For beer geeks: Pre-order Westvleteren 12 now!

[stuck_in_chuk]

I found out this weekend that Zyn will be getting a number of 6-packs of Westvleteren 12 sometime next month. They are taking pre-orders on them as we speak. Cost for a 6-pk of beer and 2 beer glasses is $80.

Anyone familiar with this beer will know what a rare opportunity this is. Westvleteren beers are usually only available at the monastery in Belgium, and buying them requires winning a lottery which will allow you to purchase up to 24 bottles. They are often found on e-bay for upwards to $100 per bottle.

The beer itself is always ranked as one of the best beers in the world. It's style is Belgian Quadrupel, and is 12% alcohol by volume. It ranks 100 on beeradvocate.com.

Beer snobs are invited to take advantage of this very rare opportunity.

[nik-]

http://cdn.styleforum.net/3/31/31e871cd_Go_On.jpeg

[K1LLswitch]

Thanks for the heads up - sounds neat! Will try to get in on the pre-order!

[Svensational]

Heh.. that much...for beer? Yeah, I'm sure there's a market for it and tons of ppl who love it, but come on!

[Sopure]

Definitely interested, though not a total beer snob. I'd keep it for when my dad and grandfather visit.

Do you have to call in or can you order online? I looked on the website and can't seem to find anything about it?

[stuck_in_chuk]

Definitely interested, though not a total beer snob. I'd keep it for when my dad and grandfather visit.

Do you have to call in or can you order online? I looked on the website and can't seem to find anything about it?

I didn't see anything about it online, but I called them up and got my order placed in a few minutes.

[Jacks]

I'm sure it's really good but the only way I'm paying $13.00 for a beer is if it comes with a lapdance.

[stuck_in_chuk]

If the only Belgian beer you have ever drank is Stella Artois, then Westvleteren is not for you. Beer judges consistently rank it as one of the top 5 beers in the world, and it is also one of the hardest to find. The increasing market for craft and specialty beers has increased demand for all of the Westvleteren beers, but the monks there are very insistent on brewing just enough to finance their way of life. So, it becomes even rarer every year.

This is a special release to finance improvements to their monastery, so it is a very rare opportunity to try this extremely hard to find beer. People who are fans of Belgian beers, especially of the Trappist ales, are very excited about this opportunity.

However, this is not a beer for everyone. First off, the cost is not cheap (although compared to wine or scotch, the cost is very minimal). It is very dark in colour, and at 12% alcohol is quite potent. I have never tried it myself (although it has been on my "must try" list for a number of years).

Considering that the big breweries in Canada and the US account for over 95% of the market, I'm sure that most people will not be interested in this beer offering. Don't buy it simply because some website calls it the best beer in the world - try it because you are a fan of the style and want to sample the best. I know that a few people on this site will be very interested in this offer, and I wanted to share this information.

[Sopure]

I didn't see anything about it online, but I called them up and got my order placed in a few minutes.

Which location did you call? Banker's Hall or Inglewood?

[TheSutterDynasty]

I'm sure it's really good but the only way I'm paying $13.00 for a beer is if it comes with a lapdance.

Then I suggest staying away from Cowboys!

[stuck_in_chuk]

Which location did you call? Banker's Hall or Inglewood?

I called Inglewood. I suspect you could call either, though.

[DownInFlames]

I stopped in the Inglewood store and ordered some. I'll gladly pay $13 a bottle for what might be a once in a lifetime experience.

[Flash Walken]

Plus, you get the GLASSES people.

Awesome glasses that I highly recommend you drink the beer out of and then display as trophies of your latest conquest.

http://www.upfront-live.com/gg/images/stories/extras/glasses/westvleteren_glass.jpg

[Sopure]

Just pre-ordered mine!

[username]

Just walked down to the one in Bankers over lunch and was able to pre-order six.

Thanks for the heads up!

[BlackArcher101]

Ordered two via Inglewood :)

Thanks for the heads up.

