Westvleteren beer sales

Probably having a stout tasting at home in the Netherlands.

 

Nope, it's not "all over" Brussels (I live there), but it's in selected beer stores, but not those in the tourist-trap area stores... and prices range from 7 to 10€ depending, for a 33cl bottle (no bigger 75cl bottles)... it's also served in certain cafés, but their cellar is often empty.

Supplies are way too scarce anyways >> these monks only brew to pay for their expenses, they don't want visits or being disturbed from their prayers. It may sound brutal, but these guys are out to pray in the middle of the killing fields of WW1... and they don't want to know you - not personally, just humankind in general. That sounds brutal, stubborn and reductive, but it's basically it. They don't care to brew more than for their personal needs, so if there isn't any available, though shit >> they don't give a hoot. You ring their doorbell, they won't answer you!! They probably won't even hear it, as their brewing or praying at the back of the buildings. And the police makes sure that there is no traffic in front of their doors - the small cobblestones agricultural path that leads to the abbey can't handle it anyway. They really sell it only on Wednesday at their door front (maximum one case/car), or sometimes, when they don't feel like seeing anyone at all, they drop it at the café that they have a deal with. And if they (monks) suspect that you'll make a business of their beers (speculation or re-selling at unreasonable prics), they won't sell it to you. They've got a (very) few business deals wioth selected business and cafés, but they won't get priority either.

They know full-well the interest for their beers, but don't give the slightest hoot. When they needed money to repair the roof of one of their , buildings, they construct these six-packs and did manage to gert themto one supermarket chain... People camped out in front of them, and within 15 minutes, it was all sold-out. They did the same for Canada and the US, sold out within the hour as well.


Soooo, unless knowing where to get it, chances are that you'll leave the country without having tasted it at all.

 

I don't know how often you head into the Grand Place and surrounding areas, but I saw bottles at roughly a dozen of those random beer shops in the vicinity. Some of them were clearly nicer looking at geared for tourists (they're the ones charging 18 euros) and some of them were just random convenience stores. My wife and I made a bit of a game of it as we were taking bets on what each place would be charging for it. For someone heading into town I don't think they'll have any trouble at all buying it if they don't care about paying a ton for it. 12 and blonde were sold out or had lower supplies at a few places, but I don't think I saw anyone who was out of 8. There's a convenience store only 2 streets away from Delirium Cafe that had a case of all 3 just sitting there. The (mostly touristy) restaurant Cirio prides themselves on always having it.
If someone takes the time to look on Yelp they'll have no issue getting it in Brussels, especially if they're willing to drop 11-18 Euros. I made the trek to In De Vrede and got a 6'er for 20, but I had the time to do so. Not everyone does.

 

Well, I'll have to admit that it's been a few years since I actally went to the Gd Place or neighbouring streets (though there are two Cinémas d'Arts & D'Essai: Actor's Studio and Galeries in the Ilot Sacré that I occasionaly go to), but I attack them via the opposite side from the Grand Place.

OK, it looks like things have changed downtown, so my bad. The price increase (compared to the price I pay) is obviously partly due to the rents paid.

 

No doubt. I think it's also due to people being willing to pay it. Almost everywhere we went, people were interested in "that rare monk beer...West'something." They always flocked to it and were paying whatever the different restaurants were charging without even asking the price. It clearly seemed to be selling well at most places, although at least a few of the smaller markets had a backstock since they weren't as fancy-looking.
Cantillon was somewhat similar. Bottles that were under 6 Euros at the brewery were 25 at some of those shops, and many of them were either low or out of stock. 3F was even more so. I barely saw any.

 

Yup, I guess the best beer in the world title five years in a row did much for it (i'm not that happy about it, because I'd rather that it remained a best-kept secret >> pretty soon, the Chinese will try to buy all the stocks)

I wonder how they (shops and restaurants) manage to get it, because it's actually still quite difficult to find it, let alone in quantities enough. The abbey claims it hasn't increased its productions ... so something is fishy. Hopefully the St Bernardus/st Sixtus controversy will not resurface.

that being said, I'll go for the Yellow and Blue caps, but I'm not a fan of the green one; What did youmean by the improved bottle looks? They used to be totally naked bottles with a small ring around the neck. Recently, for their boxed sets, the bottles were adorned with a yellow XII on them, but I thought this was only temporary.

Cantillon is much less a problem, you can find it in some supermarkets.

 

The ones I saw were almost all in the wooden crates. Unlike most beers which were on the shelf, most of the Westvleteren bottles were stacked in their wooden shipping crates in a unique display. They're still just the plain bottles with caps. Yellow, Blue, and Green. The green (blonde) was the least common one in town, while the blue (8) was the most common. I think most people just want the 12, but will "settle" for the others.
My guess is that the stores are the ones stocking up full cases via the phone number system, while the typical drinker just buys 6-12 at In De Vrede. I was in the IDV line briefly and it seemed to be people that were just happy to finally be able to buy it for less than an arm and a leg. They came in paper 6-pack boxes, which I never saw anywhere in town.

 

Are u serious? Just have a look at "marktplaats" or "2dehands.be", people enough who sells Westvleteren 12/8/Blond. I remember people with 50-100 crates of Westvleteren on stock.

Some bier merchants like "de bierschuur" at Groot-Bijgaarden just sell it in their stores and do always have it on stock.

 

Ok, I'll look into these new ways of acquiring these Westvleeteren ... But I'm kind of surprised this is soo easy nowadays when a few years back, it was really difficult to get a hold of them. At least to the common John Doe (or Jan Desmet)

Not sure the monks are aware or approve of these circuits for reselling with profit.

 

Remember that 9 years has gone since the first "election" of Westvleteren XII. A lot of people have already drunk it, most of them want to try it a few times and no more.

I remember 8-9 years ago, people were paying 500€ for a crate of Westvleteren XII on the black market. Now they pay 100-120€.

I'm sure that the monks are aware of these circuits, but they can't help it. Problem is that a few people in West Flanders have "recruited" a lot of unemployed an pensioners/retirees for calling and picking up beers at the abbey. Some people name this people "the beer maffia".

Btw, the order lists from the abbey were not always fully booked the past months.

 

Yeah, I didn't want to use the word "mafia", but I was starting to suspect it was something of the sort.

I guess I'm a little gullible/naive and like to think that Ben Vink's book on trappist beers is the best of the of monk's world, but they don't control anything oustide the boundaries of their monasteries. It was quite a surprise that the Orval monks got justice in the States against the fraudulous name and label use for some cat piss brewed over there, some 10/15 years ago.

 

Sorry if I'm a bit "late" to this thread, but if anyone is listening, can you recommend any places in/near Ghent to buy the Westverleten beer. I will try my hardest to get a personal reservation to buy beer at the Abbey during my trip to Belgium in July, but if not I'd like a plan "B" !

 

Plan B is always set up a trade :-)

 

Try a beer shop called Drinker Geers... Can't guarantee that they have it but they do have a wide selection. They are just outside of Ghent on the NNE side. Prosit

 

They sell Westvleteren, but limited.

 

Dranken Geers.... damn Android auto correct....

 

Thanks David W and Bierman9, much appreciated and i can get there by car when i am in Gent for a cycle trip.

 

you can buy Westy 12 all over in Brussels and several places had it on their bottle list. I paid 10 Euro a bottle last summer.