About This Beer
Orval Trappist Belgian Pale Ale 33cl is one of Belgium's most distinctive and celebrated Trappist beers. Brewed within the grounds of Notre-Dame d'Orval Abbey in southern Belgium, it is renowned for its amber colour, expressive hop aromas, dry bitterness and remarkable ability to develop new flavours as it ages.
Unlike many Belgian Trappist beers, which are known for their rich malt sweetness and higher alcohol strengths, Orval takes a different approach.
Its character is built around aromatic hops, carefully managed fermentation and the addition of Brettanomyces yeast.
The result is a beer that can taste noticeably different depending on when the bottle is opened.
Young Orval tends to display fresh hop aromas, fruity notes and pronounced bitterness. Its appearance may be slightly hazy, with a generous but relatively delicate head.
As the beer matures, the hop aromas gradually soften, while the influence of Brettanomyces becomes more noticeable.
After several months, the brewery describes a more developed combination of yeast, mature hop character, gentle acidity and caramel.
This evolution is one of the reasons Orval has developed such a devoted following among Belgian beer enthusiasts.
Its distinctive fermentation process begins with a carefully selected primary yeast.
Following fermentation, the beer undergoes a conditioning period during which additional hops are introduced.
This technique, known as dry hopping, contributes aromatic complexity without relying entirely on the bitterness developed during boiling.
The brewery also introduces Brettanomyces during maturation.
Brettanomyces is a type of yeast associated with distinctive earthy, fruity and gently funky fermentation characteristics.
At Orval, it is deliberately incorporated into a controlled brewing process rather than appearing as an accidental contaminant.
The beer is subsequently prepared for secondary fermentation in the bottle, with fresh yeast and sugar added before packaging.
This creates natural carbonation and allows the beer to continue developing after leaving the brewery.
Orval's brewing process uses pale malt and a small proportion of caramel malt, together with water from the abbey's Mathilde spring.
The brewery uses hops of German and Slovenian origin, alongside carefully maintained yeast cultures.
The combination produces a beer with a particularly individual balance of fruit, bitterness, dryness and gentle acidity.
Orval is also recognised by the Authentic Trappist Product designation.
This indicates that the beer is produced within a Trappist abbey, under the involvement and supervision of the monastic community, with revenue supporting the monastery and charitable purposes.
The 33cl bottle is an excellent choice for customers discovering authentic Belgian Trappist beer.
It also offers a particularly interesting opportunity to compare bottles with different bottling dates.
Some enthusiasts prefer Orval young, when its hop character is more pronounced. Others enjoy allowing bottles to mature for several months to explore the development of its yeast-driven flavours.
Neither approach is inherently better. They simply reveal different aspects of the same beer.
Browse our Belgian & Trappist Beer collection to discover more traditional Belgian speciality beers.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Warm amber with a generous, creamy head. Younger bottles may show a slight haze, while mature bottles can appear clearer when poured without the yeast sediment.
Aroma: Fresh hops, fruity notes and gentle yeast character when young. With age, the aroma develops towards mature hops, more noticeable yeast complexity and subtle earthy or funky impressions.
Taste: Pronounced hop bitterness, a dry finish and refreshing fruit character. As the beer matures, bitterness softens and delicate acidity, caramel and more complex fermentation notes emerge.
Mouthfeel: Lively natural carbonation, a creamy head and a relatively dry, refreshing finish. The balance between carbonation, bitterness and gentle acidity gives the beer an exceptionally distinctive drinking character.
About the Brewery
Orval Brewery is located within the grounds of Notre-Dame d'Orval Abbey near Villers-devant-Orval in Belgium's Luxembourg province.
The abbey has a long history extending back to the medieval period, although the modern brewery was established in 1931.
Its creation was closely connected to the reconstruction of the abbey following the return of the Trappist community in the twentieth century.
The brewery was established to help finance the rebuilding of the monastery, and its commercial activities continue to support the abbey and charitable work.
Unlike conventional commercial breweries, Orval operates according to the principles associated with authentic Trappist production.
The brewery remains within the abbey grounds, and its activities are connected to the values and responsibilities of the monastic community.
Orval's first master brewer, Pappenheimer, developed the beer's original recipe.
His Bavarian brewing background helped influence the brewery's selection of aromatic hops.
The beer became distinctive for combining Belgian top fermentation with an English-inspired dry-hopping technique.
Dry hopping was particularly important because it contributed expressive hop aromas to a beer already characterised by pronounced bitterness.
The brewery subsequently developed a carefully controlled fermentation process incorporating both its primary yeast and Brettanomyces.
These different yeast cultures contribute to Orval's distinctive character and its ability to evolve after bottling.
The brewery also uses water from the Mathilde spring, an important part of the abbey's identity.
The spring is connected to the famous legend of Orval.
According to the story, Countess Mathilde of Tuscany lost her wedding ring in a fountain.
After praying for its return, she saw a trout emerge from the water carrying the ring in its mouth.
In gratitude, she declared the valley a place of gold and resolved to establish a monastery there.
