Orval

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

[330ml bottle, Brasserie d’Orval, Belgium] The Queen of trappist beers pours nut brown with an enormous fluffy peaked white head. Looks extremely regal – aromas of spice and coriander, sweetness from the sugar. Lovely bitterness on the palate, the spices compliment this perfectly. Hops in there as well, not too much alcohol – it’s one of the most sessionable 6%+ beers around. The finish is bitter and slightly sour. Classically different from the other Trappist houses because of this, the rich sweetness is paired down. Awesome stuff, just a fabulously complex beer [18082010]

33cl bottle. Pours an autumnal orangey-brown with steady bubbles and a very large head. The nose is distinctly hoppy like an IPA - pine and grapefruit pith. The taste is of more zingy pine and grapefruit which is rounded off with a yoghurt zing at the end. The palate has medium structure, a creamy texture and a zingy finish. Overall, this is a great example of hops and yeast combining, though it is definitely not a sessoin beer.

Caramel-like in appearance with a huge bubbly head that left a ton of lacing. Yeasty nose with more spice than fruity tones also noted some leather. Taste is surprisingly un-sweet for a beer with candi sugar added. It’s good but not great. I have tried this beer on many different occasions and I just don’t get the hype that it receives.

delicate aroma of tart citrus, yeast, bread, hay, raspberries, and a distinct barn-funk. pours a hazy light amber tops with tons of fine eggshell froth. mild flavor is a balance of slight sweetness, sourness, and bitterness. medium body, high carbonation, dry and slightly astringent.

Hazy amber orange pour decent sticky lacing off white head .... aroma of lemon and sweet fruits .... taste is fruity yeast lemony with light sour notes and a light bitter and floral hop a smooth brew dry malty and fruity finish ... not the best trappist but excellent and smooth

Bottle into Tulip. High carbonation, like a soda. Nice aroma of fruits and some hop. Flavor was similar with nice dark fruits and a refreshing nature. Had this one a couple times with a nice turkey sandwich which paired incredibly well.

(11.2oz bottle-bottled 5.19.2010). Pours a hazy apricot color with a chunky white head and active carbonation. Nice lacing. The beer is almost one year old and seems to have lost its hop aroma. I’m mostly getting some sour, funkiness with some berries. Taste is tart-not quite sour-but the hops are there, albeit faint. Medium bodied with creamy texture. Finish is bitter and dry. My tastes have changed a great deal since I last had an orval and I like it much more now. It’s taken a loooong time for me to get into sour (or sourish) beers.

Bottle. Medium gold color with white head. Wonderfully complex sour nose, especially as it warms, of citrus, cherries, yeasty bread, clove spice, and an overall astringent sour funkiness. Flavor follows, though is a little sweeter and maltier than I expected from the aroma. Dry and tart throughout, especially in the finish. Fantastic stuff, glad it lived up to the hype.