Disclaimer: this review is not submitted to **** on AHS or Forrest; I was thrilled to find an Orval clone kit and this thread merely serves to give my opinion on it and feedback for potential customers and for AHS. This is one of the only recipes I've seen for this beer, so kudos for attempting it in the first place. Also, remember that a beer kit is only as good as the person brewing it, so it is certainly possible that I erred in some way while brewing this batch. For the record I followed the directions to the T, and there was no sign of infection. With that said there are variables such as water ph, fermentation temp, etc. So my attempt at this batch should by no means be taken as a perfect attempt at this recipe.
I'm also not a professional taster so my experience may differ from yours.
Another point: the Orval was from a bottle; the clone was from a keg.
In addition AHS prefers that their recipes not be published online so if you have any questions please direct them to AHS as I, in good faith, cannot divulge anything other than the fact the Brettanomyces is not present in the recipe. I have no interest in giving away someone else's hard work. Without further adieu, on to the review.
AHS Orval:
Appearance - Dark Amber with Orange highlights, fairly thick slightly off white head.
Smell - Citrus, light spice, grain, hint of clove, some salt cracker.
Taste - Spicy orange, light malt, some cereal, bit of lemon, wheat, bitterness at the end.
Mouthfeel - Medium, coats a bit.
Overall: a nice, smooth Belgian-style ale
Orval:
Appearance - Very light orange, thick white head.
Smell - Light yet complex, almost a muted flowery smell, earthy aroma with ever so slight fresh citrus, light sourness, bit of soft fruit, maybe passion fruit.
Taste - Sharp acidity, bitterness, light malt, mango (!), sour grape, light sourness which lingers a bit before fading. Surprisingly refreshing.
Mouthfeel - Carbonated, medium-light, nice slide of the tongue at the end.
Overall: Drinkable, smooth Belgian ale.
In comparison: The AHS clone does not use Brett, first of all, so there are a lot of nuances that can not be replicated without it. The color is darker, and the flavor is missing the sourness and has a wheat-ish taste. In addition, the citrus flavors in the clone are overstated owing to ingredients used. The biggest similarity was the bitterness at the end which is surprisingly similar, however the aroma, and most importantly the flavor, are very different. I think this is a nice attempt by AHS to field an Orval kit without subjecting people to Brettanomyces but for Orval perfectionists this will fall far short. A very nice Belgian-style ale and very tasty on its own.
In the picture Orval is on the right.
I'm also not a professional taster so my experience may differ from yours.
Another point: the Orval was from a bottle; the clone was from a keg.
In addition AHS prefers that their recipes not be published online so if you have any questions please direct them to AHS as I, in good faith, cannot divulge anything other than the fact the Brettanomyces is not present in the recipe. I have no interest in giving away someone else's hard work. Without further adieu, on to the review.
AHS Orval:
Appearance - Dark Amber with Orange highlights, fairly thick slightly off white head.
Smell - Citrus, light spice, grain, hint of clove, some salt cracker.
Taste - Spicy orange, light malt, some cereal, bit of lemon, wheat, bitterness at the end.
Mouthfeel - Medium, coats a bit.
Overall: a nice, smooth Belgian-style ale
Orval:
Appearance - Very light orange, thick white head.
Smell - Light yet complex, almost a muted flowery smell, earthy aroma with ever so slight fresh citrus, light sourness, bit of soft fruit, maybe passion fruit.
Taste - Sharp acidity, bitterness, light malt, mango (!), sour grape, light sourness which lingers a bit before fading. Surprisingly refreshing.
Mouthfeel - Carbonated, medium-light, nice slide of the tongue at the end.
Overall: Drinkable, smooth Belgian ale.
In comparison: The AHS clone does not use Brett, first of all, so there are a lot of nuances that can not be replicated without it. The color is darker, and the flavor is missing the sourness and has a wheat-ish taste. In addition, the citrus flavors in the clone are overstated owing to ingredients used. The biggest similarity was the bitterness at the end which is surprisingly similar, however the aroma, and most importantly the flavor, are very different. I think this is a nice attempt by AHS to field an Orval kit without subjecting people to Brettanomyces but for Orval perfectionists this will fall far short. A very nice Belgian-style ale and very tasty on its own.
In the picture Orval is on the right.
