Popped an Orval Tonight

[Couevas]

I am drinking this trappist as I type this. It is good. In the words of my wife, whom I let taste it, "Man, there is a lot going on in there!"

It is extremely fruity and fairly dry, but not too much so. The carbonation is nice and light and the 6.9% ABV has no bite at all. It is very smooth.

I would be trying to culture the yeast, had my flask and stirplate not been full of Pacman from a Shakespeare Stout and Captain Sig's Deadliest Ale.

 

[Ichi-Go]

The Orval I had poured a huge amount of head. I had to be careful how I poured it there was so much foam. That glass is awesome.

 

[Bokonon]

Just a heads up if you want to culture. They are supposed to add something like 5 yeasts in secondary, one of which is brettanomyces.

 

[Couevas]

Just a heads up if you want to culture. They are supposed to add something like 5 yeasts in secondary, one of which is brettanomyces.

Thanks for the heads up. Had no idea that it possibly had Brett in it. I will stay away (I am afraid of those bugs).

They must not give it long for an infection to take place. It doesn't have that taste to it at all, I think.

It had a "born on" bottling date of 2/20/08

 

[IrregularPulse]

Thanks for the heads up. Had no idea that it possibly had Brett in it. I will stay away (I am afraid of those bugs).

They must not give it long for an infection to take place. It doesn't have that taste to it at all, I think.

It had a "born on" bottling date of 2/20/08

The first time i ever had Orval i remembered it tasting very "earthy" and was excited to try it again. The next time I got it I poured and took a drink and thought "I didn't know this was a sour beer". I could definitely pick up the sour.
I've since bought one of those glasses and need to find a couple more bottles.

 

[Reverend JC]

Nice coffee maker in the back. Is that the SS caraf that keeps coffee pipeing hot for 6 hours? I know mine does.

 

[woollybugger2]

i loves me some orval

 

[Sigafoos]

In general, many bottle conditioned beers use a different yeast for conditioning than they do for fermenting. So even if there's no brett, it could just be a generic dry yeast. This page has an extensive list of yeasts used in bottles... their Orval note is 'Several strains. One of them is apparently the primary strain, which has a characteristic strong fruity "belgian aroma and taste". A second Sacc? Several strains of Brettanomyces yeast.'

 

[farmbrewernw]

There's brett in there, if you drink Orval fresh it will have a slight tartness and will be very smooth, if you let it age the brett will work on it and the beer will become more tart over time.

 

[ArcaneXor]

I will stay away (I am afraid of those bugs).

Brett is just another type of yeast (hence the myces in its scientific name) - it's not going to hurt anything like bacteria would. Maybe use a different siphon hose for it, but any glass or hard plastic, as long as it's properly sanitized afterwards, should be perfectly fine for it.

 

[Couevas]

Nice coffee maker in the back. Is that the SS caraf that keeps coffee pipeing hot for 6 hours? I know mine does.

A little but yeah. It is a good coffee maker. It does have that SS carafe and it grinds the beans automatically prior to brewing.

 

[Couevas]

This page has an extensive list of yeasts used in bottles...

Thanks for the link. I didn't know about it (or even think to search for one).

 

[IrregularPulse]

Thanks for the link. I didn't know about it (or even think to search for one).

Unfortunately still not too helpful as to which yeasts...
" Orval
Several strains. One of them is apparently the primary strain, which has a characteristic strong fruity "belgian aroma and taste". A second Sacc? Several strains of Brettanomyces yeast. "

 

[flyangler18]

Unfortunately still not too helpful as to which yeasts...
" Orval
Several strains. One of them is apparently the primary strain, which has a characteristic strong fruity "belgian aroma and taste". A second Sacc? Several strains of Brettanomyces yeast. "

The Orval strain will be released in May/June as WLP510. Ferment as normal, then add Brettanomyces bruxellis to secondary and age.

 

[Sigafoos]

Thanks for the link. I didn't know about it (or even think to search for one).

Well I bookmarked it after someone here linked to it, so I'm just happy to spread the wealth

 

[carnevoodoo]

The Orval strain will be released in May/June as WLP510. Ferment as normal, then add Brettanomyces bruxellis to secondary and age.

May/June? Last year it wasn't until October/November.

that's exciting! I will pick up more, as I have a beer that uses this yeast, and it is in my favorites of all time.

Maybe they're trying to compete with Wyeast this year. They're releasing the "trappist blend" which is supposed to be the Bastogne (Orval) + the brett, and I plan on picking some of that up as well. I will bottle age those, though. It will definitely improve with time.

 

[flyangler18]

May/June? Last year it wasn't until October/November.

that's exciting! I will pick up more, as I have a beer that uses this yeast, and it is in my favorites of all time.

