Orval Trappist Ale
Brasserie d'Orval S.A.

Orval Trappist AleOrval Trappist Ale
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From:
Brasserie d'Orval S.A.
 
Belgium
Style:
Belgian Pale Ale
Ranked #1
ABV:
6.2%
Score:
93
Ranked #2,885
Avg:
4.2 | pDev: 12.38%
Reviews:
2,524
Ratings:
5,879
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sunday at 01:02 AM
Added:
Sep 18, 2001
Wants:
  391
Gots:
  1,054
Orval beer is a high fermentation beer. The ageing process adds a fruity note, which strikes a subtle balance between the beer’s full-bodied yet complex flavour and bitterness.

The beer was first brewed in 1931 and owes its unparalleled taste to the quality of the water, the hops and the yeast used. The brewery has selected very aromatic and unique hop varieties, which hark back to the first brewmaster of Orval, who hailed from Bavaria. The beer’s aromas are very pronounced while maintaining the right level of bitterness thanks to the English method of dry hopping.

The various stages of fermentation – combined fermentation with the original yeast and with wild yeast, followed by fermentation in the bottle – mean the beer must age for some time and requires numerous quality controls.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Slatetank:
Photo of Slatetank
Reviewed by Slatetank from Pennsylvania

4.69/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
I picked this bottle up at Julio's kept in my fridge for a couple of months - bottled on 13/11/08 and best before 13/11/2013 accoreding to the label -I poured this chilled from the bowling pin style 11.2oz bottle into a chalice

A - When the pour was finished there was 3 fingers of whipped foam rising out of the glass - the beer started foaming out as the cap was pried off. About 2 fingers below the rim of the glass w/ bead like ball bearings in rows stacked upon each other. The color of the brew is sort of orange and caramel golden w/ cream on top of off white. The clarity is hazed w/ incredible head retention, the lace clings well

S - I was drawn to the aroma w/ brett apparent in the cherry, cedar, tobacco and oak-like nose immediately. The scent of pink peppercorn, pineapple and rose petals w/ light orance rind, and kumquat all intertwined w/ a mild, subtle vanilla spiced note. The nose is seriously tropical with a passionfruit and mild mango note but the sweet woody cherry-like aromas pervade w/ mild spice like tobacco and gentle apple

M - a mild weet feel and highly effervescent w/ a slight tannic essence w/ fruit and tart tinged texture. There is mild spice edges w/ lightly bitter notes and bits of dry fruit skin w/ an herbal accent. The ale finishes lightly tart and dry

T -the taste is wonderful with the brett flavor which is cherry-like and tropical tinged w/ light pineapple flavor and mild woody tinges w/ a light pepper and lemon quality. The gentle floral and tea-like herbal hop quality w/ a subtle toasted note w/ mild honey tip is very delectable w/ hints of lemongrass and cherry skin w/ a mellow twiggy hop and toasted malt taste.
The real standout is the brett which gives the dry yet full flavored fruit elemnent to the ale while I know it is a blend of Saccharomyces and Brettanomyces it is still great how balanced and light spice and brett is blended with tropical yeast flavor and spice/pine. The hop taste is hinted at and moves to a dry place which signals me to take another sip and start enjoying everything again w/ a lemony note w/ mild flavor of alcohol in the last sips as it nears cellar temp

D - The drinkability is sublime - stellar, inspirational brew - I have a lot of respect for the method and humble brilliance the monks exude in the style w/ plentle of subtlety and nuance, yet vibrant, intense flavor. The experience is a wonderful taste, words truly can't express it -something I wish I had on hand all the time
Apr 28, 2010
More User Ratings:
Photo of moysauce
Reviewed by moysauce from Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
What to say about this beer that hasn't already been said. A truly unique beer that may as well be it's own style. Hoppy, funky, phenolic, complex to say the least, but highly crushable.
Sunday at 01:02 AM
 
Rated: 4.33 by liquorpig from Massachusetts

Saturday at 05:44 PM
Photo of Wheataleguy
Reviewed by Wheataleguy from Georgia

3.28/5  rDev -21.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Back once again to Belgium with another Trappist ale, this time Orval. This particular bottle was brewed in May of 2021, so it is nearly 3 years in the making. The aroma and flavor of this style change as the years pass and the beer conditions in the bottle. The triples and quads for sure get better as they age, but I'm not so sure about this one. I need to find one that is less than a year in the bottle. Using a Belgian style tulip glass, beer at room temperature, I began a gentle pour. This one is highly carbonated and the head just took off like a rocket. It took a while for it to settle before I continued the pour. A nice hazy amber color with a near 4-finger foamy head that just sizzled with all of that carbonation. The aroma is decent, with scents of banana and maybe a bit of lemony citrus and caramel notes, bitter. Perhaps a bit of sweet bubble gum in there too. Reminds me of a Hefeweizen in a way. So, how does it taste? With all that carbonation, the beer just danced around on the tongue. I get ripe banana up front, lemon zest and malty on the palate. Bready, earthy notes, herbal and a bit peppery. On the backend I got some bitterness and something funky. Can't nail it down. The only thing I can come up with is a weird sourness with a pinch of metallic there. Yeah, I'm gonna have to find one a little bit more youthful. I just get the feeling I caught this one after it had peaked. That sourness has me puzzled. This is not indicative of a Belgian ale. I'll revisit with another review on a baby Orval. Cheers!
Mar 10, 2024
Photo of Standardbs
Reviewed by Standardbs from Massachusetts