The trout holding a ring remains one of Orval's most recognisable symbols and appears prominently on the beer's branding.
Although the legend belongs to the abbey's medieval heritage, the modern beer has its own history beginning in 1931.
Today, Orval remains a particularly distinctive example of authentic Trappist brewing.
Its production is focused on preserving the established character of the beer rather than creating an extensive range of different commercial styles.
The brewery carefully manages its fermentation, maturation and bottling processes to maintain consistency while allowing the beer to develop naturally over time.
For beer enthusiasts, this creates an unusual combination of reliability and variation.
Every bottle follows the same established brewing approach, yet its flavour can change noticeably depending on its age and storage conditions.
This makes Orval particularly interesting for customers who enjoy comparing beers, exploring traditional brewing techniques or learning how fermentation affects flavour.
Its combination of monastic heritage, dry hopping, Brettanomyces and bottle conditioning gives it a place of its own within Belgian beer.
Food Pairings
Orval's dry bitterness, lively carbonation and gently tart character make it an excellent beer for food pairing.
Unlike sweeter Belgian ales, Orval can provide a refreshing contrast to rich or savoury dishes.
Its pronounced hop character also works particularly well with foods featuring herbs, roasted flavours and mature cheeses.
One of the most traditional pairings is cheese.
Orval Abbey is associated with its own cheese production, and the combination of Orval beer and cheese is celebrated by the brewery itself.
Mature semi-hard cheeses, aged Gouda and Comté are particularly appealing choices.
Their savoury, nutty flavours complement the beer's malt character, while its carbonation and bitterness help refresh the palate.
Orval also works well with washed-rind cheeses.
The stronger aroma and creamy texture of these cheeses provide an interesting contrast to the beer's dry finish and developing fermentation character.
Roast chicken is another excellent pairing.
Chicken seasoned with thyme, rosemary or other fresh herbs complements Orval's aromatic hop profile.
The beer's bitterness helps balance the richness of roasted skin, while its carbonation provides a refreshing contrast.
For pork dishes, consider roast pork shoulder, grilled pork chops or pork served with mustard.
The savoury meat complements the beer's amber malt character, while the bitterness helps cut through richer flavours.
A mustard-based sauce can also work particularly well with Orval's dry, gently tart finish.
Charcuterie is another attractive option.
Prosciutto, salami and other cured meats offer savoury and salty flavours that complement the beer's bitterness.
Serve alongside crusty bread, pickles and mature cheese for a simple Belgian-inspired sharing platter.
For vegetarian dishes, mushrooms are particularly suitable.
A mushroom tart, roasted mushrooms on toast or mushroom risotto provides earthy flavours that complement Orval's developing yeast character.
Caramelised onions and roasted root vegetables can also work well, particularly when the beer has developed some of its softer caramel notes through ageing.
Orval is also an interesting accompaniment to dishes featuring vinegar or pickled ingredients.
Its gentle acidity and dry finish can complement these flavours without the beer becoming excessively sweet.
For a simple tasting, serve Orval with mature cheese, savoury crackers, pickles and lightly salted nuts.
The brewery recommends storing Orval away from light at approximately 10–15°C and ideally serving it within a similar temperature range.
This is warmer than many conventional lagers, allowing the hop and yeast aromas to become more expressive.
Pour into an Orval chalice or a suitable Belgian beer glass, leaving room for its generous head.
The brewery recommends tasting the yeast sediment separately, allowing customers to experience how the sediment affects the beer's appearance and flavour.
For customers interested in ageing beer, Orval's bottling date provides a useful reference.
Comparing a younger bottle with one aged for six months or longer can reveal noticeable differences in bitterness, aroma and acidity.
Try More Like This
If you enjoy Orval Trappist Belgian Pale Ale, explore our Belgian & Trappist Beer collection for more beers produced in Belgium's historic brewing tradition.
Westmalle Tripel is an interesting comparison for customers who enjoy complex Belgian fermentation character but would like to explore a stronger, golden Trappist ale.
Westmalle Dubbel offers a different interpretation of Trappist brewing, with a darker malt profile and richer caramel and dried fruit characteristics.
Chimay Blue is another excellent choice for customers interested in authentic Trappist beers, particularly those who prefer fuller-bodied, darker Belgian ales.
For a contrast in brewing tradition, explore the Sour & Lambic Beer collection.
Traditional lambic and gueuze beers provide a different approach to yeast character and acidity, making them particularly interesting for customers who enjoy Orval's Brettanomyces influence.
Although Orval is not a lambic beer, its evolving fermentation character can appeal to drinkers who appreciate complex, dry and gently tart Belgian styles.
For customers interested in Belgian brewing history, Orval also offers a compelling story through its monastic origins, the legend of the trout and ring, and its carefully maintained brewing traditions.
Whether you're discovering authentic Trappist beer for the first time or revisiting a favourite, Orval 33cl offers a distinctive combination of aromatic hops, dry bitterness, Brettanomyces complexity and evolving bottle-conditioned flavour.
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