Westvleteren 12 (Beer)

[Vince]

A very good friend of mine who is studying abroad just brought me some Belgian Beer that is by a huge margin the best beer I have ever had in my life. It's called Westvleteren 12 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westvleteren_Brewery). If any of you have the opportunity to try it and you enjoy beer, do yourself a favor and go get some. It's really amazing.

Apparently this beer is ridiculously hard to get a hold of -- you can only buy it from the monks at the Abbey, and only if you call your order in ahead of time. They are actively trying to keep people from re-selling the beer, such that if you can even find a bottle at a normal liquor store it costs more than ten euros per bottle.

The beer is intriguing to me because I typically do not enjoy the European beers I have tried. The beers that I enjoy most around here are craft brews (Nut Browns, Pales and Stouts are my favorites), so maybe it's just that I don't like Lagers. Anyone know of any good foreign beers I could get a hold of over here that aren't as well-known as, say, Stella Artois?

[JeeberD]

Belgian beers, in general, kick ass...

[Lathum]

Saldana is a huge beer fan and he raves about this one.

[KWhit]

I prefer Bud Select.

[Crim]

A very good friend of mine who is studying abroad just brought me some Belgian Beer that is by a huge margin the best beer I have ever had in my life. It's called Westvleteren 12 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westvleteren_Brewery). If any of you have the opportunity to try it and you enjoy beer, do yourself a favor and go get some. It's really amazing.

Apparently this beer is ridiculously hard to get a hold of -- you can only buy it from the monks at the Abbey, and only if you call your order in ahead of time. They are actively trying to keep people from re-selling the beer, such that if you can even find a bottle at a normal liquor store it costs more than ten euros per bottle.

The beer is intriguing to me because I typically do not enjoy the European beers I have tried. The beers that I enjoy most around here are craft brews (Nut Browns, Pales and Stouts are my favorites), so maybe it's just that I don't like Lagers. Anyone know of any good foreign beers I could get a hold of over here that aren't as well-known as, say, Stella Artois?

I'm sure I'd never pronounce that correctly, so in asking for it, I might receive the Belgian monk version of a golden shower or dirty sanchez. No thanks, mon frere. I like my beer like I like my women - familiar, easy to pronouce, and with a twist-off cap.

[Anthony]

if its so hard to get, what's the point? give me something i can get at a store.

it can be the greatest beer ever, but if the only place to get it is at the top of Mt. Everest then i'll stick with a 12 pack of whatever good stuff i can get my hands on.

[gottimd]

I'd try it if I could find it, but I agree with HA and Crim.

[path12]

it can be the greatest beer ever, but if the only place to get it is at the top of Mt. Everest then i'll stick with a 12 pack of whatever good stuff i can get my hands on.

Dude, you are missing out with that Everest beer. Fuckin' AWESOME!

[Anthony]

Dude, you are missing out with that Everest beer. Fuckin' AWESOME!

indeed.

http://www.petehawkins.co.uk/new_gallery/slovakia/source/image/sherpa_delivery_2.jpg

[grim]

St. Bernardus Abt 12 and Rochefort 10 are very very similar beers to Westvleteren 12 and are available here in the states. It shouldn't be a problem to find either of them in California. Westvleteren 12 is a very good beer, but is overrated due to it's scarcity.