You waited eight years to review ORVAL and I waited six years to watch your review. But as luck would have it I am able to enjoy an ORVAL while watching your review. My bottle was purchased in Albany, NY here in the USA. It was produced on November 1st 2024. My bottle didn't foam like yours did but it was very fizzy when I poured it into my glass. As you said bottled conditioned beers are a bit tricky in this respect. I agree with your review but did notice one small thing. My bottle has the ABV as 6.9% not 6.2. I'm not sure if in the six years since your review they upped the ABV. But in any case I do agree that this brew does hide it's alcohol content very well. And I must say I do very much enjoy that little bit of farmhouse funk that' ORVAL has going on. Thank you for another wonderful review. Cheers!!
i reckon a few revists on classic beers would be interesting, considering how our preferences change over time, as well as the beers themselves in some cases
reminds me of shortbread smell and taste. been subscribed to you for a while but i've literally only tried other beers other than ipas and larger. Typed all my trappist beers into youtube to see if you had reviewed then and sank one along side. My favorite 2 bottles out my case you have not reviewed however. The Chimay white cap and the La trappist blonde. Amazing beers! All the others I agree with your rating! I do still have a Chimay blue cap but that has a lot to live up to with the white cap!
I am from Belgium(Flemish community) and I love this beer. Good choice. I can recommend you Westmalle Tripple, Royal Palm(much better then normal Palm).
I'd put Orval in my all time top 15 beers, but I am very big on Belgians. The only blond ale I'd take over Orval is La Chouffe, I just looked now out of curiously and you only gave it an 8 but that was 5/6 years ago, you should definitely pick up another bottle and see what you think.
No friend I have not had either of those, I will have to try them. I love Dunkelweizens but I haven't had that much German beer on the whole, I did go to the Ratsherrn Brauerei when I was in Germany and it was awesome, must have been in there for about 12 hours haha !
One of my favourite beers but I’m a big fan of Belgium beer. A question you may have been asked before many times,If you had to drink one beer what would be your choice?
Brettanomyces my friend. "Orval Trappist Ale bottle with traditional glass Orval is the main brand. It is a 6.2% abv[2] beer. It was first made in 1931, and has a complex and unusual flavor and aroma produced by a unique strain of yeast: Brettanomyces lambicus. The beer is light in color, slightly cloudy, and has a large, foamy head. There is a complex aroma of leather, spice, and many other earthy components. Beer critic Michael Jackson considered Orval to be "a wonderful aperitif", and a "world classic".[3] Its very distinctive taste is largely attributed to two parts of the brewing process. One of these is the use of dry hopping, in which large meshed bags of hops infuse the beer during the three-week maturation period. The other is the use of Brettanomyces yeast during this same maturation, which are a local wild yeast. Hallertau, Styrian Goldings and French Strisselspalt hops are used.[4] Orval beer is bottled exclusively in a distinctive skittle shaped 33 cl bottle. The bottling plant has a capacity of 24,000 bottles per hour. The beer is then matured at 15 °C for a minimum of four weeks on site before being distributed. Beer that will be sold at the Abbey or local cafe is matured for six months. As the beer is bottle conditioned, its flavour can evolve over the years with aging. Petite Orval is a 3.5% abv, beer brewed only for the monks (Patersbier). Although not generally available for sale, it can be purchased in the monastery itself or the café near the monastery."
Ha! People are posting links of my previous review in the comments, honestly cannot remember reviewing it , I seem to like it a lot more than I did previously 😀
Bottle conditioned trappist goes in a chalice shaped glass. Shallow with a very wide rim, a bit like a paddling pool so there's a large surface error for the mega head to disperse into. Still a great head tho' and you get to watch it grow. Probably the best beer in the world.
Got to open it slow. One of my faves as far as cheesy funky farmhouse ales beers. I always get bubble gum aroma out of it. Right up there with Hoften Dormaal Blonde. Cheers it's 7am in Jersey right now but all things considered super thirsty!🍺
I had this same gigantic head on mine last time as well lol. Great gateway beer for Belgium beers. I heard it changes over time too so I bought 2 more of it and gonna drink it a year from now and 2 years from now.
I just drank one, It's great for a Belgium beer, some or most Belgium beers have that strong clove flavor right up front to smack you in the face, this one does not. Cheers!
Well this one is great. But it did not surprise me like other Belgian beers. Like abt12, rochefort 10, duvel, unibroue... Maybe I just dislike this style.
