Ok, it’s a pretty small mention in an article about Trappist beer, but hey, it’s a mention in an international publication. Thanks to Dag for the head’s up.
Read the full article, at least until the WSJ takes the link down, here.
Two American Web sites, Rate Beer and Beer Advocate, rank the strongest of Westvleteren’s three products, a dark creamy beer known as “the 12,” best in the world, ahead of beers including Sweden’s Närke Kaggen Stormaktsporter and Minnesota’s Surly Darkness. “No question, it is the holy grail of beers,” says Remi Johnson, manager of the Publick House, a Boston bar that has Westvleteren on its menu but rarely in stock.
I have a few of “the 12” that I picked up at Surdyk’s and they are so good. The first time I had one I was very very pleased–I couldn’t find anything wrong with it.
you may be confusing the westveleteren 12 with st. bernardus abt, 12, it’s close cousin.
westveleteren has never, ever been in minnesota stores, so far as i know.
we have to ‘settle” for the perfectly legal, non-bootleg st. bernardus.
Al, maybe it was back when Surdyk’s had the employee that was selling Fat Tire illegally (was that like 2 years ago or so?). I agree that it was very likely St. Bernardus Abt 12.
Westy 12 is available only at the brewery in Belgium then? Im surprised as it has a ton of ratings on RB. Lots of people willing to ship overseas i guess?
Yeah you can call the brewery and make an appointment to go there (they only sell on certain days from what I understand) and pickup a small quantity. Then people ship it over here. I got mine from some guy who had friends over seas. Still have a bottle or two in the cellar.
hey al, i’ve never had the westveleteren 12 but have had st. bernardus abt 12 a few times .750 only. so i’m just curious about your close cousin comment. i’m not planning on making an effort for westveleteren although i probably could once i get my darkness. anyway are they pretty similar? same yeast or what?
I have a brother-in-law who is in seminary in Belgium. I’m hoping when we go to visit to work in a trip to the brewery.
Westveleteren yeast comes from Westmalle, which is another Trappist brewery.