Orval: the story of a Belgian Trappist beer
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- 2 minuten om te lezen
If the dish of the month crossed borders before becoming a classic with us, Orval never needed to travel to earn its reputation.
While the first brew of Orval dates back nearly 100 years, the abbey where it is produced traces its origins back almost 1,000 years.
The bottles in our cellar, meanwhile, are no more than five years old, yet they hold a centuries-old surprise.
Did you know that an Orval is alive and evolves over time? Did you know that coming to drink a Trappist beer at De Ultieme is an act of generosity?
A legend in every sip
The name Orval comes from a medieval legend linked to Mathilde of Canossa. According to the story, the countess dropped her ring into a spring in the valley. After a prayer, a trout appeared with the ring in its mouth. Moved, Mathilde is said to have declared, “Truly, this is a valley of gold!”
A legend that has become inseparable from the identity of the place.
Orval Brewery was founded in 1931, within the abbey itself, to finance its reconstruction after more than 130 years of ruins. It would go on to produce Orval, a beer unlike any other.
Its limited production and brewing process, rooted in monastic tradition, contribute to its special character. Its historic recipe and its process of bottle refermentation make it a living beer, one that continues to evolve over time.
A beer that improves with age
Yes, the taste of Orval changes with age. A young beer will be more bitter and less complex, while an aged one becomes rounder and more balanced. This is the experience we offer at L'Ultieme, with a choice of young Orval or Orval aged in our cellar, available à la carte.
If you are tempted by our Trappist beer platter, you can choose one of each to accompany the abbey cheeses we offer for tasting.
An act of generosity
And since Trappist monks take a vow of poverty, the profits from beer sales go to social causes, which means that by ordering an Orval, you become a generous donor.
Each year, around 22 million bottles of this authentic Trappist beer leave the abbey.
A good number naturally find their way to L’Ultime Hallucinatie.
It would be a shame not to enjoy one in our Art Nouveau brasserie.
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