Yesterday I got to experience one of the most elusive beers in the entire world, Westvleteren 12, or Westy 12. Westy12 is somewhat literally the holy grail, in that it is brewed by Belgian monks. It is one of seven beers considered to be trappist beers. Trappist beers are those beers that are produced on the grounds of a trappist monastery, either directly by, or under the direct supervision of the monks. Beer is to be of secondary importance to the monks (God being their number one thing). Beer is not to be a for profit enterprise for the monks. Quality of their beer is of utmost importance. These are the basic tenants of trappist brewing. Six trappist breweries are located in Belgium and one is in the Netherlands. All seven breweries have been in operation for centuries. The beer they produce is very distinctly Belgian. Actually, these breweries have, over the years, helped to define Belgium's style. You can get a lot of these beers at your local beer store. Everyone has probably seen a Chimay before. It is the most widely distributed and popular trappist offering.
Many consider Westy 12 to be the best beer on earth. That is a matter of taste. It is certainly one of the hardest beers to get. It is only available directly from the abbey or from their cafe, both located in Belgium. In order to get a Westy you need to call ahead and make an appointment to pick up the beer. The monks frown on the reselling of their beers. This has contributed greatly to the myth surrounding their beer. They have, I believe, three beers: a blonde, a dubbel, and a tripel. The 12 is a tripel. It has an ABV of 10.2%. When I came across Westy 12 online I jumped at the chance to grab a bottle. The beer had been so hyped up to me, that I had to get it. I really did not expect it to live up to its reputation. Then I drank it.
I'm not sure if Westy 12 is the best beer in the world. I haven't had all the beers in the world. Hopefully some day I will. I can say that it is the best beer I have had from Belgium or maybe even all of Europe. It is hard to compare beers from different styles. Belgian styles are so drastically different from US styles and even from their neighbors in Germany. I will say that Westy 12 is an experience. It pours a dark dark brown. There is a normal creamy head that is dependent on how vigorously you pour. I like a nice head on my beer so I let her rip. The aroma is that of dark dried fruit and sweet malt. There is an underlying hop aroma but it is not the star. Yeast comes through right after the fruit. It took two sips for the flavour to properly development. It was complicated to say the least. There was so much going on. It was sweet, it was fruity, it was malty and slightly roasted with notes of caramel and brown sugar. In two words fricken great. The beer lived up to the hype and then some. As it warmed it seemed to smooth out and become very well balanced. For some reason the alcohol did not come out until the last third. It did not detract from the beer nor did it really add to the experience. If you ever get your hands on one, drink it slowly and savor. If it isn't the best beer in the world it certainly comes close. One thing that can not be denied is that there is a lot of work and craftmenship that has gone into Westvleteren 12. Enjoy the pictures. FYI, Adam and I were brewing that day, hence the overalls. Thanks to Adam for taking pictures
Taking a whiff
Pouring
Checking out the aroma
The first sip
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