While many beer aficionados today are always on the lookout for something new and exciting, and can often be heard heaping praise the craft brewers of the United States as being the most adventurous and forward-thinking brewers on the planet, there is still a great respect for the classic brewing traditions amongst serious lovers of the grain and hop. And of all the countries in the Old World of brewing, the one that garners the most respect is Belgium.

With over 100 breweries producing over 1000 brands of beer in styles ranging from the straight-forward to the completely out-there, Belgium is like Mecca to many beer drinkers. And sitting at the pinnacle of the Belgian brewing scene are the renowned Trappist breweries: six breweries (plus one just over the border in The Netherlands) that are located on the grounds of Trappist monasteries and at least partially brewed by the monks themselves.

Five of these breweries - Achel, Chimay, Rochefort, Westmalle and Westvleteren - produce the beers that most people think of as typically Trappist. Each brewery produces two or three styles of ale that are sweet and malty, with alcohol levels ranging from moderate to high. The Dutch member of the group, Koningshoeven, takes a slightly broader approach, brewing the traditional ale styles alongside a witbier, a bock, and a number of other brands.

The most unique Trappist brewery, however, is undoubtedly the one located within the walls of the Abbaye Notre-Dame d’Orval monastery in the Gaume region to the south of the country. Unlike the multiple brands of their brethren, the monks of Orval brew only a single eponymous beer for sale to the public (the lighter Petit Orval being reserved for the monks and visitors to a neighbouring café). And while the other Trappist beers tend to have big, malty flavour profiles with notes of fruit and spice, Orval tastes like… well, something else. Something unique not just amongst the Trappist beers, but in the world of beer as a whole.

As with any hand-crafted product, there are any number of factors that contribute to the distinctness of Orval versus other beers, but there are a couple of especially unique aspects in the brewing process. The first is the use of dry-hopping (adding hops during the ageing process) which is often done during the production of British-style ales, but rarely for Belgians. The second is the addition of the wild yeast Brettanomyces which gives the beer a character that is often described as funky or “barnyardy”.

It may seem a bit hyperbolic, but trying to describe the aroma and flavour of Orval is like trying to define the best characteristics of a great painting or a timeless piece of music. Not necessarily because it’s so good (although it is, oh yes, it is!), but because everyone seems to get something different from it. And speaking from experience, I can say that it never seems to be the same beer twice. So rather than trying to describe it myself, I’ll first recommend perusing the reviews at RateBeer and Beer Advocate to get an idea of the variety of reactions this beer elicits.

Secondly, I’ll share the following excerpt from The Great Beers of Belgium by the late, great beer writer Michael Jackson, which I think sums up the allure of Orval quite nicely:

The name - deriving from “Valley of Gold” - suggests a magical, precious phenomenon. It is. Orval tempted me to break my Golden Rule.

More of a mantra, really. It goes something like this: to appreciate beer fully, it is necessary to choose the right brew for the mood and moment. That in turn requires a diversity of beers. There can be no single “best”, and I have never named a favourite.

I came close, though. The magazine Zymurgy asked me to name “The Quintessential Beer” and my answer was Orval. The key word was “Quintessential”. Literally, the heavenly fifth element. I took the criterion metaphorically, and thought of the complex flavours of Orval, opening like an onion being peeled. No beer can be copied to perfection, but Orval is a masterpiece.

Finally, and most importantly, I’ll recommend that you drink it. A limited number of bottles were released as part of the LCBO Spring beer promotion in March, and a few are still available at select outlets (LCBO 439992 - $3.45/330 mL). Failing that, you can find it at a number of the city’s better beer bars including Rhino, Volo and beerbistro, with the added advantage being that many places will serve it in the distinctive branded goblet. You may not love it - hell, you may not even like it - but you won’t be able to deny that it’s one of the most unique and unusual beers you’ve ever tried.