Orval

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

Bottle. Pouring this the first time reminded me of my first champagne tasting. Thin head hides aroma of fruit, raisins and some yeast. Tatste of apple and christmas nuts. A complex beer, absolutely stunning.

Hazy fine champagne carbonation which results in Big head Big bubbles and a Big fruity aroma of citrus and vanilla. Light mouth feel without being thin. Salty thirst quenching and satisfying hoppy though not very big.

Bottle dated Sep 13 2007. Poured into a Chimay goblet (closest thing I have to an Orval goblet). Pumpkin pie color with a light tan head that foams up to two fingers’ height and manages to maintain itself at a solid half centimeter for most of the duration of the beer. Huge chunky lacing. Tart bretty nose, almost like an unblended lambic but not as sour. Some distinct phenolic notes with a touch of golden apple and banana. Sort of somewhere between saison, geuze, and tripel. As it breathes it takes on a more sweet and floral character. Wonderful. Flavor is lightly fruity with unripe pears. Lots of spices, white pepper, orange peel. Funky grassy brett influence. Dry bitter noble hop finish. Body is a bit chalky (I poured the yeast in) and medium in viscosity. Highly carbonated but somehow it isn’t distracting like in some Belgians. Remarkable complexity, so multifarious that I’m afraid I can’t fully describe/appreciate this beer. Phenomenal.

Complex // tan head on pour dark brown. Pretty spicy character. Bitter notes of dark fruit. Lots of Belgian character (yeast). Very good, love the bottle.

Pours a cloudy dark orange with a large white head. Aroma is of manderin oranges and spice. Flavor is fairly complex. Manderin oranges dominate with apples showing. Spice is also prevalant on the palate with a slight bitterness. Good mouth feel with a little alcohol showing in the finish Original rating: Aroma 8, Appearance 4, Flavor 6, Palate 4, Overall 14 Re-Rate: Figured I’d join in the Orval appreciation day to revisit this Trappist beer with a great story. Bottled on 07/03/2007. Aroma is very funky, the brett has defiantly funkified this bottle... in a good way. Mandarin oranges, spice, yeast, sour soother candy, cherry blasters, and a touch of alcohol come out on the nose. The taste is so unique, it could only be Orval. Oranges, sour candy, medicinal tastes, lemon, some indescribable acidity (probably from the brett), spice, and a dry finish. Palate is just like every excellent Belgian, soft and lively. This beer scores more points now, just because of weirdness factor. I see why my original ratings were lower... But I have to bump them a touch.

Bottle, thanks ekstedt. Orange with a large, off-white head. Notes of fruit, citrus and spices and oddly some manure. Sweetish flavor. Dry mouthfeel.

Pours dark amber with an ample off-white head. Aroma is fruity with notes of spice. The flavour is complex and balanced, sweet malt, fruit (tangerines), cinnamon, trappist yeast. It finishes dry and hoppy. Very enjoyable beer.

Upon re-examining this beer I have to give it some more props. Poured a large off white head which lasted nicely over an appealing caramel brown body. Smell was pleasant enough as well, cotton candy, sugar, apple, hops. The taste took some serious getting used to for me, but having tried about one hundred beer in between my first and now this testing, I must say I think my palate now understands it. Very dry and bitter, to me it is still tastes of crushed olives, but I enjoy it now. It will never be a favorite but I see the appeal it has to some. Palate was nicely fizzy and light. I feel like Ive grown as a taster. I bow to your charms Orval.