Westy on the West Coast

Don't want to give them money only to see them use it to expand and turn into a mega-brewery like Chimay.

Being mainly facetious about that--I'm sure the money would go to a good cause, ie making improving their living and working conditions, but supra is a fear.

 

If they wanted to do that, they would've sent their beer into international distribution years ago.

 

on their website it seems like their monastery is so close to falling apart that they will have to close it forever if they cant get the money they need for repairs

 

I've read the email sent by the distributor concerning the sale of this pack.

A couple things the distributor has requested per The Abbey on the these bottles:
**all these have been mentioned in this thread
1. packs not to be broken up.
2. packs to be sold at $85 a pk.

I would assume if retailers do decide to mark it up there may be consequences in receiving future beers from this distribution company.

 

That is sad that they are that desperate for money...but how did it get to that point? They have had a product for years that they could not sell enough of to meet demand. They knowingly held the beer back and made it hard to get.

I understand they are a monastery above and beyond a brewery, but they have stated they brew to survive as a monastery. If this is the case why haven't they been selling more and meeting the demand for a while. I am not talking Chimay type selling, but increasing a small amount. Maybe sell to a few more small stores you can trust not to do crazy markups. This would help cut down on the grey market selling the frown upon and help raise more money.

Or they could have easily raised the price of a case a few $ and I am sure it would still have no problem selling (though they may have already done this, I am not familiar with their current or past prices)

 

i'd agree. it's hard to spend $85 when there are beers of similar quality readily available for a fraction of the price. i think I prefer pannepot anyway.

 

Doubtful, have you seen how much stores mark up some of Shelton Brothers' other products?

 

The rumors I've heard is that there is something of a new generation of monks at the monastery who are waiting for the old guard to pass so that they can change the way a lot of these things are done. It's completely hearsay, that I've heard from a couple of people, but I would be very sad if the quality of the product were compromised (which I believe has happened to Chimay).

 

I was checking the website. Where does it seem like they are falling apart? I can't find anything even alluding to that fact.

 

okay close it forever was dramatic. but the building is falling apart

NECESSITY- We are faced with large cracks and subsidences in some parts of the buildings. Within a couple of years, these will be uninhabitable.
The buildings have already been declared unsafe by the fire brigade.

 

Right, but that page was so old it was looking forward to 2008, I'd say since their home page has a pic of the monastery with a crane in the middle of it, they raised the money and got the construction done.

 

I think I was one of those people. A guy a know who is close to some of the monks, said they do want things to change but they look to Rochefort as the example, not Chimay, which to the Trappist community is something of a fraud - not really old school Trappist.

I am on the fence with this brick. I think it is a poor decision on the monasteries part to try and set the price $3 above the distro price. This is effectively asking American business owners to support your monastery with effectively nothing in return. Would like to have seen them to force Shelton to lower their share so that the small business owners can see a cut as well.

This is in part the issue the young Westvleteren monks are speaking of. The old guard does not really understand or care to understand modern economies. The beer is only made to help with God's work, not for the profits of others.

 

This is a great opportunity for a group of friends to all chip in and cross this #whale off their list. That's exactly what I did when I ordered this brick months ago. I'd give the beer a B/B+.

 

Could someone enlighten me on the history of Chimay and how (and when) they went from being old-school to being a fraud?

 

Agreed also. I had my first 12 a few months ago. I'd pay $20 tops for this and only if I happened upon it by chance.

 

4pks of St B Abt 12 go for $18. You think a 6pk + 2 glasses should be cheaper?!

 

I'd pay $20 for 132oz (assuming those are 22's) of 10.2% beer any day.

Assuming its actually being sold at the $85 price tag, thats not unreasonable for 6 bombers. 14.x bottle, and two tasting glasses as sweet extras is pretty reasonable.

 

Not really. I'm just stating that the beer was solid, but nothing special. My personal take is that if I saw it for $20, I'd buy it. If I saw it for $30, I'd pass without a second thought.

 

Those are 12oz bottles, and the glasses are just tasters (5oz.)
BTW, these were only 25 euro when they were released in Europe...

 

Well then. I'd still pay $20 for 132 oz of 10.2% beer any day. Feel free to disregard everything else i said.