[jtfrogger]

I really don't know too much about different types of beer, but I figured this was worth trying. I just called and put down a deposit for a 6-pack.

[DownInFlames]

You better get a break on your order based on all of these referrals, stuck_in_chuk.

[Bobblehead]

From an email sent out by ZYN.ca
WESTVLETEREN XII
(Gift Pack includes 6 bottles and 2 chalices)

This beer has been consistently rated "the best beer in the world" by most beer critics and experts around the world.

Visual: A very dark brown, with cherry hues. Pours like coffee liqueur.
Nose: Slightly vinous, possibly red wine. Cream, raisins. Mint leaves and toffee. Malt loaf mixes with candy floss and banana. Brown sugar granules and malt room turnings. A refreshing feel to the air overall.
Body: Brown sugar. Plums. Very smooth and creamy. Figs, or in fact an overwhelming range of dark fruits. Banana yogurt. Toffee. Milk chocolate and raisins.
Finish: Lots of plum pudding, with a sugar dusting. Caramel and milk chocolate. Figs again, which lead into bitter chocolaty undertones.

This is the only time that Westvleteren XII will be available in Canada. The Trappist monks have released a small quantity of this beer to Canada to finance the building of their new abbey.

Suggested Retail Value - $80 per gift pack

We are pre-selling with a $40 deposit and the balance due when the beer arrives (Mid July, 2012).

[nik-]

Plus, you get the GLASSES people.

Awesome glasses that I highly recommend you drink the beer out of and then display as trophies of your latest conquest.

http://www.upfront-live.com/gg/images/stories/extras/glasses/westvleteren_glass.jpg

Is it these glasses? I would prefer these, but I saw some pics of a gift pack with chalices with gold lettering and roman numerals that weren't as hot.

[Jacks]

This will be the only time it's available in Canada?

Hmm, might have to skip the lapdance and give it a try.

[stuck_in_chuk]

This will be the only time it's available in Canada?

Hmm, might have to skip the lapdance and give it a try.

Start off with a bottle of Ommegang Three Philosophers (available at a number of different places - Coop Liquor stores carry them). It is about $14 for a 750 mL bottle and is also a Quadrupel. If you find it enjoyable, then invest in the Westvleteren. If you think it is gross, then save the $80 for the 6-pack.

Another option is Rochefort 10, which you could probably pick up for about $6 (?) for a 12-oz bottle. It is another Quadrupel, and is an authentic Trappist brewery. I have seen it at Highlander, and I'm sure Zyn carries it.

Do a google on how to buy Westvleteren, and you will understand what a rare opportunity this purchase is.

One thing to remember, though - just because pretty much all beer judges agree that this is a world-class beer, the majority of beer drinkers will probably not enjoy it. Check out some similar beers - if you like them, then spend a bit more and get the best example of the style out there.

[mac_82]

Just got an email from Zyn.

Pre-order pickup starts July 19.

Public release July 20.

[jtfrogger]

I just picked up my Westvleteren! I'm looking forward to trying it.

[jtfrogger]

Here is my first one.

I do like it. But not being a big beer guy, I wouldn't go out of my way to get more.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y64/j929t/Westvleteren12.jpg

[BlackArcher101]

Hmmmmm, they never called me for my pre-order.

[nik-]

They never called me either but they charged the deposit on my card. I guess I'll call them tomorrow.

[jtfrogger]

I didn't get a call either, but when I saw that they were arriving I called them on Thursday. They told me that they were still going through their call list but I could come pick it up.

[KelVarnsen]

Do they still have extras in stock?

[Voodooman]

Do they still have extras in stock?

I was at the Inglewood location on Saturday afternoon, and they had at least 30-40 units out on the floor for sale.

[DownInFlames]

I didn't get a call but I went and picked mine up at the Inglewood store. They had plenty of stock and they said they're looking to get more to carry them until Christmas.

I'm going to cook a huge steak and try these bad boys.

[_Q_]

Just a heads up. They have this beer at 1410 now as well. $22 per bottle, so it's not cheap, but it's damn good.

