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Orval

Orval - Belgian Ale

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 Percentile 
99
overall
Brewed by Brasserie dOrval
Style: Belgian Ale

Florenville - Villers-d.-Orval, Belgium

bottled
common

on tap
available

Broad Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in 
22073.92/5.03.91/5.06.2%100Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler
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Commercial Description:
In contrast to all the others, the Orval Trappist brewery makes only one beer for the general public. It has an intensely aromatic and dry character. Between the first and second fermentations there is also an additional dry-hopping process. Through this the beer acquires its pronounced hoppy aroma and extra dry taste.
Bottled at 5.2% abv - can go up as high as 7.2%
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 ansermadide (496), Kyle, Texas, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/515/20
Jun 23, 2008    Updated: Mar 20, 2009
(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!


Joppe (15), Antwerpen, Belgium
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/59/104/517/20
Jun 23, 2008  
from a bottle. Great amber colour with a full head. A peppery caramel flavor. Just great!


 dutch23mp (160), Mount Prospect, Illinois, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/516/20
Jun 22, 2008  
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.


 barleyPops (1079), Quad-Cities, Illinois, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/103/515/20
Jun 22, 2008  
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.


 twitcher (293), framingham, Massachusetts, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/58/103/517/20
Jun 22, 2008  
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.


BeMerry (37), Fairfax, Virginia, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/104/58/105/517/20
Jun 21, 2008  
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.


 gotohelunc (473), Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/59/105/517/20
Jun 20, 2008  
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.


 Beaver (587), Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/58/103/516/20
Jun 19, 2008  
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.



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