About
The abbey was established in 1831. Already in the early days beer was brewed in small quantities, not for sale but just for their own consumption. In May 1839, the Abbey received a brewer’s licence signed by king Leopold I on April 19, 1839. Most likely a first test brew was produced the same month. In June 1839 the first official brew was produced.
Around 1860 a vast complex of buildings for amongst others sheds, a guesthouse, barns and a second brewery, was built. It remained however a small domestic brewery for personal use. Only from 1878 on production increased due to a good turnover of the tavern ‘In de Vrede’. Between 1886 and 1896 a third brew house, fully operational as from 1896, was built.
On 20 March 1922 the monks started the expansion of the brewery. On 27 October 1927 for the first time steam was used to brew in the modernised, fourth brew house. This brew house was operational till 5 January 1990.
In 1976 a fermentation room with six open yeast vessels and a laboratory were installed. Fermentation in open yeast vessels, a method that is used very rarely, is essential for the ester profile of the Trappist Westvleteren.
The present brew house was officially put into operation in 1990. The new bottling plant was put into operation in 2013. Since 2014, two brews are made per brewing day. This meant a considerable saving in terms of energy consumption and man-hours.
The lagering cellar and the fermentation chamber were modernised and automated, but because the capacity did not change, production also remained unchanged. The production amounts to approximately 6,000 hectolitres annually, spread over 42 brewing days. In 2016 a new secondary fermentation unit with storage space was built.
Around 1860 a vast complex of buildings for amongst others sheds, a guesthouse, barns and a second brewery, was built. It remained however a small domestic brewery for personal use. Only from 1878 on production increased due to a good turnover of the tavern ‘In de Vrede’. Between 1886 and 1896 a third brew house, fully operational as from 1896, was built.
On 20 March 1922 the monks started the expansion of the brewery. On 27 October 1927 for the first time steam was used to brew in the modernised, fourth brew house. This brew house was operational till 5 January 1990.
In 1976 a fermentation room with six open yeast vessels and a laboratory were installed. Fermentation in open yeast vessels, a method that is used very rarely, is essential for the ester profile of the Trappist Westvleteren.
The present brew house was officially put into operation in 1990. The new bottling plant was put into operation in 2013. Since 2014, two brews are made per brewing day. This meant a considerable saving in terms of energy consumption and man-hours.
The lagering cellar and the fermentation chamber were modernised and automated, but because the capacity did not change, production also remained unchanged. The production amounts to approximately 6,000 hectolitres annually, spread over 42 brewing days. In 2016 a new secondary fermentation unit with storage space was built.
8.8/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
330ml. bottle. @In de Vrede, Westvleteren (Belgium). 07/09/2022 [#5.382 Global - #218 Belgium - #3 Abdij St. Sixtus - Westvleteren] 2022 bottle - Pours brown with a tan head. Aroma: nuts, toffee, caramel and dried fruits. Taste: nuts, chocolate, caramel and sweet malts. Rich and sweet mouthfeel. Excellent. 2017 Bottle - Gifted by @tderoeck, many thanks. To compare with the fresh 2022 tasted today at the source. This has much more liquorice and molasses. Light boozy. Next one please!
Tried
from Bottle
on 28 Sep 2022
at 08:04
8/10
2014 vs. 2020. Right. Herbaceaus, malty-toffe nose faint dried fruits. Taste is strong,malty, caramel, dried fruits, pleasant mouthfeeling. Warming.
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Sep 2022
at 19:49
6/10
Tried
on 24 Sep 2022
at 15:56
10/10
Tried
from Bottle
on 21 Sep 2022
at 11:06
8/10
Tried
from Bottle
on 17 Sep 2022
at 20:11
8.8/10
Tried
on 11 Sep 2022
at 12:44
8.4/10
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Sep 2022
at 12:30
10/10
Sviktet ikke. Knall aroma av rosiner, tendens til venøs. Smak rosiner, noe kjeks, venøs. God bitterhet som henger igjen. Legende øl.
Tried
from Bottle
on 10 Sep 2022
at 18:22
8/10
Tried
on 04 Aug 2022
at 15:59
9/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Bottle from a crate ordered at the abbey. Bottled: 27/04/2022. Consumed: 06/2022 - hardly two months old. Finally, the world-famous Westvleteren XII has made it to my home and what better way to add my rating than with a young example? Obviously, I'm looking forward to drinking aged examples in the coming years...
Pours a hazy dark amber to brown with a stable, foamy, tan head. Very expressive aroma of tawny port, red wine, wood, red apple slices, dried banana, pear, overripe blue plum, brown bread, baker's yeast, artisan milk chocolate, chestnut. Taste has a sweet estery mix of blue plum, red apple, dried banana & raisin in a thick brown-bready, slightly toasty, somewhat chocolatey malt body with a hint of candi sugar, but never in a cloying way, surrounded by a spicy and a dry-yeasty note, and even a sourish dark-fruity streak. The herbal & peppery hoppy finish offers more dried & candied fruits, spices and 'dry' brown bread and even a very vague hint of coffee. The whole is topped off with a noble, vinous warmth of brandy-like alcohol. Medium to full body, creamy-moussy texture, average carbonation (toning down when warming up). Evidently, it's hard to approach this beer unbiasedly, but its powerful character slowly but surely reveals itself, leaving you without a doubt that it's a masterpiece.
Pours a hazy dark amber to brown with a stable, foamy, tan head. Very expressive aroma of tawny port, red wine, wood, red apple slices, dried banana, pear, overripe blue plum, brown bread, baker's yeast, artisan milk chocolate, chestnut. Taste has a sweet estery mix of blue plum, red apple, dried banana & raisin in a thick brown-bready, slightly toasty, somewhat chocolatey malt body with a hint of candi sugar, but never in a cloying way, surrounded by a spicy and a dry-yeasty note, and even a sourish dark-fruity streak. The herbal & peppery hoppy finish offers more dried & candied fruits, spices and 'dry' brown bread and even a very vague hint of coffee. The whole is topped off with a noble, vinous warmth of brandy-like alcohol. Medium to full body, creamy-moussy texture, average carbonation (toning down when warming up). Evidently, it's hard to approach this beer unbiasedly, but its powerful character slowly but surely reveals itself, leaving you without a doubt that it's a masterpiece.
Tried
on 19 Jul 2022
at 15:43