[bossy22]

My wife just surprised me with this. I'm going to have to put out now. She deserves it.

[J epworth]

Frick I hope they still have some available when I get back to Calgary August 6th. This beer will be perfect to enjoy post-mcat exam on the 10th.

[red sky]

There is a large quantity still available at the Zyn in Bankers Hall.

[Jacks]

Can't say with any certainty if that is the best beer in the world but it is pretty freaking good.

They have probably 50+ boxes left at the Inglewood store.

[GP_Matt]

I got my case although my beer guy recommends letting it sit for a few more months. Not sure if I can wait but I may try.

[Cortez]

Best beer in the world? Im sold- hopefully I can still get a case tomorrow.
Thanks CP

[bosox_fan05]

They are being sold at Coop liquor stores. I bought mine at the West Springs location, but I've also seen them at the Oakridge location.

[Regular_John]

Caved and picked up a box at Zyn's banker's hall location afterwork. At $86 with tax it now claims top spot on my "Most I've ever paid for a 6-pack" list. Doubleing the $42 I paid for a bucket of 6 pool side at Monte Carlo in Vegas.

What temp are you guys drinking this at? Room? Slightly chilled?

[Komskies]

Picked one up at the Oakridge Co-op today. $75 before tax.

I think I'll let it age for at least 6 more months before I crack one.

[Regular_John]

Couldn't resist cracking one tonight, but I'll probably pack the rest away for aging. My initial take based on one:

Best beer in the world?
Impossible to answer definitively based on the subjective nature of personal taste.

Best one off/rare treat beer I've ever drank?
Possibly, it is pretty damn good. But I'd need to give Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA another whirl to really say. Both are kinda neck & neck right now. Aside from the deep/bold taste I was surprised how soft on the pallet this beer is. For such a bold/strong beer it really is quite an easy sipping beer.

Worth the hype/price?
Absolutely, given the history of this beer and the grey market price it's absolutely worth picking up at the current price/offering. While it seems to be readily available this summer, I suspect you'll be kicking yourself if you sit on the fence too long.

tl;dr: Go buy some now, before it's gone.

[Jacks]

What temp are you guys drinking this at? Room? Slightly chilled?
I put a bottle in the fridge for about 2 hours, it wasn't super cold but it was nicely chilled. The beer tasted really good. Afterwards I noticed on the case that they recommend 12-16 degrees, that is probably about right.

[nik-]

I chilled my first one slightly, as well as my second. To be honest, the first one I wasn't as fond of as I'd hoped I would be. The second one I liked better, especially after it had warmed up a little, I'll be drinking the rest at room temp I think. The alcohol taste present took a little to get used to, but it's quite the flavourful beer.

[Boblobla]

Anyone know if there is anywhere with these still available? I missed this thread while on vacation :(

[nik-]

I picked mine up at Zyn Inglewood on Monday, they had lots left, give them a call.

[Regular_John]

Anyone know if there is anywhere with these still available? I missed this thread while on vacation :(

I picked up a pack yesterday at Zyn's downtown location, they still had lots left yesterday. But it seemed to be going fast, woman in front of me carried out 6 (Yes, 6 x $80 = $480 on beer) boxes on her own.

[ricosuave]

I picked up a couple of packs, to celebrate with in a few weeks.

But I do have a question - others have mentioned letting it age further - how long is too long? Wouldn't it get skunky after a while like all other beers?

[Jacks]

Apparently they are good for several years if stored upright in a cool dark place. Probably has something to do with the high alcohol?

[Komskies]

The drink by date on the bottle was some time in 2018 if I recall correctly.

Edt: to add to the above. If you are going to age it, make sure to keep it cool and in the dark. Sunlight can ruin beer very easily.

[KelVarnsen]

Had my first one tonight, wow best beer I've ever had.

[OldDutch]

Bought a box today, long weekend treat to myself. Cracked one tonight. Very nice beer there is no doubt.

