the finest lambic, including Foeder 31, were reserved for the production of Geuze Mariage Parfait. In 2008, the barrel was in need of a major overhaul. Cracks were found on the underside.

In the cooper’s workshop, the foeder was partly dismantled. Twelve staves (the wooden beams that make up the barrel) were replaced by new ones. On 30 November 2015, lambic from Boon’s new brewing hall was filled into this cask for the first time. The extra aromas added by the new oak and the now 100-year-old microflora in the wall of the barrel gave a particularly fine lambic after 3 years of maturation.

Frank Boon therefore decided to let this lambic mature further. Only after 4 and a half years of maturation did Frank and his sons bottle the lambic. Never before have they allowed lambic to be aged more than 3 years for VAT production in the foeder. The result is impressive. Brewed on November 30, 2015 and bottled on May 14, 2020, VAT 31 has become a delicate, fine Oude Geuze with a fine effervescence and a pleasant cognac-like nose.

The velvety yet firm aroma with notes of apricot and nuts is underpinned by a clear oak character.

Since this beer has not been in production for quite some time, it is on a limited availability here!