Orval

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

bottle - (thank’s Alex!) - Hazy orange beer with a thick white head. Sweet aroma, reminds me on hot spiced wine. Sweet alcoholic flavour.

Bottled 12/27/2007. Pop the cap. Super sweet, flowery, perfume smell. Fantastic nose, excellent, excellent. Doughy head. Light, cloudy hue with a very faint bit of plum coloring. A ton of malt, light fruits. Smooth, a little bit of bitter in there. Tingly, natural carbonation that isn’t overdone. More sips- this beer is balanced. More bitter now as opposed to overly malty during the first sip. This is an incredibly complex beer. A bit of a bready yeastiness. Trying to pin down the fruit taste but I can’t. Some light grapes... peach? Ah, lots of apple and pear here also. It’s like a good movie, you notice something new with each time you experience it. This comes highly, highly recommended from me. Absolutely fabulous, one of the best single beers I’ve ever had. EDIT- Just noticed that this was a milestone for me... Nice beer to have for my 100th rating. :)

Bottled on 3/27/2007 I could walk across this thick cotton-ball-looking head! Fruity tart sweet nose. My mouth is watering. Hazy orange color. Way more bitter than I expected from the color and aroma. 1st taste didn’t taste so good because my brain was expecting something entirely different. Crisp quick finish leaves mouth feeling clean with a tonic-water bitterness. I put another bottle away, and will try that one again in the spring. This bottle did not live up to my expectations. Bummer.

Beautiful large white rocky head over hazy orange body. Head lasted quite a while and left wonderful lacing - a perfect looking beer. Pleasant aromas of citrus, flowers, peppers and other spices. Yeast and hops are evident on the nose as well. Flavors reflected the aromas, and included sour apples and a slight bitterness from the hops. Some additional herbs come through that weren’t apparent at first, and the finish is very dry. Lively carbonation, medium body. This is a complex beer that demands that you pay attention - new flavors and aromas arise each time you raise the glass.

Poured cloudy burnt orange color with huge foaming head. Aroma - yeast and mild hops. Taste is bitter green grape and spicy dry finish. Overall an above average beer, slightly boring on tongue but finish is nice!

light caramel appearance, long lasting, mildly rocky head with some lacing - nice and clear. The aroma hit me when I opened the bottle - NICE! - strong yeast/spicy pleasing aroma. Light and dry and a nice balance of light hops and spicy notes. A very nice beer indeed.

Pours a hazy orange from the bottle with a soapy white head of foam. Balanced yeast, hops, and cinammon on the nose which carry into the flavor along with bitter green apple and faint malts. Mildly carbonated and dry moutfeel which sours as this beer warms.

Pours hazy peach with nice lasting head. Aroma is citrus, clove, and tons of yeast character with orange peel being dominant. Flavor is citrus with excellent bittering and malt aspect- balance is exceptional. Palate is prickly from the carbonation, but nice and dry. Expertly crafted and balanced. ***September 18th Re-rate: Hazy amber pour with a massive white pillowy froth that lasts forever. Aroma is powerful- citrus and spice prevail with a slight funky horseblanket note and massive perfume. Quite complex and mysterious. Flavor is fruity with some obvious brett sourness that is mildly tart and ever so puckering. Slightly sweet but also slightly attenuated- strikes a wonderful balance. Excellent bitterness. Palate is full, effervescent, pillowy, and extremely quaffable. I need to be careful when I see this on shelves, for it always beckons me for more... A true world classic.