This bottle was packaged on March 28th of 2017 before going in for approximately 6 weeks of bottle conditioning in a warm room prior to release.
Appearance: Hazy orange/amber, beige head, great retention.
Aroma: Grassy, woody, herbal, light pepper, cracker, fruity, nutty.
Taste: Caramel, fruity, nutty, cracker, pepper, a touch of brett bite.
Overall Impression: At 8+ months since bottling and 6+ months since release, the Orval is starting to dry out. The freshest Orval is a mix of malt flavor and hops. Now, the brettanomyces is starting to pick up a bit and injecting a bit of flavor while consuming some of the residual sugar left by the amber malts. Although the brett is starting come forward, the beer still displays some nice hop character and bite. This is the point most bottles, assuming they've made it through the importation/distribution system to the retailer with few delays.
Availability: All the time, around the world.
6.2% ABV
You can read more about the history of the Trappist brewers and Orval here.
If you'd like to look at some pictures and read about my trip to Orval, click here.