Belgian beer lovers will particularly appreciate the care that has been given to this pretty Orval Beer Plaque, which will be ideal for your decor.
- ⚡ WHEN YOU PURCHASE TWO VINTAGE METAL PLATES, THE 3RD IS FREE! ⚡
- Materials:
- Metal protected against corrosion, built to last.
- Very light and easy to install.
- Packaged carefully and placed in a shock-resistant package for safe transport.
- Size: 20 (W) × 30 (L) cm / 30 (W) × 40 (L) cm.
- FREE SECURE DELIVERY & SHIPPED WITHIN 48/72 HOURS (see our FAQs).
Description of this Orval Beer Plaque
The Orval Brewery is a Belgian Trappist brewery located within the walls of the Abbey of Our Lady of Orval, in the Gaume region of Belgium.
The brewery produces two Trappist beers, Orval and Orval Vert.
The History of Orval
Traces of brewing date back to the earliest days of the monastery. A document written by the abbot in 1628 directly refers to the monks’ consumption of beer and wine. The last brewer to be a monk was Brother Pierre, until the fire of 1793.
In 1931, the current brewery was built, employing lay people and intended to provide a source of funds for the reconstruction of the monastery. It was designed by Henry Vaes, who also designed the distinctive Orval beer glass. The first beer was shipped from the brewery on May 7, 1932, and was sold in barrels rather than bottles as it is today. Orval was the first Trappist beer to be sold nationally in Belgium.
As with other Trappist breweries, the beer is sold to financially support the monastery and a few other good causes. All profits from the sale of the beer are distributed to charities and community development in the region.
Orval Beers
Orval is the main brand. It is a 6.9% ABV beer. It was first brewed in 1931 and has a complex and unusual flavor and aroma produced by a unique yeast strain: Brettanomyces bruxellensis. The beer is light in color, slightly cloudy, and has a large head. It has a complex aroma of leather, spices, and many other earthy components.
Beer critic Michael Jackson considers Orval “a wonderful aperitif” and a “world classic.” Its very distinctive taste is largely attributed to two parts of the brewing process. One is the use of dry hopping, in which large meshed hop bags infuse the beer during the three-week maturation period. The other is the use of Brettanomyces yeast during this same maturation, which is a local wild yeast. Hallertau, Styrian Goldings, and French Strisselspalt hops are used.
Orval beer is bottled exclusively in a 33 cl, skittle-shaped bottle. The bottling plant has a capacity of 24,000 bottles per hour. The beer is then matured at 15°C for a minimum of four weeks on site before being distributed. The beer, which will be sold at the abbey or the local café, is matured for six months. As the beer is bottle-conditioned, its taste may evolve over the years with aging.
Orval Vert, also known as Petit Orval, is a 4.5% alcohol beer, only available on tap in the café near the monastery.