Westvleteren Trappist beer
Among all Belgian beers only five are allowed to use the official title of Trappist beer: Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle and Westvleteren. These five beers are brewed by Trappist monks in their monastery and labelled with the Authentic Trappist Product logo.
Trappist beer is an unfiltered, unpasteurized beer with a natural fermentation and ripening process, which ensures that the beer retains its full-bodied taste. It is brewed with the utmost care, using 100% pure natural ingredients. There are three different Westvleteren Trappist beers, each with its own distinctive characteristics.
Westvleteren blond 6
(Alc. 5.8% Vol.) The green-capped Westvleteren blond, which was launched at the opening of the In De Vrede visitor’s centre, is our youngest family member. When refrigerated, the beer will have a hazy blondish colour, a huge frothy head and sparkle beautifully. The flavour strongly reveals the malt and three types of local hops, enriched with a slightly fruity accent. The bitter taste dominates and the hops linger on the palate. The blond?s aftertaste is strongly bitter.
Westvleteren 8
(Alc. 8% Vol.) Sporting a blue bottle cap, the Westvleteren 8 has achieved real cult status, just like its Westvleteren Abt 12 counterpart. The beer has a tanned, amber red-brown colouring and is topped by a lovely, large, lacy head. It has a sweet fragrance, boasting a variety of fruity aromas. Westvleteren 8 feels full and sweet in the mouth, you can almost taste the malt, including the chaff of the barley. A surprising hint of bitterness is noticeable at the end and the aftertaste lingers.
Westvleteren 12
(Alc. 10.2% Vol.) The Westvleteren 12, with a distinctive yellow cap, has been awarded the title of "Best Beer in the World" several times. The beer, also called Flemish Bourgogne, has a dark amber colour and a stable, very lacy white head. Carrying a massive nose of raisin-sweet, nutty blends, the Westvleteren 8 has a very full, creamy aroma and a rich, caramel-like and malt-flavoured palate, thus making it the ideal nightcap. The aftertaste is bitter and lingers.
Tips and tricks for serving and tasting your Westvleteren
  • Store the Westvleteren beer vertically, in a dark place between 12°C and 16°C. It is better not to refrigerate it.
  • It takes about a year before Westvleteren 8 and 12 start gaining their flavour and one and a half to two years before they get their full flavour. If you have the patience to give the beer more time, it will continue to ripen.
  • Don’t serve Westvleteren 8 and 12 too cold. At a serving temperature of 10°C to 12°C, the flavour will be at its best. The colder the beer, the less taste.
  • The Blond Trappist, for its part, can be served chilled. Note that if served cold, the Blond Trappist will have a hazy colour.
  • Always serve your Westvleteren in a dry, clean, chalice glass.
  • Pour out the bottle carefully (without shaking) - with or without the trub.
  • Trappist beer is not something you drink. You taste it!
Donkerstraat 13 - 8640 Westvleteren - T +32(0)57 40 03 77 - info@indevrede.be