beer_name: Orval Trappist Ale
text: Bottled on 24-10-2002, making this one a bit over 3 years old! The Orval Trappist Ale pours into my big Orval chalice a nice amber brown hue with streaks of orange as well. A tight bubbly white head lingers atop the brew in a fine fashion. Looks lovely in the glass. Aromas are intensely unqiue and perplexing at the same time. Sweet caramel spice smacks up against a musty, yeasty earthiness. A touch of leather mingles with some cotton candy/bubblegum aromas. Fruity with a touch of sour cherry, cinnamon and brown sugar. Maybe even a bit woody but definetly enchanting with each inhalation evoking new scents in my mind. First sip brings a crisp, dry spicy caramel infused with a plethora of flavors that dash across the palate on the trip down the throat. Hints of leather and wood along with some musty sour funkiness that brings images of a cobweb filled brewery to my mind. Light fruit notes collide with brown sugar bubblegum. Spice cake. Lots of earthy yeast notes throughout. Quite the complex beer here. Finishes dry and crisp. Eccentric and ultimately a wonderful experience. Mouthfeel features a burst of champagne-esque carbonation that streaks across the mouth with each sip. A mellow medium body allows for easy drinking but maybe the bubbles could be toned down a tad. Drinkability is really quite wonderful as it goes down smooth and each sip brings a new realm of taste sensations. I would not mind seeing this in 750ml bottles! Purchased this pre-cellared for me at Liquor Stop in Highland, IN...didn't even look at the date when I bought it. I will be on the lookout for a fresh bottle to try in the near future. Another testament to the wonders of the Trappist breweries of Belgium. This will go down as one of my new favorites.