Consider yourself a connoisseur? (Orval)

Member Name: Sam H

Product:	Orval
Date:	12/03/01 (35 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great taste, something a little bit different

Disadvantages: Can be difficult to find

Belgium is famous for three things: beer, chocolate and Jean-Claude van Damme. The order is significant.

What Belgium is particularly known for is its line in "Trappist" beer; that is, beer brewed by Trappist monks. There are many such brands, but in my opinion Orval is superior to most of them.

Describing the taste of something in print is not easy, but I'll have a go. Orval has a refreshing, light taste, of the sort you would associate with a slightly paler brew. It is not a lightweight's drink, though - not just in that 6.2% is good going, but also in that it has a very distinct taste. One thing you can be sure of with your Belgian beers is that it won't be just so much more homogenised, mechanised lager. The taste is individual, and you should sample it for yourself.

In London, the best place to drink Orval is in one of the three "Belgo" restaurants, Belgian joints famous for having a beer list that easily swamps the food menu. The beers are divided into sections, and a great meal can be had sampling different ones from one glass to the next. However, I suggest starting with Orval! You won't be sorry - though you may be a touch more tipsy than you bargained for after a few of these delicious babies.

Pricewise, it is not appreciably more costly than anything else of the same genre, though of course your average pub pint would come a little cheaper. It's served, if I recall correctly, in 330ml customised glasses. And one more, slightly random pointer: if you ever find yourself in the Latin quarter of Paris, there is a Belgian beer bar near Rue St Michel that serves this and other Trappist brews. Check out my review of the Latin quarter for more info. And in the meantime, drink lots of Orval.

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