Orval
(has 22 batches)
Brasserie d’Orval in Villers-devant-Orval, Luxembourg, Belgium 🇧🇪
Belgian Style - Blonde / Pale / Amber Regular|
Score
7.93
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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.
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.
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8.6/10
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Appearance 9
Aroma 9
Flavor 7.5
Texture 9
Overall 9
Orval is a really interesting Belgian beer with plenty of character. It has a lovely golden-amber colour and a distinctive aroma of citrus, spice, herbs and a little funk.
The flavour is dry and refreshing, with a nice balance of fruity notes, gentle bitterness and that classic Belgian yeast character. It’s complex enough to keep you interested without becoming too heavy, and the finish is pleasantly dry and slightly bitter.
The only reason it doesn’t get a higher score for me is that the funky, dry character may not appeal to everyone.
The flavour is dry and refreshing, with a nice balance of fruity notes, gentle bitterness and that classic Belgian yeast character. It’s complex enough to keep you interested without becoming too heavy, and the finish is pleasantly dry and slightly bitter.
The only reason it doesn’t get a higher score for me is that the funky, dry character may not appeal to everyone.
Tried
from Bottle
on 10 Sep 2026
at 19:16
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle from Hop Burns and Black, enjoyed watching Scotland v Morocco. First Orval in years. Pours lightly hazy golden amber with a big fruity white head. Nose is wonderfully complex - caramel, apricot, grape must, some berry notes, gentle citrus. Profile falls somewhere between a blonde and a gueze. Flavour is well balanced, medium sweetness, medium bitterness, light sourness. Medium body, prickly carbonation, refreshingly dry, with a slightly gueze-y must on the finish. Still a beaut.
Tried
from Bottle
at
Hop Burns & Black - Dulwich
on 19 Jun 2026
at 22:33