Maybe they're trying to compete with Wyeast this year. They're releasing the "trappist blend" which is supposed to be the Bastogne (Orval) + the brett, and I plan on picking some of that up as well. I will bottle age those, though. It will definitely improve with time.

Yeah, 510 is reportedly the Bastogne strain as well. With such a limited release, this strain is definitely one to slant or plate for future propogation.

 

[carnevoodoo]

Yeah, 510 is reportedly the Bastogne strain as well. With such a limited release, this strain is definitely one to slant or plate for future propogation.

I don't have the freezer space to start with slants, which makes me sad. I will crank out a couple of batches this year using washed yeast, and set some aside for later, or maybe I'll do a 10 gallon batch w/o brett and a 5 gallon with.

That would assume I had the capacity to brew a 10 gallon batch. Time to start looking at 15 gallon kettles...

 

[carnevoodoo]

Yeah, 510 is reportedly the Bastogne strain as well. With such a limited release, this strain is definitely one to slant or plate for future propogation.

right, the 510 is the sacch without the brett. the wyeast is the blend.

 

[flyangler18]

I don't have the freezer space to start with slants, which makes me sad.

Don't freeze! Simple refrigeration is all you need! I starting doing a frozen yeast bank, but have shifted to wort/agar slants and plates to be more space-conscious.

If you do decide to slant, I'd slant 510 and the Brett brux. separately because the growth differential between the Sacc. and Brett. will change the results over time. Same goes for washing, I'm afraid.

 

[carnevoodoo]

Don't freeze! Simple refrigeration is all you need! I starting doing a frozen yeast bank, but have shifted to wort/agar slants and plates to be more space-conscious.

If you do decide to slant, I'd slant 510 and the Brett brux. separately because the growth differential between the Sacc. and Brett. will change the results over time. Same goes for washing, I'm afraid.

Oh, I would absolutely slant them separately if I were to do so. Isolating yeast strains is the only thing that makes sense when it comes to it.

I will look into refrigeration with agar slants. I just thought that freezing was the best option.

 

[flyangler18]

I will look into refrigeration with agar slants. I just thought that freezing was the best option.

Freezing is an option, but it's a hog for space. Most home freezers are frost-free; this defrost/refreeze cycle wreaks havoc on yeast viability, even if they've been stabilized with 15% glycerin. To combat this, you need an small styrofoam ice chest packed with icepacks to insulate the yeast vials against defrosting/refreezing.

Anyway, this is getting way off topic. Feel free to PM me if you want to talk more about yeast ranching! I slant inoculate 4, 8-dram vials out of every starter I make prior to pitching.

 

[BeerPressure]

My friend in the brew club has an Orval clone going right now. He used some Brettanomyces i know. I will have to get more out of him.

 

[carnevoodoo]

Freezing is an option, but it's a hog for space. Most home freezers are frost-free; this defrost/refreeze cycle wreaks havoc on yeast viability, even if they've been stabilized with 15% glycerin. To combat this, you need an small styrofoam ice chest packed with icepacks to insulate the yeast vials against defrosting/refreezing.

Anyway, this is getting way off topic. Feel free to PM me if you want to talk more about yeast ranching! I slant inoculate 4, 8-dram vials out of every starter I make prior to pitching.

yeah. I know the trick of having the yeast in the ice packs as well. I have read up very thoroughly on a frozen yeast bank, but I didn't think about the viability of a refrigerated one.

 

[carnevoodoo]

My friend in the brew club has an Orval clone going right now. He used some Brettanomyces i know. I will have to get more out of him.

Orval uses Brett Brux, so that's likely what he used.

 

[Jamo99]

Yeah, 510 is reportedly the Bastogne strain as well. With such a limited release, this strain is definitely one to slant or plate for future propogation.

Just washed some WLP 510 on Sunday from a Belgian Pale I did!

 

[IrregularPulse]

good deal about the release. I'll have to do a 10G batch. That should be enough ORVAL to last me till next year when it's re-released.

 

[GonzoIllini]

any problems with re using the Orval bottles for bottle conditioned beers?

I was kind of concerned that even with proper cleaning / sanitizing these bottles still might have some Brett left over. Thoughts?

 

[Plan9]

any problems with re using the Orval bottles for bottle conditioned beers?

I was kind of concerned that even with proper cleaning / sanitizing these bottles still might have some Brett left over. Thoughts?

I have reussed their bottles several times with no problems.

Rinse them as soon as you drink the Orval, and give them a good cleaning and sanitizing as you normally would.


Side note about Orval, hide some from yourself in the back of a closet for a year or two. It ages amazingly!