Long before the American craft-beer crazes of brett beers (beers fermented with a funky strain of yeast called "Brettanomyces") and dry-hopping (the addition of hops after -- as opposed to during -- the boil), there was a Trappist brewery in Belgium that just so happened to be doing both.  That brewery was "Orval."

Orval has been producing its single brand of beer since the 1930s. It has inspired numerous brewers around the world with its uniquely funky, crisp beer that esteemed beer writer Michael Jackson called "a world classic" --   the beer that most modern American brewers making competent brett beers will credit as being their original source of inspiration.

Orval is funky but without being obtrusively so.  It is not overburdened by the signature "barnyard" notes from brettanomyces yeast.  Nor is it a vinegar bomb like many of its lambic cousins.  Its crisp hop profile makes it refreshing on its own or with dinner.  And, Orval is one of the few beers that I believe ages particularly well over the course of several years.  Its hop profile mellows as its brett profile intensifies such that the "oude" (old) Orval is less bright and lively, but more mature and complex than its younger self.

Orval Day is annual international celebration of Orval, the iconic Belgian Pale Ale crafted by Trappist Monks. For every bottle sold nationally, Orval donates $1 to the National Forest Foundation to help conserve forests around the world.

We are proud to participate in this year’s Orval Day, and will be offering multiple versions of this unique beer, which evolves over time due to the fact that it is bottled with a touch of wild yeast.

To celebrate Belgian beer culture, our kitchen will be serving frites, Belgian beef stew, and other food specials made in the traditional Belgian style.