There aren’t many breweries who only make one beer for the market, but that it is the case with Orval.
Brasserie d’Orval is one of the six remaining Trappist Monasteries of Belgium. (There is also La Trappe in The Netherlands, Engelszell in Austria and the newly designated Spencer Trappist Brewery at St Joseph’s Abbey in the United States).
This classic Belgian Trappist Blond Ale is golden orange in colour, supporting a fluffy white head. It has a fruity aroma, with a bretty yeast funk in the background.
A complex combination of flavours come in waves. First a little tart sourness, then fruit flavours of pear and green apple, with a crisp malt backbone and gentle spicing. The cultured Orval yeast, along with the Brettanomyces yeast, add further layers of flavour and complexity. A good level of carbonation enhances the peppery spikes, and contributes to a pleasant bitter finish.
This beer is becoming increasingly hard to find. We managed to source a few cases on our last trip, so thought we’d best get this beer into the packs at the first opportunity!
An interesting beer from Alvinne, and one of Belgium's most bitter beers at 115 IBU
by Abdij Averbode (Brouwerij Huyghe)
A multi grain mix of barley oats and spelt, plus dry-hopping make this strong blonde ale a really interesting creation
A Strong Blonde Ale cross Belgian Tripel, with oak chips used in the brewing process to add a hint of vanilla
by Brouwerij De Hoorn (Palm - Swinkels)
A Belgian Strong Blond Ale aged on oak chips
The 'Devil's' little brother, made to the same recipe but without secondary fermentation in the bottle
by Brouwerij van Hoegaarden (AB InBev)
Like a super-charged Hoegaarden witbier...but better
A special Belgian Strong Pale Ale that is the only Belgian beer to use Witloof
A sort of Belgian style strong blonde ale, made using unsold sourdough bread
Like a bigger, tastier (and classier) version of the classic Leffe Blond
A strong blond ale in the style of Duvel, brewed by Het Anker brewery
A delicious strong blond ale with a crisp malt body and a nice hop bitterness
by Brouwerij Palm (Swinkels Family Brewers)
A fruity, malty Belgian pale ale, originally brewed in 2003 to celebrate the 90th birthday of the brewey's former head brewer.
by Brouwerij Verstraete (Deca Services)
An unfiltered, unpasteurised, dry-hopped strong blond ale with barley, oats and wheat in the grain bill
A classic strong pale ale from one of Belgium's old family breweries.
A variation on the acclaimed Piraat strong blond ale, this time with four different hops added at three separate times during the beer-making process
A delicious, complex but light and dry Belgian Strong Blonde Ale from Brasserie St Feuillien
A special Belgian Blonde ale, dry-hopped with Cascade hops. A tribute to Armand Desplenter, one of the founding brewers
A full malt body, spicy Belgian yeast and five different hops in this strong blonde ale
