Orval

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

Murky orange with a wheaty head that stays thruought the glass. Spicy and citrus nose. A bit of sourness, acidity, and spiciness in the taste. with a dryness in the end.

Ahhh, this is the life.... this beer has been a long time favourite, and still is. Nice copper/amber colour with a huge fluffy/rocky head. The smell is divine. Fresh bread, a little sourish, hops, a little fruit, very complex. Taste is even better, yeasty, hoppy, a little sweet and a little sour. Nice bitter finish. This is a beer for all occasions, and an all-nighter. It’s refreshing, tasteful, not too high in ABV and because of the fairly high carbonation it is not a gusher, but a real tasting beer. Excellent!

Bottle from Sam’s Clybourn. Okay, don’t know why I waited so long, but here goes. Pour is a cloudy glowing orange with a foamy head, Chimay glass keeps it going. Nose is tart and fruity with peaches and sweet oranges, Bretty. There are some hop aromas as well, but not overly present. A bit fizzy with some candy flavors on the tongue, tartness and dry toasty flavors from the Brett. Pineapple and citrus as well. Pretty light, except for the caramel. Pretty nice beer with plenty to pull out and spicy. Excellent!

Man these monks know what they are doing! When i think of Belgium beers this is the taste that comes to mind. Very balanced, easy to drink. Has nice slight flavors of fruits and spices but still tastes like beer. It just seems more special since this is the only beer made at this brasserie. Great all year round.

the head seems to scale the sides of the glass on pour. big. foamy and consistent. looks like thick cloud cover viewed from an aeroplane, peaks and troughs, mountains and valleys; one of the best heads i’ve seen on a beer. Some great lacing to add to the mix (mushroom cloud, siciliy and pipe-smoking man all in the same glass. smells of kid’s cough syrup and certainly makes my throat feel better. strong suggestion of cinnanmon and those bazooka chewing gums i used to have as a kid. penny chews and other sweet things. this is my second bottle of the night and didnt get anywhere near as much nose or taste off the first. is each bottle that unique? good balanced carbonation, spicy, eccentric, complex - this beer is the cool kid at school, while not necessarily the best looking (tasting). Each time i smell it i get something different; soap this time and something i can’t quite put my finger on; hospital corridor? got a big smell of yeast towards the end of the glass (le chat?) Fine beer all round, looks so god damn sexy.

My first taste of Orval. Pours with a massively foamy head that eventually yields to a small white ring. Golden and slightly hazy with beautifully musty aromas of hay and lemongrass. Taste is spicier than expected, with yeast, hops and grassy notes. Finish is extraordinarily dry and lingering. Very light mouthfeel with loads of effervescence. Amazingly drinkable. It’s a beer with amazing history, and one that still resonates strongly with modern brewers.

96% foam, settles to clear golden with an orange tint appearing line apple juice. The foam is dense. Balanced, prominent aroma of Belgian yeast, malt, and spice. Very enticing. Tastes like dark cherry malt, very dark, fruity, some wood esters in there and some spice. Goes down very smooth, but burns the belly. Rather dry touch, mild tongue, but burns the back of the throat. Old leather aftertaste. Drinkablility is unsurpassed for this style or brew. And I’ve never seen such persistent foam and thick as this.

Bottle. Thick white head that had soft peaks. Golden hue that was difficult to see through. Tasted peppery/spicy. Somewhat unpleasant/medicinal aftertaste (I was told that I should have aged the bottle a little more. It was less than a year old). Overall, very good. I am going to buy another bottle and let it sit around for another year or so.