Image by Pepino1976 via FlickrFor those (OK, one person so far, plus me) who want to see something that's available on PEI, I give you Orval Trappist Ale. I had one from off-Island back in March, and am pasting my old notes for it here. The pic is a free-use one.The fact that PEI is stocking this beer is rather important, I think. First of all, it's world-class beer, but more importantly, it's a Trappist ale. In the whole world, there are 171 monasteries of Trappist monks, and only seven of those make beer. This is one of them. We've never had such a beer on PEI. In the past week or so, I have seen a pretty huge stock of it at a couple of different Island liquor stores. I just hope that they haven't brought in too much, and that it succeeds, so it validates bringing such things in. But enough chit-chat. On to the beer!
Well, the head wowed me. As soon as I popped the cap, it foamed out of the bottle a bit, and I had to pour it in stages. So much head! A very firm, light, creamy head, like beaten egg whites. It does die down, but it takes a few moments. The colour is great. A nice, foggy amber / orange-brown.
The smell is also good... I picked up some citrus in there... maybe orange or even a little grapefruit... apple. A hint of spice. Luckily I didn't pick up the advertised smell of "horse blanket".
The taste is akin to the smell. It's very understated & mellow. I like that, but at the same time, I was hoping for something a bit more distinct.
In the mouth, it's good. Carbonated just enough, smooth and creamy... dry finish.
For a Trappist ale, which can be hit or miss for me, I thought it was quite drinkable. It wouldn't be hard to put a few of these away if they were cheaper. At less than $4.50 at our stores, it's worth a try. Let me know what you think if you try it out.
(For extra reading, the label comes from an interesting legend.)
