Orval

Brewed by Brasserie dOrval
Style: Belgian Ale
Florenville - Villers-d.-Orval, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

UPDATED: SEP 12, 2011 Bottle from Peckhams & Rye, Hyndland Bottled 09/06/2011 3 months old
Appearance - Very hazy orange/amber, big white rocky head.
Aroma - Bready yeast ,citrus, hint of apple, spicy hops, unusual, good aroma.
Taste Bread, yeast, peppery spicy hop, citrus, some pleasant sourness / tartness, well-blended, unusual and complex.
Palate - Very carbonated champagne feel in the mouth which carries the flavours in the mouth very well and cleans the palate, particularly dry yeasty finish. Light to medium texture and smooth. Dances around in the mouth perfectly.
Overall - I did a previous review with an aged beer which was nowhere near as good as this (probably oxidised). Simply a world class beer and so well made. Must try one a year old!

UPDATED: AUG 25, 2011 Beautiful and fully flavoured. The recommended temperatures are definitely to be adhered to - too cold and it doesn’t taste nearly as good.

330ml bottle. Cloudy orange colour. Aroma is yeasty. Flavour is yeast and citrus with a little hops.

Orval pours a hazy orange with a magnificent head that’ll take some taming. Lots of sweet orange, spice, and lemon zest in the smell. The taste is very unique. Lots of champagne qualities. Quite sour and a big bitter hop bite at the back end. There’s quite a bit of lemon and pepper in here, too. Most of the flavor is coming from the hops and yeast, as I’m not getting much malt here. You won’t find many beers with this much carbonation, either. Exceptionally complex and interesting. I’ve never had anything quite like Orval.

Cloudy copper with a large pale head that leaves behind significant lacing. Aroma is of grapefruit with a hint of peach and wood. Taste is an interesting combination of sour and bitter with a hint of sweetness - sour apple and grapefruit a dry finish. An interesting beer but to be honest I prefer the other Trappists.

Reputo questa belgian Ale, la birra d’iniziazione, ovvero quella che mi ha fatto innamorare perdutamente di questo meravigliosa invenzione. Ricordo la prima volta di aver pensato questa è proprio diversa. Ora penso che come gusto siamo un pò in fase calante, comprata all’abbazia e bevuta recentemente però è ancora splendida.

Trappist glass. Pours a rich orange, full of bubbles and a sudsy white head. Lacing was messy, and again very white - adds a nice contrast to the dark orange (hazy) body. Smells light and floral, pleasant hops and spices with a mellow yeasty aroma is very enticing. Initial taste is grapefruit with a well-rounded bitter foreground. The finish is dry and bitter, with a lingering caramel sweetness.This beer is extravagant in that it is very hoppy, yet smooth and dry from the ongoing high carbonation.

A very good Belgian Ale and a decent Trappist. It’s Aroma contains nuts, toast and overall Alcohol which with it’s low percentage of alcohol feels a little strange. Nice red/brownish with great foam.