Orval

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

A shapeshifting brew with seemingly infinite layers of complexity. How this beer is built up is a mystery to me, but every single aspect of it is as impressive as can be.

Peaks at 6 to 12 months of age, when the brett has developed far enough yet the hop is still upfront and assertive.

Bootle, 33 cl. Always @ home here ! One off the very-best Trappist beers. An orange/amber pour with a foamy head. The head disapates quickly into a foamy covering. Aroma raisiny fruits and hops. Tatse is fantastic, nice hops bitterness. Great Stuff !

Sweet distracting vanilla candy fragrance. Big head, very appealing head, visually stimulating when you look closely. I hate to focus on the head but it goes rocky after a few minutes and it then gets darkly dotted stained from the drippings off the bottom of the bottle. Perfect carbonation greets the palate and you can see it constantly rolling in the brew, quite entertaining. Very nice balance of hops and malt land on the taste buds. Not over the top except for the level of enjoyability. In my humble opinion, this is a fine example of what beer should be. Friendly in every respect. Exquisitely beauteous. This could be the perfect session brew if it wasn’t for the mild bitter linger, which may I say is quite humble!

Bottle. Pours hazy woody amber with a thick fluffy off-white head. Neat lacing patterns. Bubbles rising from the bottom of the tulip glass. Aroma is white wine viniousness upfront, with medicinal herbs, spiciness and solid, barnyard earthiness in the background. The beer is slightly sour, slightly dry, a nice rush of fragrant hop resins on the palate - some tart citrus fruit - and mild cookie dough maltiness throughout. Some soapy and floral hop flavors and musty basement flavors as it warms. Lightly floral bitterness lingers long on in the finish like flower pollen. Also the shadow of the flavors of the malt and yeast are present in the mouth long after a sip. I wish I could drink nothing but this magnificent beer my entire life.

Beautiful still clear copper with a perfect white head that chills forever. Perfect brett aroma with grains and grist, hops and spice. Lemon, honey, ginger, coriander, peach and apple come to mind. The brett and grain taste is delicious with enough balance to keep me drinking for days. Grass, pepper, lemon, honey, and ginger in the mouth. Unbelievable. One of the all time greats and one of my personal favorites. Thank God for this brew.

bottle BB 4/24/12. i look forward to trying this in another four years... pours a cloudy brown iced tea color with a wispy white head. it leaves behind some spotty lacing on the glass. aroma is a complex mixture of caramel, funk, mineral, citrus, grass and yeast. the flavor is alive and evolving every time i go back for another sip... little to no sweetness, lemon, slate, pale malt, wood, leather, grass, a dry funk,yeasty spiciness, on and on. every time it is something new on the palate. a very light texture with airy carbonation gives it an amazing mouth feel. words don’t do it justice...

.. Orval is so fucking complex and drinkable at once.
The smell from Orval is hypnotic .....floral spices,peppery spice..perfume ,apple scrumpy,funky yeasty strain, sweat .Orval has an almost supernatural texture.
Beautiful glowing orange ..the head rises like a motherfucker ,like fluffy clouds . Biggest beer head ive seen.
It tastes sublime.I mean holy shit this is nice. A dry and floral ale...with a big dose of base maltiness .Fruity palate ..I get orange peel, spicy citrus hops.. sometimes sage. With different ranging on the brett ,depending on age , Orval’s fUnK signature is variable.
I love this so much .!!!

Bottle (33cl) Pours hazy orange with a thick, fluffy head. Wonderful perfumy, yeasty aroma with hints of spices and citrus. Sour body with dyamic mouthful of flavors... alcohol, yeast, malt... extremely well balanced potpourri of spices. Outstanding beer with a slightly bitter finish.