A tribute to Biere Orval

When you come to a beer-loving country like Belgium, you expect to drink Delirium Tremens, Chimay, etc. However, there is a very special beer, a trappiste bier--one made by monks. There are only six such breweries in Belgium and maybe two others in the world (research is ongoing at the time of this writing). This beer is so rare in Belgium that supermarkets run out and bars have a hard time stocking it. Near the Chalet is Chassepierre, a small town made famous by its annual festival for street art. We were there for the beer.




But first, a look around a churchyard with gravestones from the 1800s. I was unsure if it was cool or spooky to be photographed in such a place.








After paying appropriate homage to the town's history, we settled into patio chairs to enjoy this special beer. Remy enjoyed the warm old beer, while I enjoyed the cold young beer. Note the difference in colors: mine is on the left.




This was just the beginning. The whole chalet group went to the Orval monastery where the special beer has been made for centuries. The monastery was torn down and rebuilt several times. The ruins remain adjacent to the modern buildings. The museum explains how the beer is made.















The crew: Remy, Xavier, Alex, Mallory and Miles. After the tour, we retired to the nearby bar which serves... you guessed it... Orval!