Wild Heaven brewmaster Eric Johnson has created a lot of great beers over the years. But he considers the new Valley of Gold his best beer to date.
The Belgian-style pale ale is a tribute to Orval, and I agree it’s quite an accomplishment. So with that, Valley of Gold is this week’s Beer Pick.
Beer Pick
Wild Heaven Valley of Gold Belgian Pale Ale
Wild Heaven Beer, Atlanta
Available for a limited time in 500 ml bottles
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Wild Heaven’s newest beer from its mixed fermentation series is a tribute to Orval, one of the best and most distinctive beers of all time. It’s a bottle-conditioned beer that ages remarkably well, revealing increasing complexity over time. Valley of Gold isn’t exactly a clone. But it was created to be as close to the original as possible.
It’s brewed with pale and Pilsner malts, dry-hopped with whole cone Crystal hops, and fermented with a Westmalle yeast strain. Then each bottle undergoes a secondary fermentation with Brettanomyces bruxellensis. The current batch was bottled some eight months ago. The result is an aromatic golden ale with a voluminous white head, complex herbal and fruity notes, and a crisp, clean fish.
Pair with
Wild Heaven is serving Valley of Gold with Belgian cheese from Orval and St. Bernardus. I couldn’t think of a better pairing, except maybe with the addition of some excellent bread and a bit of fruit.
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