Wild Heaven Beer Brewmaster and Co-Owner Eric Johnson Talks Valley of Gold

Both myself and our head brewer, Josh Franks, designed Valley of Gold after a lengthy bit of research into what was known about how Orval was made, along with a handful of other beers that we love that are brewed in that same vein. 

 

I think that the aromatics are transcendent. I also love a bright beer with a big fluffy head, and this one is all of that. It's visually stunning, which impacts one's enjoyment of a beer. 

 

The beer is an homage to Orval, the iconic Trappist beer. Orval is loosely translated as "Valley of Gold."

 

It would be a perfect desert island beer! I definitely won't ever get tired of cracking one of these open.

 

Expressive and lively with a deep complexity. Nuanced, layered.

 

Not necessarily anything specific. What I love about this beer is the way it transports the drinker back into the space of the timeless old-world beers that made us fall in love with it years ago. So many of these great beers have disappeared from American taps, and it makes me so happy when someone opens one and has that moment of recognition where they say, "Damn, I've missed these beers." 

 

The thing about this style (brewed with Belgian yeast and finished with Brett) is that it has a wonderful tropical ester profile as well as the woody funkiness of wild yeast, making it so food-adaptable. This beer would pair perfectly with herb-roasted poultry, root vegetables, mushroom stew, bitters like Endive and anything bold and savory.