In August, Joe needed to go to Belgium for work, and before
we left, we decided to check out some local breweries. A quick Google search
revealed there was a brewery, Westvleteren, about an hour away selling the best
beer in the world*; obviously we had to go.
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The Saint Sixtus Monastery, home of Westvleteren Brewery
Vleteren, Belgium |
Further research only piqued my interest more; the brewery
is part of a functioning monastery. The monks brew the beer in small
quantities, selling what they don’t consume to the flocked masses. Westvleteren
is one of 6 trappist brewers in Belgium, and it hasn’t given in to the lure of
capitalism. Trappist denotes an order of
monks that pride themselves on self-sufficiency. The monks brew beer for
themselves and the community—excess is sold.
They have not increased production since 1946; the monks "
brew to be able to afford being monks". Chimay is sold in US supermarkets;
Westmalle and St. Bernardus are available at US specialty stores; Westvleteren
is only available at the monastery.
To taste the “best beer in the world”, you must make the
trek to Vleteren, Belgium. Here, in the
café/visitors center, you can order
Westvleteren 12 by the glass. If you are interested in buying the beer by the
bottle, there is a slightly more procedure to follow.
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The road leading to Saint Sixtus Abbey
Vleteren, Belgium |
The monks know their product is good, and they know people
all over the world are clamoring for it. To deter people from buying it in mass
quantities and reselling it, they’ve implemented a system that limits how much
beer can be purchased at once, and how often it may be purchased. Beer may only
be reserved once every 60 days, and you may only reserve 2 racks of 24 beers
each. To reserve your rack, you must
call the beer line at least 1 week in advance; don’t
worry, they speak English. You’ll provide your license plate and choose a
pick-up time, assuming of course they haven’t already sold out for that week.
Keep in mind they are a religious organization, therefore they will be closed
on Sundays and religious holidays, as well as any federal holidays in Belgium.
If the reserved racks have all been claimed, or if you
discovered the brewery a mere 48 hours before your intended visit like I did,
there are other options available. Each day in the café, 6 packs are available
for purchase. Of course, this is a long shot, and it requires driving out to
the middle-of-nowhere Belgium without any assurances of availability. We went
anyway.
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In De Verde-the cafe/visitor's center of Westvleteren Brewery
Vleteren, Beligum |
We arrived in the afternoon and joined the beer queue. This
line was the closest we’ve come to experiencing a “Black Friday” phenomenon in
Europe; it was still polite and orderly, despite the rare quantities for sale.
It was a very tense line; all of us wondering if we would be among those lucky
enough to obtain the elusive brew. Alas! It was not to be; they were sold out.
But wait! A ray of hope! Westvleteren makes three beers: Blonde, 8, and 12.
Blonde and 8 were still available; we purchased a 6 pack of each.
After buying our sixers and moving away from the throng
still waiting their turn, we wandered outside. There are tables inside the
café, but on such a beautiful day, the place to be was in the beer garden. We
sat at one of the many picnic tables adorned with umbrellas and ordered a glass
of 12 and of Blonde. We enjoyed our beers and gazed out at the farmland around
us. This place really is in the middle of nowhere—only 1 lane roads provide
access. As expected from a monastery, it’s very tranquil.
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From left to right; the blonde, the 8 and the 12.
Vleteren, Belgium |
Even if there are no racks or sixers to be had, you can
still enjoy the 12 and its brothers by the glassful. Here’s some food (or
drink) for thought as well; just because Blonde and 8 aren’t the best beer in
the world, it doesn’t mean they aren’t good. They’re very, very tasty. The
monks at Westvleteren are skilled brewmasters, and it’s worth the trip out
there, even if all you take away is the memory of sitting in the sunshine
sipping delicious beer.
*As chosen by beer advocate
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