Not sure if it is for me though. Really am a lighter beer fan myself. Don't get me wrong, this beer is fantastic, but I honestly prefer a Delirium Tremens. Now matter how many fancy beers I have tried I keep going back to that one. All personal preference I guess.

Edit: Wow, like wine you do need to let it breathe a bit, it just gets better as I go along. Not taking back what I said above, as I still think it is fantastic, but not my fav. Very complex beer though, and I am quite impressed.

[getbak]

Bought a pack today at the Co-op on Macleod (the one south of Heritage). It was the last one they had on the shelf, but I don't know if it's all they had.

$79.34 after tax and deposit, so it looks like it's slightly cheaper at Co-op than Zyn.

It's my birthday in a couple weeks, so I think I'll let it age for a bit and crack the first one then.

[bagofpucks]

Bought two six packs at Oakridge Co-op yesterday, one for my brother's birthday and one for me. There were only four left when I got there. Thanks to everyone here for bringing this beer to my attention, I am really excited to try it. I can't decide if I'm going crack one open right away or let them age for a bit. I will definitely be cooking up some beautiful steaks to go with it for the first tasting.

[Sopure]

I just had my first one, finally picked it up from Zyn.

Superb beer! It's got a stronger taste than what I'm used to, but I savoured it. I chilled mine for a bit, then let warm in the glass I got for a while. It took on a whole new taste after a while, I thought. Very nice. Thanks for the heads up!

[bagofpucks]

Had my first one today. Definitely has a lot of flavor and is very rich. I wouldn't call it an "easy drinking" beer, but it is very enjoyable. As other posters have stated, it does breathe and the taste seems to change as it sits in the glass. I am very glad I was able to pick up a pack just for the sake of trying it because it is a unique beer to say the least.

[Jacks]

Well congratulations, you guys have now turned me into a beer geek. I can now be found sneaking away to remote liquor stores spending $4-$15 (without the lap dance) for bottles of beer that have been shipped across the world.

Loved it:
Westvleteren 12 (Zyn)
- Best of the lot but price/availablity isn't good.
St. Bernadus Abt 12 (Highlander)
- Tasted like a slightly lighter version of Westvleteren, would buy again.
Rochefort 8 (Willow Park)
- Just tried tonight, very very good.

Didn't like:
St. Bernadus Abt 12 White (Co-op)
- Really didn't like it, would prefer a cheap white beer.
Pauwel Kwak (Co-op)
- Something about the flavor turned me off, might have been the spice flavor.

Any suggestions on other beers to try and where to find them?

[Komskies]

Well congratulations, you guys have now turned me into a beer geek. I can now be found sneaking away to remote liquor stores spending $4-$15 (without the lap dance) for bottles of beer that have been shipped across the world.

Loved it:
Westvleteren 12 (Zyn)
- Best of the lot but price/availablity isn't good.
St. Bernadus Abt 12 (Highlander)
- Tasted like a slightly lighter version of Westvleteren, would buy again.
Rochefort 8 (Willow Park)
- Just tried tonight, very very good.

Didn't like:
St. Bernadus Abt 12 White (Co-op)
- Really didn't like it, would prefer a cheap white beer.
Pauwel Kwak (Co-op)
- Something about the flavor turned me off, might have been the spice flavor.

Any suggestions on other beers to try and where to find them?

Get the Rochefort 10 when you see it. It's an amazing 11.3% Quadrupel.

[Cain]

Well congratulations, you guys have now turned me into a beer geek. I can now be found sneaking away to remote liquor stores spending $4-$15 (without the lap dance) for bottles of beer that have been shipped across the world.

Loved it:
Westvleteren 12 (Zyn)
- Best of the lot but price/availablity isn't good.
St. Bernadus Abt 12 (Highlander)
- Tasted like a slightly lighter version of Westvleteren, would buy again.
Rochefort 8 (Willow Park)
- Just tried tonight, very very good.

Any suggestions on other beers to try and where to find them?

