Orval Trappist Pale Ale (4/10)

Generally speaking, I like Belgian style beers.  I also tend to be fond of Trappist and Abbey ales.  And when I looked this one up on Beer Advocate, it earned a 93-100 rating, a "world class" score.  So it puzzles me that I just didn't like Orval.

The beer pours a deep amber color, almost to the point of being brown.  The head is decent, and persists for a while after you pour it.

When it came to the flavor, the typical Belgian fruity, spicy notes felt drowned under a load of hops.  There was also a slight sourness to it.  It tasted like someone took a nice Belgian quadrupel and poured just enough of a 90-minute IPA into it to ruin it.

From what I've read, this is a beer that mellows as it ages.  Perhaps the bottle I had was simply too "fresh" and needed more time to mellow out.  I don't know.  I'll probably try this again, just to see if perhaps I got a bad bottle this time around... or maybe I was just in a bad mood?

I sampled this particular bottle at The Winking Lizard Tavern on Bethel Road, but I've seen it at Weiland's Gourmet Market.

ABV: 6.9%
IBU: 30 (mine felt like a 50)
My rating: 4/10