Orval

The second of our trappist beers from the trip, I wasn't sure what to expect from Orval. Unlike Chimay, Achel, Westmalle, and Rochefort, Orval only has one line readily available to the public. It was also noticably lighter than the other trappists we had with us.

The beer poured a light brown color, with a 1 finger off white head. This beer even gave Duvel a run for it's money in head retention... the head stuck around and left good lacing on the glass. It was on the cloudy side, but we poured the sediment from the bottle into the glass to allow the yeast to dissipate through.

The aroma was also a bit unexpected. It was grassy, almost like hay, with an underlying spice scent.

The taste was fairly mild. There was a muted citrus fruit flavor that was slightly tangy, along with a light bitterness. The aftertaste had a slightly metallic tinge to it. I'm wondering how it would be without the yeast in the glass, whether the bitterness would be gone, and how the flavor would be altered.

The mouthfeel was thick and smooth, with a light carbonation. It was however a bit on the dry side.

This was a very easy beer to drink. Because the flavor was so mild, and there was no trace of alcohol in the taste, it was not at all difficult to throw back. I wouldn't say it was the best tasting beer ever, but certainly worth trying.

I do think it's worth mentioning that I'd like to give this beer another shot. My notes for this beer are a bit sparse, and it seems like the trip was so long ago that I'm having trouble remembering the details of it. I'm also wondering how much of an impact the yeast has on the flavor, and whether it's positive or negative. I remember when I tried Affligem blonde, I really wasn't grabbed by the beer at all until I tried it with the yeast in the glass. Maybe I'll run out this week and pick up another bottle.

- Adam

Revisited 10/24/08:

I picked up another bottle today and tried it again, this time without the sediment mixed in at first. I didn't pick up so much of the spice in the aroma this time, but instead got a sweet banana smell. The beer is definitely more clear. The taste is still very mild. The flavor is a bit sweet, with a dull bitterness at the end. The carbonation comes through a lot more this time. There's a bit of warmness to it too.

Mixing in the sediment, the smell is unchanged, but the beer is definitely more cloudy. The taste is a little more tangy, and the bitterness at the end isn't quite so dull, but the taste is mostly unchanged.

It's a little disappointing. I had hoped that the second time around I might be able to reveal a little bit more about this beer. It's the same style as Leffe blonde and De Koninck, a Belgian Pale Ale. I can taste the similarity to Leffe in it, but it's not as flavorful. It's also not nearly as sweet which may or may not be a good thing depending on your mood. Overall though, it doesn't live up to the expectation I have for a trappist. I had expected something that transcends the style, but instead it seems average. It's not bad, but it's not great either. I really can't see myself coming back to this one. I've had it, I can check it off the list of trappists, but really there's not much else worth saying.

- Adam