Westvleteren 12 US Release

Has anyone heard any news about the Westvletern 12 US release? I heard that it was pushed back to September back in June, but since September has come and gone, I was wondering if there was any updates from Shelton Brothers or the abbey itself.

 

I definitely read the news, but I wasn't counting on getting any until at least a year after they released it to the US. The hype is already at an insane level, so the stuff will sell out and be on the gray market almost immediately after release.

 

That's probably true, unfortunately. My plan was to go the first day it's available and hopefully get some. I guess the bright side is that it'll taste better after aging for a year!

 

I think you have a better chance than most, being that you are in the distributor's back yard.

 

they relelased a little(<1500 6 packs) at The Festival. other than that i havent heard since

 

Westvleteren will definitely change with age, but I don't know if I'd go so far as to say it would get immensely better. While it's a very good beer and I'll buy some of I have a chance, I also don't think I could say it's the best beer I've ever had.

 

Reviving this because the release was supposedly "End of November or early December." Has anyone seen these popping up yet? Unfortunately Shelton Bros doesn't distribute to Michigan...

 

Word is Dec 12 is the release. Total Wine in many states are getting them, unfortunately PA is not on the list.

http://121212xii.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/hello-world/

Post your pic, if you get it!

 

Looks like I'm making a road trip to Birmingham.

 

Looks like I'm going to cross my fingers that Jungle Jim's has some left when I move to Cinci in January...

 

I'd be surprised if they have any left on the 13th...

 

Meh, won't be the end of the world if they don't. And I'm expecting to be priced out anyhow. If they are really going to be $100+ for 6 bottles, no thank you.

 

Jeeze! These are just now releasing in the US? (I was in Ireland until 4 months ago and bought 2 bricks (50 Euro a piece... ouch) then -drank one and have one still unopened.)

Hmm... I've got a total wine in my area so maybe I can be greedy and pick up a 3rd brick...


Adam

 

Even at MSRP of $85 I'm still not interested. I can't imagine it's that much better than other dark quads out there.

 

Not worth the price. Just because monks make it doesn't make it the best beer ever.

 

I'd buy one for $15... but to drop $90 on 6 33cl beers is VERY ridiculous. Couldn't be THAT much better than Rochefort 8/10 or St Bernardus Abt 12, right?

 

"Suggested Retail Price is $85.00 per Brick."

6 bottles for $85?

That's like an 88% markup from what you spend if you visit the brewery.

... or have it shipped from a friend in Europe. That's what I did.

 

Wait till they hit eBay.

 

I just priced "visiting the brewery", and that option is far more expensive.

 

Corvallis Beer Supply, Corvallis
Market of Choice, Corvallis

Boom! This makes me happy.

 

It was released first of the month at Total Wine. I guess it could have only been in Georgia, but ours went on shelves on the first.

 

The monks are doing a limited time release to fund renovations of their Abbey. The price they charge to the distributors is pretty fixed. Since there's a short term increase in production you'll be funding and helping in their renovations. They have stated this is the reason for the limited release. They have always been adamant in expressing that they're not in it for the money. They just need help. They do stop the resale on Ebay as much as possible. If you don't want to pay that steep of the price you can get it by visiting or going against their wishes. It's just a way of supporting them.

 

I guess if you never travel...

... or have it shipped from a friend in Europe. That's what I did.

 

Wonder if I can write this off as a religious/charitable deduction?

 

ERRMAGHERRRD! Never thought of that. Researching tax laws... Reminds me of my college years.

 

I wonder if there's a St. Macallan.

 

I got some Westvleteran on Ebay before Ebay banned selling beer a while back. It's good, but it's arguably not $15/12oz good. It's really more of a "I got a rare beer!!!" self-congratulatory thing and that in and of itself is fun.

That said, I'm glad they seem to be making the American releases a regular thing (for the time being) instead of complaining about how their beer is sold on the grey market. If you deliberately limit the supply, it's hypocritical to complain when people resell it to others who really want to try it.

 

Too bad they went from the classy unlabeled bottle to that ugly box.

 

$85 plus for a six pack and a couple glasses?

That's way too steep for me. I'm sure the beer is great but it also seems a bit hyped up by the beer connoisseur crowd.

 

Cracked it open at 12:12 today. Frankly, I like my quad better.

 

Link to your recipe?

 

list of locations selling the beer

 

Picked up a brick at the Binny's in Chicago. $93 after taxes. Yikes.

 

I got one earlier. Had a good size line there. Surprised to see that many people there. The news reporter even bought some!

 

And it's loooong gone.

 

I went to a site that was only selling on line. In the search field I enter "westvleteren", happily see the results showing "in stock". I click "add to cart", then another link to check out and..........d'oh!........the order isn't there. Happened twice. On the third try it said "out of stock." Pretty disappointing, but...trappist glass half full, it's $85 saved.

 

Beer aficionados are pouncing at the rare opportunity to buy one of the world's most elusive and revered beers for the first - and perhaps only - time in the United States.

It is called Westvleteren XII, and it is often hailed 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 - and reservations are extremely hard to come by.

But when the abbey found itself hurting for money for an expensive renovation, the monks reluctantly made the decision to sell the beer outside of the walls of the monastery on a one-time-only basis.

"I think it will be the last [time]," Westvleteren Brewery spokesman Mark Bode told NPR. "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."

Beginning today, limited quantities of the beer are being sold in the U.S. and abroad. A number of stores have been sent "bricks" of the beer, which include six bottles and two glasses from the monastery. The gift box retails for $84.99.

"The phone has been ringing off the hook," Megan McBrayer, manager at New York City's Beer Table Pantry, told ABCNews.com. She said the store received 24 cases of the beer and has already sold many of them.

McBrayer said beer lovers are taken with "the whole mystique about it and the rarity of it."

"It consistently rates as one of the best beers in the world," she said. "It's been something that [beer lovers] have wanted for a long time, but it's been completely unattainable."

yahoo beer story

So you guys gonna get yourself a pack?

 

That's disgusting.

And a Corsendonk Christmas pack (6x33cl and a glass) is $22...

 

People are talking about it over here:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/westvleteren-12-us-release-360437/index4.html

 

And it's pretty much no longer available. Long gone.....