Is Westvleterenbeers.com legitimate?

Never used them, but I have purchased Westy and other beer from Belgium in a Box. Great experience every time.

 

My soapbox....

Anyone who resells Westy is violating the agreement they made with the monks in the first place. So are they legit? In selling and delivering the product, I don't know. But they are taking a huge markup and are generally not too nice people. The monks make just enough beer to support themselves, and ask that it not be resold. I understand that the markup is due to the lengthy processs the monks have had to put in place in order to avoid bulk buying and reselling, ( you have to call the line at a specific time and if you get through, you are authorized two cases only of what is being released the day you are scheduled for pick up. You have to provide the license number of your vehicle and have that vehicle on day of pickup, and then not authorized for another pickup with that vehicle for 90 days.) Still who would want to dish bad karma from the monks? I still feel bad about the bottle of Westy 12 I bought in Brussels before I knew the rules....

I have had the privilege of visiting Westvleteren twice, once for a 2 case pickup, and once passing through for dinner. They run a small operation, and are cloistered, so you never even see the monks.

Think of what else you could buy with the money you'd spend on that six pack, being able to provide a pretty decent selection of high end beers. Or just save it for a trip to Belgium. You won't regret it.

 

Why not trade for it instead of buying and spending an arm and a leg in the process

 

Just know that a very small percentage of the money is going to the Monks. Its a huge markup and a violation of what the Monks stand for.

I would just trade for it.

 

Not excusing/condoning it, but a lot of the people buying the beer by the crate are reselling it. The stacks and stacks of bottles for sale in Brussels illustrate that.

 

If you are going to buy it I would go to Belguim in a Box.

 

You dont want the wrath of the monks upon you.

 

If you want to see how the operation works, the info for buying beer (only in Belgium) is here:

http://sintsixtus.be/

Click the "Bierverkoop" button and then the English translation....

BTW should you decide to go, this is a a very historic area, right in the middle of the hop fields, surrounded by WWI battlefields and cemeteries. Poperinges Hommelbier also comes from this area.....

 

My thinking as well. With one of the BA members here you'll get what you ask for and give something that someone is looking for.

 

If you went to the Monastery(?) could you ship a crate home? How much does a crate cost?

 

A crate costs around 54 euros so roughly 60 dollars

 

And is that the crate thats 24 bottles?

 

Thats for a crate of 24. If I remember correctly they charge 42 euros for the beer and 12 euros for bottle/crate deposit.

 

Wow that makes it quite cheap per bottle! Now I need to get a passport...

 

The travel expenses on the other hand?

I am in Germany now touring the beer areas of Franconia and The Bayascher Wald, so sometimes the travel can be justified.

 

This place is overpriced... I've seen it on other sites for roughly $17 a bottle.

 

The price gouging seems pretty incredible. Is it true that Westy 12 is basically Rochefort 10?

 

Actually, it used to be what St.Bernardus 12 is. The recipe changed at some point.

 

Ahhhh I knew it was something like that. So Bernardus 12 is pretty close to Westy 12 then?