Orval

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

Aroma is rich and mainly fruity, almost more like a cider or brandy than a beer, except there is a little maltiness. Color is a hazy honey golden with a very thick and persistent head. Flavor is malty and has a strong apple overtone, plus some bitterness that doesn’t seem like hoppy bitterness and is a bit unpleasant. Texture is smooth and just a little on the thin side.

Awesome bottle. Pours unlike any other beer I can remember: very hazy bright orange with a dense, fluffy, off-white head. Aroma is very spicy, hoppy, citrusy. Lots of orange peel, lemon, cinnamon, peach as well. Flavor is very different. Lots of spice but more of a ginger bite than cinnamon and cloves found in other Trappists. Incredibly dry, spicy finish. Perfectly neutral on the palate. Overall perfectly balanced and a new take on the Belgian Trappist ale. This is top of the line- an instant classic.

I tasted this beer before I got my account with ratebeer, so I can’t really remember all the flavors.

Shared this one w/ SkyCop32. Picked up at Maruhn Getränke in Darmstadt. Pours a nice cola colored brown. Aromas of malts, fruit, and a touch of spice. Has flavors of chocolate, caramel, and a touch of wood.

Crushed with Jakebra. This beer is all on the nose. Light fruitiness and yumminess. Flavor is very different from the nose. Stings a bit and the finish goes sour. Very disappointed. Bummer. Re-rate. Very nice nose. Fruity, sour, musty. Dig it. Flavor is aight, and the finish is still too yeasty and sour. Jakebra says it’s too over-carbonated. But this was a better experience than the last time.

Bottle (330ml). Poured muddy brownish orange with a large, dense, puffy, off-white head which lasted superbly. A fantastic spicy hop aroma with cinnamon, allspice, star aniseed, cloves, Curacao orange peel, lemon zest, dried pineapple, bready malts, barnyard hay and some black pepper. Flavor was a mild hop bitterness with sour yeasty malts, tangy lemon, pears, tart grape skins, coriander, some light notes of olives and a dry, spicy/peppery finish. Medium to full bodied with soft carbonation, a dry/tart mouthfeel and a great finish. Amazing full bodied for the alcohol content.

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.

Damn, this IS good. Has some bretts, but isn’t overkill. Nose is full of funky horseblanket. Flavor is smooth, slightly oaky and ending on a dry note. Completely clean palate afterwards. Pours amber with fluffy white head. One of the best Belgians I’ve had. Lots of tannins, but incredibly balanced and smooth.