Westvleteren XII, “World’s Best Beer” - Now Available
in the USA(Very Limited)
The beer,
Westvleteren XII is often referred to as the “world’s best beer” by
reviewers and fans. Westvleteren XII is produced by Trappist monks in
Belgium and sold at the abbey of Saint Sixtus in the Belgian countryside.
The beer can usually only be purchased by reservation at the abbey. However,
reservations for this beer are not easy to come by.
The abbey,
however, found itself in need of money for an expensive
renovation. So, in order to come up with the cash needed, the
monks reluctantly made the decision to sell the beer outside of
the walls of the monastery on a one-time-only basis.
Westvleteren Brewery spokesman Mark Bode said:
“I think it will be the last [time]. They say, ‘We are monks, we
don’t want to be too commercial. We needed some money to help us
buy the new abbey and that’s it,’ Back to normal again.”
Starting today, a limited amount of the beer is being sold in
the U.S. and abroad. A number of stores have been sent “bricks”
of the beer. A “brick” contains six bottles and two glasses from
the monastery. The gift box retails for $84.99.
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Review from Inaugural Issue of Beeradvocate Magazine
The so-called Holy Grail for many beer geeks, with single bottles going
for upwards of $20 in the US. This bottle is at least eight years old.
Poured into a silver-rimmed Westvleteren chalice. Translucent brown with
shimmering ruby hues, and a thick, tightly-laced, creamy, sticky head
above. Similar aroma as the other Westys; a complex, deep malted nose of
carob, toffee and honey. Massive creamy buildup on the palate, as the
tight carbonation hits the warmth of the mouth. Silky smooth, with a
dry, medium, even body. Again with the powdery feel. Interesting twang
of grapes. Dextrin sweetness. More carob, golden syrup, blossom honey,
toffee, medicinal phenols, anise, ginger, booze-soaked golden raisins,
raw candi sugar and a watery, slightly fruity currant character. Alcohol
on this one is quite boozy and warming. Bone-dry, powdery, with a
residual cocoa character and alcohol breath.
Stellar fresh, preferred fresh, damn good aged. Best beer in the world?
That's a debate for the forums on BeerAdvocate.com, but it's definitely
among the top.
 
Westvleteren Abbey or St. Sixtus' Abbey
Westvleteren Abbey or St. Sixtus' Abbey, Westvleteren, which belongs to
the Cistercians of Strict Observance, or Trappists, is located in
Westvleteren, West Flanders, in Belgium. The abbey is famous for its
spiritual life, characterised by prayer, reading, and manual work, the
three basic elements of Trappist life. It has also a reputation for its
brewery, one of the several breweries of Trappist beer in Belgium.
The earliest traces of a monastic presence at the location of the
present day abbey date back to 1260, although the Cella Beborna, which
is mentioned in a deed of 806 (from the abbey of Saint-Omer), was
probably located in the same area (known at that time as Fletrinio).
From 1260 to 1355 there was a small community of nuns on the side of the
Catsberg. That site was abandoned, but between 1610 and 1784 a monastery
of the Bridgettines (the Order of the Most Holy Saviour) was located on
what is called "Fathers' Corner".
Retail Locations in the United States
Westy gift packs are officially available across 22 states on December
12, 2012. Below is the complete list of locations.
