Day 81 / March 23, 2011
Brasserie d'Orval S.A. / Villers-devant-Orval, Belgium
A | NG | P | G | VG | O |
Here’s to drunken monks!
Thanks to Stank at work for bringing me in an Orval Trappist Ale, one of his favorite beers. I am only an occasional Belgian Ale drinker, but I can definitely appreciate the style.
So what's the difference between a Belgian Trappist beer and an Belgian Abbey beer? Both Trappist and Abbey beers can be of many different styles - the terms are used to describe the beer's origin, not their style.
Trappist beers are beers brewed in a Trappist monastery. For a beer to qualify for Trappist certification, the brewery must be in a monastery, the monks must play a role in its production and policies and the profits from the sale must be used to support the monastery and/or social programs outside. There are only six Belgian monasteries that currently meet these qualifications - Achel, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle, and Westvleteren.
Abbey beers are made by commercial breweries, who take advantage of the positive associations of the Trappist breweries by imitating the styles and names of Trappist beers, and either brew under licence from an existing abbey, or brand their beers with the name of an abbey ruin or some other religious connection.
The Legend of Orval: The story goes that the Orval monastery was born of an act of gratitude - Mathilda was a widow and her wedding ring had accidentally fallen into the fountain. She prayed to the Lord and at once a trout rose to the surface with the precious ring in its mouth. Mathilda exclaimed : 'Truly this place is a Val d'Or'! " In gratitude, she decided to establish a monastery on the site.
Shame on me for not having the proper glass to enjoy this beer in – Belgian beers are generally served in a wide goblet, which are designed to preserve the head in the glass and allow for deep sips. Instead, I poured this into a Sam Adams glass, and as result I got a glass full of foam! I had to wait several minutes for it to settle down.
The color was a little orange-ish, slightly cloudy. The taste was quite good - a little strong, and a little sweet, with hints of spice.
I still think you're doing yourself an injustice by not sampling with and without the Sam Adams glass. Don't underestimate the difference it can make in the taste and texture of the beer!
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