Brasserie d'Orval
Villers-devant-Orval, Belgium · Est. 1931
Also known as Orval
Tally's Take
Why this matters
The trout and the ring. Legend says Countess Matilde of Tuscany dropped her golden wedding ring into a spring, and a trout surfaced to return it; she declared the land a 'Valley of Gold.' To this day every Orval cap and label features a trout holding a golden ring. The beer itself is unique among Trappists — dry-hopped and refermented in the bottle with wild Brettanomyces yeast, so it transforms in the cellar over months.
The founding thesisThe abbey dates to 1070, but the modern commercial brewery was built in 1931 specifically to fund the rebuilding of the war-torn monastery.
The Museum
Timeline
- 1070Abbey founded
Monastery established at Orval, tied to the legend of Countess Matilde.
- 1931Modern brewery
Built to finance the rebuilding of the abbey after wartime destruction.
The People
Behind the beer
The trout-and-ring legend that gives Orval its emblem.
Made history as the first female Trappist brewmaster.
The Beer Library
Beers
Orval
Year-RoundBelgian Pale Ale (Brett)
Dry-hopped and bottle-refermented with Brettanomyces; evolves dramatically with age.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Orval Vert
LimitedBelgian Pale Ale
The monks' own table beer, brewed only for the abbey and its café. It cannot be bought in a shop anywhere in the world.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Travel Guide
Plan a visit
- Abbey ruins & gardens
- Orval cheese
- À l'Ange Gardien café
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