Orval

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

bottle: tasting of 2 different vintages of Orval ’11 and ’06. 2011, hazy orange, huge frothy head, A: Dusty, light brett, Sweet orange, orange peel, caramel, yeast, dusty hops, faint dried fruit, light floral, clover, hay, T: dry, crisp. light hoppy, orange peel, light brett, light farty, grassy, orange, light caramel, very balanced, light bitterness, =4, 2006: hazy orange, huge frothy head, Aroma: Loads of Brett!! overripe pear, barnyard, horse blanket, rotten apples, fruity, light sulfur, dusty hops, hay, straw, spiced belgian yeast, candy sweet, floral, T: Brett, clover, bubblegum, candy like, nice bitterness, light msg, dusty, melon, astringent, farty, overripe pear, hay, yeast, WILD, caramel, very dry, nice bitterness, lacto acid, woody, =4.2

Bottle. Pours with a gigantic head in my glass, which isn’t exactly a belgian chalice. Smells great, the first thing I think about is tangerines (isn’t that what those tiny oranges are called in english?). Golden orange color, huge head with beautiful bubbles. Aroma is citrusy, as mentioned, with notes of banana and bread. I also get a slightly sour brett-ish aroma, but not in a barnyard kind of way. Nice mouthfeel, an overall wonderful first impression here with great balance, a definte note of brett/lambic-ness, if one can say that, but it’s far from overwhelming, very slightly sour, dry, citrus, tropical fruits, green apples in the finish. Quite wonderful, easy to drink, great balance, great aroma/flavor, standing on a nice foundation of very subdued brett/sour ale characteristics.

pours cloudy orange with a frothy tan head. sweet, yeasty, spicy aroma. taste starts sweet and aromatic, but quickly develops its bitterness. there are citrus notes, and quite a high carbonation (which further enhances the bitter qualities). the finish is quite long and aromatic, but for me its too fizzy.

bottle in a pint glass - pours misty caramel in color with rich white froth, providing some lacing. Nose is yeast and spices. Aroma is more spices, some light hops (spruce or pine), and faint caramel malts. Taste starts almost sour, then bitter and ends sweet but also quite bitter. High Carbonation. Body is medium to full and texture is sticky but thin.

Bottle, pours hazy yellow with white head, Sweet aroma with orange, tart and some yeast. Taste is sweet with some citrus and mild betterness. Good but not a big fan of belgians

Bottle at home. Still very young. Murky orange/brown/yellow, thick creamy head eventually dies down. Big grassy, peppery nose, hints of bubblegum, something sourdough, something chemical/boozy/minty also. Palate is dry, slightly tart, spiced, some funk, very dry. Really complex, tastes different with each sip. Finish is spicy hops, hint of booze. Really good.

0.33 bottle, 9 months old. Unclear orange\amber color with some particles in suspension and big off white head very long lasting. Syrupy nose. Aroma is complex, first of all i’ll say there’s lots of "amaretto", then grapefruit, orange peel, other citrusy blends. Light cherry notes, spices, brandy, and massive amount of grassy hops. I sense some burnt coffee and pepper in the finish. On the bad side there’s something soapy and alcohol. Long bitter finish, extra dry as description said, medium bodied, foamy texture, heavy and lively carbonation, fizzy. Good connoisseur beer, but personally i prefer smoother ones.

Pours a hazy amber with a mild head. Sweet citrus and grapefruit aroma with little yeast, quite dry. Taste is dry, lightly yeasty, fruity, hoppy. Very nice.