Petit Orval

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

33 cL bottle at DHVL. Pours clear and golden orange with a dense white and creamy head. Aroma is soft malty and with a very minor brett note. Flavour starts light sweet malty with a vague brett citric note. Dry wooden brett note on the back of the tongue into the finish. Smooth and easy. Light peppery finish.

Bottle at Bishop Arms, Gothenburg. Dark orange colour with a beige head. Aroma is fruity, yeast, orange , malt. Flavour is fruit, malt, yeast, sour.

33cl bottle. Belgium beer number five hundred , 500. Bottle at the best beer bar in Belgium. 2008 edition. Pours golden copper with a creamy bubbly orval looking head. Vague fruity orange & hoppy notes. Actually like a lighter version of orval with less body & brett. Smooth & soft. Pretty damm lovely and drinkable.

Rating from memory - the location alone (cafe just up from the entrance to the abbey, view of the brewhouse from my chair) wins a few points...and this is, after all, Orval. Has the same funky dry taste, the bready/fruity notes are much more subdued, and just overall thinner and not as complex tasting nor as dry on the finish. Would absolutely be my go-to session beer if it was even remotely available.

2008 bottle. Clear amber with a big and lasting white head. Lots of brett,m barnyard and grapefruit, in the aroma. Sweetish with a drying tartness. Clearly thinner than the regular.

[Bottle at TNT pub in Bibbiano near Siena] Yes it seems just a watered down Orval but nevertheless the character of the bigger sister comes trough... and that is enough to make it a good beer :-)

Bottle at DHL. Pours light amber coloured with a thin white head. Floral aroma with notes of barnyard, caramel and brett. Dry flavour with notes of citrus, caramel, brett and bitter hops.

Clear amber coloured bere with medium white head and few carbonation. Hoppy aroma Full palate. Finish is herby.