Orval Brewery

Trappist pale ale: Orval A style of one. Orval is a hoppy pale Trappist ale with a twist: during conditioning the brewery adds hops for aroma and a wild yeast, Brettanomyces, which keeps working after the bottle is sealed. Fresh, it is bitter and hop-forward. Give it six months or more and the bitterness softens, while a dry, slightly tart, earthy character takes over. Buy two bottles, drink one now and put the other in a dark cupboard: it is the cheapest lesson in how Belgian beer changes with age.