Brewing Starts Again At Orval

In 1931, a new brewery was installed at Orval to help finance the reconstruction of the abbey, and in 1932 Orval beer was shipped for the first time. The modern brewery employed lay workers rather than monks, including the German master brewer Martin Pappenheimer, who helped create the new Orval beer. The beer developed a profile unlike the other Belgian Trappist beers. Orval’s brewery history connects its distinctive character with early 1930s influences, including English brewing methods such as infusion brewing and dry-hopping, probably brought by John Vanhuele after his years in England. The beer also became known for maturation and bottle conditioning with Brettanomyces, giving Orval its dry, evolving, slightly wild character.