Orval

(11.2oz bottle from Central Market on June 23, 2008 - bottled on June 20, 2007 - aged 1 year/3 days) Popped the cap, poured into my snifter a golden-orange color, turning yellow toward the stem of the glass. Thick, foamy head with a few bubbles lining the edges of the glass. Smell is wonderful - fruity and floral with hints of yeast, malt, and hops. Palate is unique... taste is hard to describe, fruity, spiced, slightly pungent, almost as if it were a sour ale, very enjoyable. Yes, a bit dry, but redeeming. Let’s say it’s lusciously dry. Light hops and sweet malt hover in the back of the throat. THIS is why I like beer... every one is unique, and I look forward to beers like this the most. Exemplary!

from a bottle. Great amber colour with a full head. A peppery caramel flavor. Just great!

Another fine example of the Trappist art of brewing I never had one which was not wonderful. very aromatic full head and excellent on the palate. Smooth with a high taste of hops. I believe it is paramount not to serve too chilled.

cool looking 11.2 oz. bottle. poured a hazy honey gold with a huge dense foamy head. aroma was some yeast with apples and pears. flavor was more of the same with a subtle sour bitterness. I liked the flavor but the carbonation was too overbearing for my liking.

bottle. murky light tan color with a huge off white pillowy head. aromas of flowers and sweet bread. flavors of tart grapes, raisins, light floral bitterness, some boozy notes. very full complex flavor. Has a slight but distinct note of sour funk that sharpens as it warms. sharp and slick on the palate, very carbonated. Great stuff.

Bottle. At refrigerator temperature-likely a bit too cold-pours cloudy amber to big creamy head, and aroma is slight-a little sharp. Taste: yeasty bread, toasted caramel, nice slightly sour-bitter after taste. Alcohol quite noticeable. Mouthfeel is smooth and full, like an after dinner cordial.

Bottle. Huge soapy white head, visible carbonation in the beer, nice hazy bronze color. Funky nose with lemons, spice, and a lot more I can’t describe. Weird, tasty mix of fruits and funk blend in the flavor. Berries, alcohol. hoppy bitterness, medium sourness, and much more. Confusing, complex beer, but wonderful balance and fun to drink. Goes down easy, but has so much going on I’d probably feel different about from one beer to the next.

11.2 oz bottle, bottled on 4/24/07, best before 4/24/2012, and purchased 1/26/08. Pours a clear golden orange (the second pour makes it nice and cloudy) with a monstrous fizzy and rocky big bubbled white head that retains fairly well and laces the glass.

The aroma is fruits (pears?) and alcohol with some yeast funk, wood and some slightly metallic and floral hops.

The flavor is yeast funk and slightly sour fruits, with some mild bitter hops. It’s pretty subdued but nice. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with tons of sharp carbonation. It mellows out a bit as it sits.

Overall, a nice beer that gets better as it warms and more has been drunk.