I’m wondering if anyone has any tips in winning an opportunity to purchase Westvletteren beer on their web site. I’ve been fortunate enough to make one purchase, fell in love, and now I’m having the most difficult time winning an opportunity to buy. Heartbreaking!! If anyone has had luck making multiple purchases directly at the Abbey, can you please share any tips?
Make sure you take advantage of Belgian supermarket prices to get some St Bernardus Abt and Rochefort 10 for comparison - having done the comparison a couple of times, I’m one of the significant minority who prefer Rochefort 10 to Westvleteren 12.
Thanks for the input. The thread that was provided was pretty much what my experience was with the exception of the travel. A buddy and I drove from near Cambridge UK. It was a fun trip, but a little much for two cases. We’ve just been having a hard time on the web site. They were selling out before our time came up. Was hoping there may be some “secret” way to move higher up the line.
I know it’s hard to get but I’ve had a neighbor order it on line from the brewery twice in the last year. I have no idea what she paid but she has been generous in sharing. Westy 12 is delicious but did not move the moon and stars for me.
I was not able to get to the Brewery to get cases, but going here was good, especially with another person. I think we could get 2 six packs PER Person?
The idea of it is, for me at least, that Westvleteren 12 becomes less unique, less mysterious, less of everything in fact when you have sampled other similar beers by the other Trappist breweries and St. Bernardus.
If you are a new convert to the big, dark belgian ales, and Westvleteren 12 is one of the first you have, it is likely to leave a very indelible mark on you. For me, it was underwhelming in light of other beers I find much better and in light of the hype and mystique around it.
It is, however, a very good entry in the Trappist roster.
The most revelatory experience I had with Westvleteren beer was drinking a very fresh Westvleteren Blond. It is rare to get Belgian ales in the US that are fresh enough that the hop aroma still shines through, but my Westy Blond in Cambrinus in Bruges fit the bill. Afterwards I found a handful of other beers that stuck a similar balance (I see it is now a BJCP-designated style), but it’s still not something you see too often in US bottle shops, and it usually isn’t super fresh.