Tag Archives: Trappist Beers

29. Orval

Leave a Reply

The quite frankly prodigious contribution of Belgian monks to the world of beer continues with this Trappist ale from the tiny village of Villers-devant-Orval.

Orval

Orval pours a little darker than I expected, a fairly deep honey colour, though nowhere approaching the darkness of, say, Chimay Rouge. It’s slightly hazy, though perhaps I could have let it settle a while longer before opening. There’s more head than beer at first, but it fades quite promptly.

Labelled at a comparatively shandy-drinking 6.2% ABV, I think this might be the weakest Belgian beer so far, though it is bottle-conditioned, and there are apparently enough hops and sugar in the bottle that subsequent fermentation can see it reach about 7.0%.

It’s actually, and perhaps thankfully, somewhat different to a lot of the blonde Belgians we’ve seen. It’s smoother, and there’s none of that strange “Belgian” flavour that I can’t really describe, but would recognise a mile off (think Leffe Blonde).

It’s very drinkable, but there’s enough depth to savour, and there’s a gigantic hoppy finish. The bitterness is initially quite satisfying, but it’s so intense that it soon becomes distinctly salty, specifically sea salt. That’s something I’ve only previously noticed with Beavertown’s Black Betty black IPA. I’m not sure if it’s to do with the use of dry hopping (adding a handful of hops to the finished beer) but it really is quite prominent.

Whilst not a patch on the Chimay Bleue, Orval is up there among my favourite Belgian beers so far, but that saltiness means I’ll stick at one for now.

Facts and Figures

Brewery: Brasserie d’Orval s.a., Villers-devant-Orval, Belgium
Style: Trappist Beers
Strength: 6.2% ABV
Found at: Bossman Wines, Lordship Lane, London SE22
Serving: 330ml bottle

17. Chimay Rouge

Leave a Reply

Having enjoyed Chimay Bleue quite so much, I was keen to crack on with trying the other two Chimays in The Book, the Rouge and the Blanche.

The latter two seem to be harder to get hold of, but a lunch hour stroll to the City Beverage Company was all it took to get my hands on this, the weakest—well, least strong—of the trio, weighing in at a mere 7% ABV.

image

Chimay Rouge pours somewhat less dark than the Bleue, which is to say that light may actually penetrate it. It’s still a very dark, very hazy brownish colour, with a smallish off-white head that dissipates to a fine beige lacing quite promptly.

To taste, the Rouge has a noticeably lighter body than the Bleue, with more of a vinous, wine-like finish. There is also more hoppy bitterness, and a warming booziness that reminds you that if you weren’t comparing it to the 9.0% Bleue, this would be considered a very strong beer.

There isn’t the sheer luxury here that the Bleue affords, though, and the Bleue remains my favourite.

I’m aware that I’m making the Rouge sounds like a poor second-best by constantly comparing it to the Bleue, which isn’t really fair, since it’s still a genuinely good beer. It’ll be very interesting to see where the 8% Blanche fits in to the range. I feel a walk up to Old Street coming on…

Facts and Figures

Brewery: Bières de Chimay S.A., Baileux, Belgium
Style: Trappist Beers
Strength: 7.0% ABV
Found at: City Beverage Company, Old Street, London EC1
Serving: 330ml Bottle

15. Chimay Bleue

Leave a Reply

With the two previous Belgian beers I’ve tackled, I’ve wondered aloud what the exact use case for these super-strength blonde bombshells is.

I have no such qualms about this one. Chimay Bleue is pure luxury in a glass. This is a beer just made to be savoured slowly, late at night, in your favourite armchair by the fire.

This is the first of three Chimays that are in The Book. All of them are brewed by Trappist monks at the Notre-Dame de Scourmont Abbey in Hainaut, Belgium.

image

Chimay Bleue pours almost black, though if you hold it up to the light, you can see it’s actually a lovely dark ruby colour. There’s a small and very velvety beige head, and it tastes like the beer you always wanted to drink.

You absolutely must serve Chimay beers at room temperature, as it’s only then that the sheer quality and depth truly become apparent.

Bleue is rich, dark and chocolatey without being sweet. It has the smoky depth of a good stout, such as last night’s Guinness Foreign Extra, but without any of the bitterness and grit. It’s boozy, decadent, and hopelessly moreish. Still, at a Special Brew matching 9% ABV it might be wise to stick at one, and take your time over it.

Enjoyed that way, Chimay Bleue is just a wonderful beer, and the perfect nightcap.

Facts and Figures

Brewery: Bières de Chimay S.A., Baileux, Belgium
Style: Trappist Beers
ABV: 9.0%
Found at: Waitrose, Whitecross Street, London EC1
Dispense: 330ml Bottle