Brasserie D'Orval - Orval Trappist Ale (11oz bottle)

The RAW MATERIALS for Orval beer are spring water, two-row malting spring barley, aromatic hops and liquid candy sugar.

BREWING

After grinding and what is known as “infusion” brewing and filtering, the wort is sent to the wort boiler where it is boiled for one and a half hours; it is then that the hops are added.  The wort is then cooled.

FERMENTATION

Specific Orval “top fermentation” yeasts are microscopic fungi that turn sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide.  The first fermentation in conical-cylindrical tanks takes four to five days at a temperature of 15 to 23°C.

STORAGE

A second strain of yeast is added to continue the fermentation.  Bags containing hop cones are macerated in the beer for two to three weeks to improve the aromas of the beer – a process known as dry hopping.

RACKING

After centrifugation, new yeast and sugar are added to trigger re-fermentation in bottles, and the beer is then stored.  Orval Brewery produces only one bottled beer.  Optimum quality is ensured through continuous inspections.

FERMENTATION IN BOTTLES

Once stored, the beer will continue to ferment slowly in maturiing cellars for three to five weeks at a constant temperature of 15°C. The temperature at which the beer will be enjoyed will depend on this re-fermentation temperature.

The skittle-shaped bottle was designed specially to delight the eye of the consumer with a superb beer, by retaining the yeast sediment when the beer is served.  This sediment is teeming with vitamin B, and can be drunk afterwards.