Other good ones along these lines are:

Gouden Carolus
Chimay (blue)

A bit different, but still strong, bold beers:
McChouffe
Koningshoeven Quadrupel

If you like these beers, you might like doppelbocks. A good one that I haven't seen lately but I'm sure will turn up again is the Rejewvenator by Hebrew. Other doppelbocks can be hit or miss.

Another fun beer type to try would be barleywines. Mill St. makes a good one...as does Pikes Peak. They make a pretty good quadrupel too.

Other good beers of varying varieties can be found from unibroue from Quebec. Trois Pistoles, maudite, ephemere...some of my favorites.

I envy you starting out...the discovery is a lot of fun.

As for where to get them, specialty places like willow park or kensington wine market are always good, but Coops have a very good selection too sometimes depending on the location.

[Jacks]

Other good ones along these lines are:

Gouden Carolus
Chimay (blue)
Forgot about Chimay blue, I tried that one. Pretty good, not sure if I'd buy it again since the Rochefort is about the same price and was much better. I'll try the Kensington Market.

[nik-]

I'm on a Stout/Porter kick lately ... but I can't find Peche Mortel ANYWHERE ... it drives me crazy. All these places that are supposed to have it never do when I go there.

[Stampede2TheCup]

For all who love those Belgian quads I highly recommend trying Pannepot Grand Reserva. It's not common but they should still have it at Willow Park. I also really like their other stuff, especially the Russian Imperial Stout.

[Jacks]

FYI, Co-op has the Westvleteren 6 packs on sale for $65 and they also have Innis & Gunn on for $2.50
http://coopwinespiritsbeer.com/uploads/documents/wine_spirits/Sept15-CWSB_Features_Beers_Herald_PROOF.pdf

[GreenLantern]

All across Alberta at Sobeys, lucky buggers.

http://sphotos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/523077_10151219746995140_1837911688_n.jpg

[BlackRedGold25]

There are better IPA's in Canada than Tree.

[nik-]

I don't even know what an IPA is supposed to taste like other than "hoppy" since the variation between brewers is so crazy. I bought some Corne du Diable from Dieu du Ciel and it's pretty damn good.

[BlackRedGold25]

I don't even know what an IPA is supposed to taste like other than "hoppy" since the variation between brewers is so crazy. I bought some Corne du Diable from Dieu du Ciel and it's pretty damn good.

Sometimes the variation between the same beer, just different age, with IPA's is really crazy. I thought Corne du Diable was okay but it was no Red Racer.

[Barnes]

I had Dogfish Head 90min IPA when I was in Chicago earlier this month. Probably my favourite IPA but we can't get it in Alberta.

Not a fan of Red Racer because I don't like grapefruit and the hops are really grapefruity.

[Komskies]

I had Dogfish Head 90min IPA when I was in Chicago earlier this month. Probably my favourite IPA but we can't get it in Alberta.

Not a fan of Red Racer because I don't like grapefruit and the hops are really grapefruity.

You most certainly can get Dogfish Head 90 minute in Alberta. I've bought it several times from Willowpark. It comes in a 4 pack for about $12 if memory serves.

[GreenLantern]

I think Propeller is the best IPA I have had to date, but I was referring to the Brewhouse anyway..

jking..

[Barnes]

You most certainly can get Dogfish Head 90 minute in Alberta. I've bought it several times from Willowpark. It comes in a 4 pack for about $12 if memory serves.

Thanks. Wonder why it doesn't show up on the Liquor Connect website.

[stuck_in_chuk]

I`m going to crack open my first Westvleteren tonight. I`m having a few friends over, and we will have a blind taste test of 4 quadrupels (Westvleteren 12, St. Bernardus Abt 12, Dieu du Ciel Rigor Mortis Abt, and Rochefort 10). They are probably all a bit young at this point, but it will be interesting to see what my taste buds choose.

[ricosuave]

Anyone still interested in Westvleteren 12?

See my FS ad in buy sell...

[MrCallahan]

Well damn, now I'm curious, and really want to try Westvleteren. How does one go about getting their hands on some these days?