The Bar Towel

SN Tumbler
DFH 60 min (last one )
DFH Indian Brown

Last night,
Ithaca Pale Ale
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale 2010
Sly Fox Christmas Ale
Middle Ages Duke Of Winship cask
Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

Today,
Stonehammer Oatmeal Coffee Stout
Victory Storm King

TheSevenDuffs wrote:Had Orval for the first time today. Didn't like it at all. Just not my style I guess.

Many devotees of the beer find it weird the first time. I did! The beer offers a lot all at once, that is part of the problem. It might be cool to age one bottle six months, and one bottle a year, if you think you'd like to see how the beer transforms. In fact it might grow on you. Just my two pesos amigo.

I'm opening a Mourvédre-leaning wine called Rouquette sur Mer Cuvee Amarante. (No fava beens or liver today.)

Belgian wrote:

TheSevenDuffs wrote:Had Orval for the first time today. Didn't like it at all. Just not my style I guess.

Many devotees of the beer find it weird the first time. I did! The beer offers a lot all at once, that is part of the problem. It might be cool to age one bottle six months, and one bottle a year, if you think you'd like to see how the beer transforms. In fact it might grow on you. Just my two pesos amigo.

I'm opening a Mourvédre-leaning wine called Rouquette sur Mer Cuvee Amarante. (No fava beens or liver today.)

Thanks. Maybe I will buy a bottle and let it sit for a while. All I tasted was extreme tart/sourness. Not much else came through at all.

velovampire wrote: Halfway through a growler of Granite Landlord's Daughter In Black Satin smoked porter. Love this beer.

Sounds awesome. Will this be around for a while? I'd be interested in grabbing a growler when I'm in T.O. next weekend.

Belgian wrote:

TheSevenDuffs wrote:Had Orval for the first time today. Didn't like it at all. Just not my style I guess.

Many devotees of the beer find it weird the first time. I did! The beer offers a lot all at once, that is part of the problem. It might be cool to age one bottle six months, and one bottle a year, if you think you'd like to see how the beer transforms. In fact it might grow on you. Just my two pesos amigo.

I'm opening a Mourvédre-leaning wine called Rouquette sur Mer Cuvee Amarante. (No fava beens or liver today.)

I'm busting open a 2008 Orval tonight, the taste is unlike anything else, and is one of my top brews. But what I find really intriguing is that it's a beer that you either really love, or find repulsive, there's no in between. I know a guy in England who frequently travels to Belgium and France and has tried thousands of brews. He's given Orval many chances and just doesn't like it.

cratez wrote:

velovampire wrote: Halfway through a growler of Granite Landlord's Daughter In Black Satin smoked porter. Love this beer.

Sounds awesome. Will this be around for a while? I'd be interested in grabbing a growler when I'm in T.O. next weekend.

It should be. I think it was initially tap only, but is now growlered regularly (AFAIK). May want to to call the brewpub first, but it's a pretty safe bet that it'll be there. And if you're into smoked beers, you might also want to check Mill St. to see if they have any of their Rauch available. I'm quite partial to that one.

Sly Fox Pikeland Pilsner
Flying Monkeys Netherworld

In my view, it's the brett character that gives Orval the distinctive note. Many either like it or they don't. I am not partial to it, nor in some American craft beers I've tried.

Gary

phirleh wrote:I know a guy in England who frequently travels to Belgium and France and has tried thousands of brews. He's given Orval many chances and just doesn't like it.

Good! So he HAS tried it many times AND has a lot of experience in trying Belgian beers. Experience being the key word of importance.

G.M. Gillman wrote:In my view, it's the brett character that gives Orval the distinctive note. Many either like it or they don't. I am not partial to it, nor in some American craft beers I've tried.

Gary

Would it blend well for any type of porter, while we're on that? [/threadjack]

Absolutely, since brett character was said to be a trait of aged stout. In this respect, I think it is fair to assume that some porter breweries' long-aged stout had a brett character, but I doubt all did since each brewery would have had its own approach and microclimate.

Blending would impart some of the taste but keep it within bounds for those who find it too strong on its own.

You could try a half and half with any good "mild" (unaged) stout, or perhaps 1:2, depending on the type of stout, ABV, etc.

Just as a whim (but not really!), I think one part each Orval, Scotch-Irish Plain Porter and Peche Mortel or Belhaven Stout would be a great three-thirds.

Gary

G.M. Gillman wrote:
Just as a whim (but not really!), I think one part each Orval, Scotch-Irish Plain Porter and Peche Mortel or Belhaven Stout would be a great three-thirds.

Gary

Perfect! The Plain Porter would add a little bit of that 'infected' flavor to the Brett of the Orval!

tried the Belhaven Scottish Stout and Ola Dubh 18 last night, thoroughly enjoyed both.

Les Trois Mousquetaires Porter Baltique. Just a fantastically, easy drinking 9.2% black lager. Nice to see this on the shelves!!

ST Imperial Choklat - this is just fantastic