Aaah yes! The beer to end all beers. The mighty, the only, the ultimate, the mythical...Orval! Which is... my least favourite out of the six Belgian Trappists. It is not a bad beer at all, but a massively overrated one. There's quite a lot of rumors and false advertising about it, really. Mostly about it's rumoured "rarity" , yet it's available in quite a lot of bars around Belgium (the Westvleren 12 is far rarer). As for the taste itself, it surely is uncommon... but I'd much rather drink a Blue Chimay, Achel or Triple Westmalle. And that's not even mentioning how underwhelming the visits of the brewery are. They barely show you anything, to "preserve the monks' secrets and peace". Meh...
Not a fan of this one and I'm a big Belgium beer guy. Tried it several times and have written it off my list. At best I'd give this a 6/10 and when other Belgiums are an easy 10/10, why bother? Keep up the good work...always enjoy your reviews!
Nothing tastes like an Orval. Unique and special beer
You waited eight years to review ORVAL and I waited six years to watch your review. But as luck would have it I am able to enjoy an ORVAL while watching your review. My bottle was purchased in Albany, NY here in the USA. It was produced on November 1st 2024. My bottle didn't foam like yours did but it was very fizzy when I poured it into my glass. As you said bottled conditioned beers are a bit tricky in this respect. I agree with your review but did notice one small thing. My bottle has the ABV as 6.9% not 6.2. I'm not sure if in the six years since your review they upped the ABV. But in any case I do agree that this brew does hide it's alcohol content very well. And I must say I do very much enjoy that little bit of farmhouse funk that' ORVAL has going on. Thank you for another wonderful review. Cheers!!
Glad you are still reviewing the classic beers!
Pour it in a chalice next time to avoid the 4 inches of foam
What is the bottled on/enjoy by date on the bottle you're drinking?
You reviewed it 5 years ago.
HopZine right!
I love your comments at the end about what your review would be like In the past. Luckily we can watch it hehe.
8 degrees in your kitchen?
I doubt it's 8 outside in the day time.
i reckon a few revists on classic beers would be interesting, considering how our preferences change over time, as well as the beers themselves in some cases
Menthol, now apples?
reminds me of shortbread smell and taste. been subscribed to you for a while but i've literally only tried other beers other than ipas and larger. Typed all my trappist beers into youtube to see if you had reviewed then and sank one along side. My favorite 2 bottles out my case you have not reviewed however. The Chimay white cap and the La trappist blonde. Amazing beers! All the others I agree with your rating! I do still have a Chimay blue cap but that has a lot to live up to with the white cap!
I am from Belgium(Flemish community) and I love this beer. Good choice. I can recommend you Westmalle Tripple, Royal Palm(much better then normal Palm).
One of the best beers in the world, ever!
It will be down to the Brett continued fermentation that it got a bit excited.
Drinking one now! Mine was a little over carb'ed too...hazy Amber orange color that brings apples with the carbonation. Interesting beer!! Cheers
I'd put Orval in my all time top 15 beers, but I am very big on Belgians. The only blond ale I'd take over Orval is La Chouffe, I just looked now out of curiously and you only gave it an 8 but that was 5/6 years ago, you should definitely pick up another bottle and see what you think.
No friend I have not had either of those, I will have to try them. I love Dunkelweizens but I haven't had that much German beer on the whole, I did go to the Ratsherrn Brauerei when I was in Germany and it was awesome, must have been in there for about 12 hours haha !
One of my favourite beers but I’m a big fan of Belgium beer. A question you may have been asked before many times,If you had to drink one beer what would be your choice?
I love Belgian beers, but this one has such a unique taste that I cannot get used to it. Also it tastes different every time.
Interesting that 5 years ago you rated this beer at 7 out of 10. This beer really needs time to get used to.
Brettanomyces my friend.
"Orval Trappist Ale bottle with traditional glass
Orval is the main brand. It is a 6.2% abv[2] beer. It was first made in 1931, and has a complex and unusual flavor and aroma produced by a unique strain of yeast: Brettanomyces lambicus. The beer is light in color, slightly cloudy, and has a large, foamy head. There is a complex aroma of leather, spice, and many other earthy components.
