Orval 3

Orval is truly one of life's pleasures and a beer that I have tried to brew now three times. Orval was referred to in Brew Like a Monk as "God's Homebrew," and I find this extremely apropos with it's vast complexity and unique brewing process. I don't generally try to clone beers but Orval is my exception and I enjoy brewing it probably more than any other beer I make. Trying to make a classic and extremely unique trappist beer while adding brettanomyces and dry hops to secondary before lagering (at 55F) it for a bit makes for a fun brewing process.  Orval's uniqueness is amplified by it being at least two distinctly different beers as it ages in the bottle. When young, there is a slight funk and noticeable dry hops. As Orval ages, the hops dwindle and the funk increases. The same is true for my homemade versions, which have become one of the beers I enjoy drinking most. I haven't been able to get the carbonation of commercial Orval down yet but it should be highly carbonated, even for a trappist beer.


 

Abbaye d'Orval

Liquid candy sugar is added to the cold wort at the brewery, which I have not tried and will attempt to remember the next time I brew this. I have added sugar to the kettle at 20 minutes in the past but did not with this batch.  WLP 510 Belgian Bastogne is reportedly the Orval primary yeast but I have never come across it and generally use whatever Belgian yeast is available. Orval uses Styrian Golding, Strisselspalt, and Hallertau hops, which I try to stick to but I don't always have all three and this round I didn't have the Strisselspalt's. I  have used pellet and whole flower hops for dry hopping, both with success. Flower hops in secondary is cleaner but you really lose a lot of liquid, so it is wise to adjust for the loss. I have always used Wyeast 5112, Brettanomyces Bruxellensis with good results. I am planning to try a version with the WLP 670, American Farmhouse Ale yeast the next time I am able to find it. Finally, I put the carboy into the fridge for secondary fermentation at 55F, for a few weeks.

Orval III Recipe:

Specifics:

Batch Size: 5.25 gallons
OG: 1.063
TG: 1.016
SRM: 11.35
IBU: 33.7

Grain:
6 lbs. 2-Row
4 lbs. Pilsen
1.25 lbs. Carapils
1.25 lbs. Munich 10L
.25 lbs. Caramel 60L

Hops:
1 oz Styrian Golding at 60 minutes
.5 oz Hallertau at 60 minutes
.5 oz Styrian Golding at 30 minutes
.25 oz Hallertau at 30 minutes
.5 oz Styrian Golding at 5 minutes
1 oz Styrian Golding dry hop added to secondary fermenter

Yeast:
Wyeast 3522 Belgian Ardennes to primary fermenter
Wyeast 5112 Brettanomyces Bruxellensis to secondary fermenter

Notes:
Sach rest at 149F, batch sparge. Cooled wort to 60F and pitched Wyeast 3522. Ramped temp up to 79F over 5 days then transferred to secondary fermenter--adding 1 oz Styrian Goldings and Wyeast 5112 (brett b). Move fermenter to fridge and set to mid fifties for 3 weeks and bottled with 1 cup corn sugar.