4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20draft at southern sun. solid Orval pretender here: citrus acid and lemon pith and honey-tinged pale malt are brightly aromatic as is the musty, doughy, peppery brett. soft body and carbonation with a light huskiness. bright hop acid and dough throughout with touches of band aid, salt and lemon juice and a growing mineral calcium note. when warmer the carbonation is a little too loose so there’s some wateriness in the finish, and some lingering oily pith and plastic show up on the approach, but other than these complaints I’d say we have a winner here. enjoyably soft and rustic and quite close to what I remember of fresh Orval (not having had a fresh and citrusy bottle in quite a while).
3.7 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
Tap at Vine Street. Pours clear gold with a medium, frothy white head, medium retention with good lacing. Aroma is fruity esters, earthy yeast and biscuit malt. Flavor is spicy and pepper alcohol with light malt and hops with fruity esters and a dry finish. Medium body with medium carbonation.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
On tap at Southern Sun. Pours a slightly cloudy golden-straw with a medium white head. Lively carbonation. Aromas of pepper, lemon, and Belgian yeast. Taste is dry and citrusy with a floral hoppiness that doesn't dominate but lasts long into the finish. Lots of fruity and floral tones.
3 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 10/20
Tap @ Mountain Sun Boulder. Pours a bit hazy, light yellow appearance with a white head. Slight garbage note in the nose with some straw and lemon. Fairly bland, herbal/straw hoppy, a touch yeasty, light lemon flavor. Bleh.
3.5 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
On tap at Mtn Sun. Pours a clear gold color with a finger of quickly diminishing white head, Aroma is fruity, floral, slight spice notres, bread/dough, nice belgian tones. Flavor is wet hay/grass and malt up front. Fades into mild sweet wheat flavor, with mild fruit tones, apple, peach, pear. Moderat to light carbonation with a light body. Mild, relatively clean finish. A tasty beer.
2.8 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 12/20
Draft at Vine Street with Moreau and Andrew. Pours a bright, hazy orange body with light white lacing. Aroma is yeast, spice and pepper. Mouthfeel is thin with notes of lemon, spice, pepper, yeast, bitter grapefruit and herbal notes that seemed a bit odd. I wasnt a huge fan of this one.
3.5 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 17/20
Draught at Boulder brewpub. Light yellow body. Bit of citrus and yeasty throughout. Ok but underwhelming.
4.1 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
This is a damn good belgian ale pours clear golden hoppy aroma and good belgian yeast notes taste is amazingly clean for a belgian but delivers on the floral and peppery spice notes that are expcted
3.3 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 13/20
On hand at Wynkoop’s United Tastes of Belgium 2012. Slightly hazy straw colored with a small rocky head. Awesome aroma peppery funky yeast, fresh cut grass, and resinous hops. Taste was a little light and plain, with some peppery pale malts and light floral bitteness, which lasts till the finish in a pleasing way.
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Tap at United Tastes of Belgium 2012. Poured a pale-lemon peel in appearance with a small white head. Aroma is heavy citrus, lemon peel, spice, tropical fruits, and tangerine. Taste is very bright with flavors of citrus, peppercorns, clove, and grapefruit. Very well-balanced. Medium body with high carbonation. A bright and refreshing beer, perfect for summer. Well-done.
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Tap at Vine Street - apparently their first attempt at using Orval yeast, and I would say they did a great job - sadly, my glass was extremely murky, almost milky looking, so the high yeastiness may have muddled some of the brighter characteristics of the beer - however, this sucker had some nice complexity, regardless - very dry - loads of spicy and herbal notes (sage, white pepper), moderate citrus (lemon peel, grapefruit) and a light funkiness - would love to try this a year fro now to see if the earthy/funky notes develop more, but even now this is a winner.
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