Beer critic Michael Jackson considered Orval to be "a wonderful aperitif", and a "world classic".[3] Its very distinctive taste is largely attributed to two parts of the brewing process. One of these is the use of dry hopping, in which large meshed bags of hops infuse the beer during the three-week maturation period. The other is the use of Brettanomyces yeast during this same maturation, which are a local wild yeast. Hallertau, Styrian Goldings and French Strisselspalt hops are used.[4]
Orval beer is bottled exclusively in a distinctive skittle shaped 33 cl bottle. The bottling plant has a capacity of 24,000 bottles per hour. The beer is then matured at 15 °C for a minimum of four weeks on site before being distributed. Beer that will be sold at the Abbey or local cafe is matured for six months. As the beer is bottle conditioned, its flavour can evolve over the years with aging.
Petite Orval is a 3.5% abv, beer brewed only for the monks (Patersbier). Although not generally available for sale, it can be purchased in the monastery itself or the café near the monastery."
Damn 8 years!, how many beers have you reviewed?
There is a very specific way to pour orval. Pour slowly yet still create a rocky foam on top.
Ha! People are posting links of my previous review in the comments, honestly cannot remember reviewing it , I seem to like it a lot more than I did previously 😀
When you posted your BoE box last week I thought "Simon must have reviewed this before?".
And pour the sediment with the yeast in a shotglass and serve seperately.
And get the correct glass for it.
Soon i will try the weakier Petit Orval (4,5%), the monks beer only available from draft
we had this new brewery beers that were amazing when came out. Later on the same beers didnt taste good, the taste is just not the same now.
Orval is great. In some ways it reminds me of Chimay Blue, & that's a very powerful compliment.
Bottle conditioned trappist goes in a chalice shaped glass. Shallow with a very wide rim, a bit like a paddling pool so there's a large surface error for the mega head to disperse into. Still a great head tho' and you get to watch it grow. Probably the best beer in the world.
It's more like campfire roasted apple, just without the smoky skeen on it in taste. Brilliant, brilliant litte bowly beer
Got to open it slow. One of my faves as far as cheesy funky farmhouse ales beers. I always get bubble gum aroma out of it. Right up there with Hoften Dormaal Blonde. Cheers it's 7am in Jersey right now but all things considered super thirsty!🍺
I had this same gigantic head on mine last time as well lol. Great gateway beer for Belgium beers. I heard it changes over time too so I bought 2 more of it and gonna drink it a year from now and 2 years from now.
Jiashi head depends on the way you poor it obviously
This is one of my favorites !
You reviewed this beer several years ago??????
I think you need a PA Simon...4000 beers have clearly had an effect on your memory...
You actually reviewed it years ago.... and you didn't like it that much if I remember well
long live orval!
I just drank one, It's great for a Belgium beer, some or most Belgium beers have that strong clove flavor right up front to smack you in the face, this one does not. Cheers!
It's a great beer, as I see it.
your reviews are entertaining.
It's because you've been reviewing Fray Bentos Simon :-)
Farmhouse funky ! I get what you're saying.
I found Belgian beers repulsive when I first got into craft beer. After time, I came to appreciate Belgian brews for the great beers that they are.
Well this one is great. But it did not surprise me like other Belgian beers. Like abt12, rochefort 10, duvel, unibroue...
Maybe I just dislike this style.
Aaah yes! The beer to end all beers. The mighty, the only, the ultimate, the mythical...Orval!
Which is... my least favourite out of the six Belgian Trappists. It is not a bad beer at all, but a massively overrated one. There's quite a lot of rumors and false advertising about it, really. Mostly about it's rumoured "rarity" , yet it's available in quite a lot of bars around Belgium (the Westvleren 12 is far rarer). As for the taste itself, it surely is uncommon... but I'd much rather drink a Blue Chimay, Achel or Triple Westmalle.
And that's not even mentioning how underwhelming the visits of the brewery are. They barely show you anything, to "preserve the monks' secrets and peace". Meh...
Mabe because you didn't get for free yet, till now.
For me it feels like a 6er, but that's just me.
Not a fan of this one and I'm a big Belgium beer guy. Tried it several times and have written it off my list. At best I'd give this a 6/10 and when other Belgiums are an easy 10/10, why bother? Keep up the good work...always enjoy your reviews!
I agree, not to my taste. Which beers do you rate good?
U reviewed already & said it was medicinal
This must be the comment box so ill comment: You reviewed this beer already, the thumbnail even shows up in the "Up Next" box... how embarrassing.
A lot of water (and brain cells) have flown under the bridge since I reviewed it 5 years ago 😀
Its all good lad, always enjoyable to see you go on about a beer. cheers
Stop saying good levels of carbonation, either low medium or high levels will do!