Westvleteren Abdij St. Sixtus

Microbrewery in Westvleteren, West Flanders, Belgium 🇧🇪
Associated with 2 Venues

Established in 1839

Contact
Donkerstraat 12, Vleteren, Westvleteren, 8640, Belgium
Description
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.

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9

Eerste keer gedronken in het jaar van de eclips, 1999. Toen was ik van de kaart. Later mindere edities op. Lang bewaarde versies zijn ook aan te bevelen. Heb er nog van 2014. Doe zijn ook weer top.

Tried on 01 Mar 2025 at 12:05


7.3
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

Bottle 33 cl (2023). Golden, almost clear, slightly suspended. Aroma: malty, spicy-herbal-floral, interesting. Taste: malty, but hops dominate, floral, herbal, fresh and good.

Tried from Bottle on 01 Mar 2025 at 08:28


8.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9.5

very refreshing. lots of floral, and citrus notes to this brew. nice bitterness in the finish. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Tried on 27 Feb 2025 at 05:31


9
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9

outstanding.
i tried it a little young, it was bottled in 2006, and i had it just recently, but definetly one of the best i’ve had. Outstanding beer, if you can get yours hands on it. buy it!

Tried from Bottle on 27 Feb 2025 at 05:31


9.6
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 10 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9.5

excellent!
had to go through alot to get one, but it was worth it
no surprises in the appearance, typical trappist, big thick head. aroma of dried fruits, and a tiny bit of caramel. Flavor is beautiful, very complex, lots of fruit, and caramel, with a tad bit of alcohol to remind you its 10.2%.
extremely outstading brew!

Tried on 27 Feb 2025 at 05:31


8.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Pours a cloudy brown with a tan head. Complex aroma of dark malts, dried fruits, honey, chocolate, clove, hint of nutmeg. Flavour is sweet with a little bitterness in the aftertaste. Slight booziness, but you wouldn’t guess its 10% ABV. Quite smooth. Ofcourse this can’t ever live up to the hype, but it’s a great beer regardless of that. Incredibly delicate and great balance.

Tried from Can on 18 Feb 2025 at 05:19


8.5
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9

Aroma of dark malt, caramel, toffee, dried dark fruits, raisins, fig, spicy yeast. Flavour is medium sweet with a bittersweet finish. Great balance, good full body. An excellent Trappist.

Tried on 16 Feb 2025 at 13:40


8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Aroma of fruits, light malt, yeast, hint of spices. Flavour is moderate sweet with a moderate bitter finish. Quite tasty Belgian Blonde. *** rerate 2023, amazing beer.

Tried on 16 Feb 2025 at 13:19


9.2
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9

Аромат очень хмелевой с легкой кислинкой. Одна из самых пышных пен что я видел. И вообще само пиво в бокале выглядит великолепно. Вкус достаточно сильно горкий очень хмелевой. Сильно чувствуется мед. При этом пиво весьма сладкое и карамельное.Послевкусие очень мягкое и длительно раскрывающиеся. Тут и сухофрукты и сладкие фрукты и цветочные нотки. Одним словом действительно король пива.Очень многогранный напиток.

Tried on 05 Feb 2025 at 06:47


8.2
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

На удивление пиво абсолютно не имеет пены. Аромат медовый и слегка кислый. Напиток имеет большой осадок. Вкус имеет ярко медовый вкус также ощущается хмель и легкая фруктовая горечь. Послевкусие медовое но через 10 секунд оно полностью растворяются. В целом весьма ценный экземпляр.

Tried on 05 Feb 2025 at 06:47