4.61/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
What I've found is you have to drink this beer when its in its sweet spot age wise, between nine and fifteen months from brew date. Huge creamy head. Great color really great ale flavor. I look forward finding in my local package store. Slightly warmed is best.
Mar 07, 2024
Photo of HarrisonReed
Reviewed by HarrisonReed

1.59/5  rDev -62.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5
I was really surprised. This beer has almost no taste, other than a slightly bitter, metallic aftertaste.

I have poured many a beer in my life but this beer could not be poured without a ridiculously large head, no matter what angle I held the glass at.

Maybe I got a bad match, but it was will within (by years) the expiration date. Expiration was June, 2028.

Based on this example I tried, I wouldn't recommend, poured out most of it into the drain after a few sips. Now I'm out $4 or whatever it cost for the bottle. Back to my trusty Trappistes Rochefort number 8.
Mar 03, 2024
Photo of Saluki
Reviewed by Saluki from Florida

4.58/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
Beautiful long lasting head and hazy golden hue. Has delicious flavor, nutty and light malt tastes. Only complaint is it feels a little thin in the mouth, maybe that's a metallic tinge. Carries the abv, but barely. Very thirst quenching. Could drink quite a bit. Will definitely have some more, will age some now that I know the newer bottle flavor. This bottled on 3/29/23, today is 3/22/24.
Feb 22, 2024
 
Rated: 4.13 by gongfu from Connecticut

Jan 31, 2024
 
Rated: 4.2 by mushycake from Connecticut

Jan 31, 2024
 
Rated: 4.55 by Supper1

Jan 30, 2024
Photo of dofo777
Reviewed by dofo777 from Maryland

4.27/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Nice bottle! Pours with a huge foamy head, once you get to the beer it's nutty, dried fruit on the front, and slightly bitter on the finish, with a fizzy mouth feel. It's an experience.
Jan 14, 2024
 
Rated: 2.97 by SeanP99 from North Carolina

Jan 11, 2024
 
Rated: 3.74 by bschmidt_37 from Illinois

Dec 26, 2023
 
Rated: 4.28 by emwilke from Nevada

Dec 22, 2023
Photo of mrcstl
Reviewed by mrcstl

5/5  rDev +19%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
No tasting notes since this is readily available and a beer that every beer lover should absolutely try. Always surprised this gets so many mediocre reviews and doesn’t rate higher. I love it both young and cellared for several years as it takes on more Brett character. It would be my “if you could only drink one beer for the rest of your life” beer.
Dec 19, 2023
Photo of DrDemento456
Reviewed by DrDemento456 from Pennsylvania

4.06/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I don't know how everybody got medium carbonation on mine it's quite high every sip being bubbly and effervescent something I'm not used to in beer. Overall The taste is pretty clean grassy herbal slight hint of sweetness. Price is a bit much I think I paid about $7 for my single. Worth trying for a world-class beer but I really couldn't see buying another one Duvel to me seems like a better option higher.
Dec 18, 2023
Photo of solisbrewmaster
Reviewed by solisbrewmaster from Mexico

4.29/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bottled in 2021 and served in a glass in 2023. The color is slight haze with The bottom yellow and as it goes up it is a light brown to copper. It has a big head that lasts - seems like ice cream.
The smell is that of belgian yeast. It is a slight spice with herbs and slight fruit. A los slight tart sour.
The taste follows The smell and it is balanced with some hop bitterness.
It has a light body with medium high carbonation.
It is very refreshing - I would drink again if I can!
Dec 16, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by Nyoder

Nov 26, 2023
 
Rated: 4.51 by nunienun from Illinois

Nov 22, 2023
Photo of tenbeersbold
Reviewed by tenbeersbold from Germany

2.84/5  rDev -32.4%
look: 5 | smell: 1 | taste: 3 | feel: 5 | overall: 3
This is one I've gone back to over the last decade several times a year.
Various bottles at various ages.
I get that the yeast strain is rare and the taste is unique amongst Trappist beers
But I just don't get the adulation for it.
High carbonation and a metallic bitterness that's different but it just doesn't make me want to have another one.
I've really tried to love this beer but this is an outlier for me,probably the only Trappist I don't like
Oct 19, 2023
Orval Trappist Ale from Brasserie d'Orval S.A.
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 5879 ratings