Yep, we got some. Now that may not sound like a big deal, but believe me, it is. Jim has been trying to buy some of this beer pretty much since we got here. This particular beer is brewed in limited quantities and has limited availability. It's brewed in the only Trappist brewery (De Sint-Sixtusabdij Westvletern) where monks still do all the brewing and they've been doing it since 1838.
Sales are limited to one order - per month - per person - per license plate and phone number. The beer (this beer) must be reserved on their "beerphone" beforehand. That is once it is announced that some is for sale so you have to constantly monitor their website so you don't miss it! And that is if you can get through on the "beerphone" once you know they are going to take orders. I think Jim said he hit redial about a 100 times before he was able to place an order. They tell you how many cases you can buy and exactly what day and time to be there. So we headed out on Ross's birthday, March 31st, for our 2 and a half hour trip to Westvleteren for our beer pick-up time of 15:35. Ross, one of these has your name on it. And I believe one has Johnny Carter's name on it.
These monks are serious about their beer and they won't sell you beer if you just drive up to the abbey so remember - "beerphone" beforehand or "no beer for you".
And the monks are very much against commercial resale of the beer. Therefore any Westvleteren beer sold anywhere else in the world is grey market since NO wholesalers or pubs are supplied with the beer. Buyers of the beer receive a receipt with Niet verder verkopen ("Do not resell") printed on it. The bottles of Westvleteren beer have been sold without labels since 1945 and all the legally required information is printed on the crown tops. The logo is only printed on the wooden crates.
Comparing it to some common American beers, Westvleteren 12 has an alcohol content of a little over 10% while Budweiser, Michelob, Coors, and Corona are all right at 5%.
We visited the little pub onsite and had a taste of what we'd just bought 3 cases of and it is really good beer. And if you need some documentation it's a great beer, just check out these websites! This beer has been voted the best beer in the world by more than one popular entity.
Westvleteren 12 is voted "Top Beer on Planet Earth" by Beer Advocate...
| Top Beers on Planet Earth | ||||
| Score / WR | Reviews | |||
| 1 |  | Trappist Westvleteren 12 Quadrupel (Quad) / 10.20% ABV Brouwerij Westvleteren (Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren) | A+ / 4.63 | 854 |
| 2 | | Pliny The Younger American Double / Imperial IPA / 11.00% ABV Russian River Brewing Company | A+ / 4.63 | 472 |
| 3 | | The Abyss American Double / Imperial Stout / 11.00% ABV Deschutes Brewery | A+ / 4.56 | 773 |
...and voted "Best Beer 2010" by RateBeer.
Best Beers 2010
| beer | style | brewer | state | country | ||||
| 1 | Westvleteren 12 | Abt/Quadrupel | Westvleteren Abdij St. Sixtus | - | Belgium | award | ||
| 2 | Närke Kaggen Stormaktsporter | Imperial Stout | Närke Kulturbryggeri | - | Sweden | award | ||
| 3 | Cigar City Bourbon Barrel Aged Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout | Imperial Stout | Cigar City Brewing | Florida | USA | award |
Of course the best part for Jim was the search and acquisition, but he'll enjoy the beer too :) Proost!
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