ALABAMA
Hop City, Birmingham
Piggly Wiggly, Homeland
The Nook, Huntsville
ARIZONA
Total Wine, Gilbert
Total Wine (Arrowhead Gateway), Glendale
Total Wine, Goodyear
Total Wine (Desert Ridge), Phoenix
Total Wine (Camelback Rd), Phoenix
Total Wine, Scottsdale
Total Wine, Tempe
Total Wine (The Corner), Tucson
Total Wine (Park Place Mall), Tucson
CALIFORNIA
Total Wine, Brea
Hi Times Wine Cellar, Costa Mesa
Davis Beer Shoppe, Davis
Holiday Wine Cellar, Escondido
Total Wine, Folsom
Total Wine, Huntington Beach
Total Wine, Laguna Hills
Stearns, Long Beach
Total Wine, Northbridge
Trappist Provisions, Oakland
Bruery Provisions, Orange
Total Wine, Rancho Cuacamonga
Total Wine, Redondo Beach
K&L Wines, Redwood City/Los Angeles
Total Wine, Roseville
Pangaea, Sacramento
Total Wine, Sacramento
Best Damn Bottle Shop, San Diego
Bine & Vine, San Diego
City Beer Store, San Francisco
Healthy Spirits, San Francisco
Ales Unlimited, San Francisco
Total Wine, Tustin
Total Wine, Thousand Oaks
Øl Beercafe, Walnut Creek
COLORADO
Liquor Mart, Boulder
Coaltrain Wine and Spirits, Colorado Springs
Argonaut Liquor, Denver
Wilbur’s Total Beverage, Fort Collins
DELAWARE
Total Wine, Claymont
Total Wine, Milltown
FLORIDA
Total Wine, Boca Raton
Total Wine, Boynton Beach
Total Wine, Clearwater
Total Wine, Fort Lauderdale
Total Wine, Fort Myers
Total Wine, Jasksonville
Total Wine, Miami
Total Wine, North Miami
Total Wine, Naples
Total Wine (Colonial Plaza), Orlando
Total Wine (Millenia Plaza), Orlando
Total Wine, Palm Beach Gardens
Total Wine, Pembroke Pines
Total Wine, Plantation
Total Wine, St. Petersburg
Total Wine, Sarasota
Total Wine, Stuart
Total Wine, Tampa
Total Wine, Village of Wellington
ILLINOIS
Binny’s, Bloomington
Friar Tucks, Bloomington
Binny’s (Downers Grove), Chicago
Binny’s (Marcey), Chicago
INDIANA
Keg Liquors, Clarksville
Crown Liquors, Indianapolis
Village Liquors, West Lafayette
IOWA
Benz Beverage Depot, Cedar Rapids
Royal Mile, Des Moines
Schera’s Algerian American Restaurant, Elkader
John’s Grocery, Iowa City
KENTUCKY
The Party Source, Bellevue (Cincinnati)
Wino’s Depot, Bowling Green
The Beer Trappe, Lexington
Louisville Beer Store, Louisville
Sergio’s World Beers, Louisville
Roof Brothers, Paducah
LOUISIANA
Whole Foods, Baton Rouge
Aquistapace’s Grocery, Covington
Whole Foods (Veterans), Metarie
Stein’s Deli, New Orleans
Whole Foods (Arabella Station), New Orleans
MARYLAND
Corridor Fine Wine, Laurel
Beltway Fine Wine, Towson
MASSACHUSETTS
Craft Beer Cellar, Belmont (Boston)
Provisions, Northampton
Redstone Liquors, Stoneham
Julio’s, Westborough
MINNESOTA
Heritage Liquor, Minneapolis
Andy’s Liquor, Rochester
West Side Liquors, St. Cloud
MISSOURI
tbd
NEVADA
Total Wine, Henderson
Total Wine, Las Vegas
Total Wine, Reno
NEW YORK
DeCicco’s, Ardsley
DeCicco’s, Brewster
Breukelen Bier Merchants, Brooklyn
Brouwerij Lane, Brooklyn
Beer Street, Brooklyn
Beer Table Pantry, Manhattan
The Cannibal, Manhattan
City Swiggers, Manhattan
Good Beer, Manhattan
New Beer Distributors, Manhattan
Top Hops, Manhattan
Whole Foods Bowery, Manhattan
DeCicco’s, Pelham
NORTH CAROLINA
Total Wine, Cary
Total Wine (Park Towne Village), Charlotte
Total Wine (Grand Promenade Phase II),Charlotte
Total Wine (Promenade on Providence), Charlotte
Total Wine, Durham
Total Wine (Battleground Square), Greensboro
Total Wine (Oakwood Square), Greensboro
Total Wine, Huntersville
Total Wine (Brier Creek), Raleigh
Total Wine (Triangle Plaza), Raleigh
Total Wine (Six Forks Road), Raleigh
Total Wine, Winston-Salem
OHIO
Lizardville, Bedford Heights (Cleveland)
Jungle Jim’s, Cincinnati
Belmont Party Supply, Dayton
Lizardville, Rocky River (Cleveland)
Anderson’s, Maumee (Toledo)
Vintage Estates, Youngstown
OREGON
Corvallis Beer Supply, Corvallis
Market of Choice, Corvallis
Bier Stein, Eugene
Market of Choice, Eugene
16 Tons Beer & Wine, Eugene
Belmont Station, Portland
Beer Monger, Portland
Saraveza, Portland
Hop & Vine, Portland
John’s Market, Portland
Market of Choice, Portland
Market of Choice, West Linn
SOUTH CAROLINA
Total Wine, Charleston
Total Wine, Columbia
Total Wine, Greenville
VERMONT
Hunger Mountain Co-Op, Montpellier
Beverage Warehouse, Winooski (Burlington)
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