Westvletern in Person

[hopdicct]

Anyone have any luck picking up beer at the Abbey itself?

I have an oppourtunity to stop by this September. From what I read

1) they don't sell Westy 12's every day
2) You have to call in advance with the license plate of you car
3) The phone lines are incredibly busy and they have very limited stock


We are renting a car, so I won't know the license plate until 4 days before. Should I pretty much not even bother trying? (I do have a 6pack of west12's from the LCBO, so this would just be icing)

[iguenard]

You can pick up Westy beers at various stores around Belgium. I got 6 12's for 3.95 euros each in a butcher shop in Gentt. Just goes to show.

[icemachine]

I called before my trip in 2010, and was told I needed the licence plate, explained the rental thing, and was told sorry but we can't do a deal.

When I did arrive, we took a look around the Abbey in search of the Cafe/gift shop (it's on the other side of road) and I talked to a worker at the pickup location who told me if I had talked to him, he would have held a case with a phone number.

So try that, and best of luck!

I ended up bringing home a six pack from the gift shop with 3 bottles each of Blonde and 8, and a gift pack with two glasses and a bottle of 12

[Belgian]

I called before my trip in 2010, and was told I needed the licence plate...

I wonder if you gave them your Ontario license plate # not saying anything else and then just showed them your vehicle plate registration & photo ID on pickup day. Then you have proof of ID to buy your one case of overrated Trappist fizz. Could they really refuse the sale at that point, after holding the case for your plate number?

[hopdicct]

..buy your one case of overrated Trappist fizz

And yet your name is "Belgian" ?


Interesting idea with the Ontario plate, but if I can find some in local bottle shops and/or gift shops, that would do just fine.

(I am heading to Gentt as well)

[Belgian]

Haha. Re: 'overrated ' - It's still a very good beer, and if people are a bit too obsessed maybe they still enjoy the pilgrimage. Going to St Sixtus would be cool!

I hope you have lots of great times over there... milk thistle extract and lots of water will protect your liver.

[markaberrant]

Haha. Re: 'overrated ' - It's still a very good beer, and if people are a bit too obsessed maybe they still enjoy the pilgrimage. Going to St Sixtus would be cool!

I hope you have lots of great times over there... milk thistle extract and lots of water will protect your liver.

I would drink as much of the 6 as I could at the cafe. That is a damn fine beer when fresh. The others are just ok.

[icemachine]

I very much enjoyed the 12 at the cafe, one of the top 3 beer experiences in my life.

The bottle I shared last year in Ontario seemed like a different beer entirely in terms of flavour, body and aroma. Was it the setting or the beer? I can't say for sure, but I have heard anecdotally that there is large batch to batch variations with the 12.

[atomeyes]

Anyone have any luck picking up beer at the Abbey itself?

I have an oppourtunity to stop by this September. From what I read

1) they don't sell Westy 12's every day
2) You have to call in advance with the license plate of you car
3) The phone lines are incredibly busy and they have very limited stock


We are renting a car, so I won't know the license plate until 4 days before. Should I pretty much not even bother trying? (I do have a 6pack of west12's from the LCBO, so this would just be icing)

send me a DM. there's a supernice gent that i met from Beeradvocate who often makes trips to the abbey. he's usually able to grab cases for people and does it just for trade. he has a group on FB as well.

bring him a bunch of great north american beer for trade and he'll trade a wealth of amazing belgian stuff with you.

[hopdicct]

bring him a bunch of great north american beer for trade and he'll trade a wealth of amazing belgian stuff with you.

Funny you should say that. I just came back from Vermont with a case of Heady. This beer is not over hyped, it is awesome! Not sure I want to trade any of it, lol.

[phirleh]

If you are heading to that area, you should hit up De Struise in Oostvleteren. The brewers Phillipe and Urbain seem to be very welcoming to visitors and they have a tasting room in an old converted schoolhouse. By far, one of my favourite Belgian breweries (I haven't been there personally, but every photo I've seen of the place and visitors' accounts paint Urbain as someone truly passionate about great beer).