"Buy some Westvleteren and you will return here..." Westvleteren by tompt

Westvleteren Travel Guide: 25 reviews and 105 photos

The best cargo we ever had... - Westvleteren

Maximum of 5 crates per car

Westvleteren, located in a very remoted part of Flanders, has one famous export product: beer. The monks of St Sixtus abbey brew some great beers. This product is so good the distribution is done by the buyers themselves. You can drive up to the abbey and buy your beer (max. 5 crates per car) for reasonable prices.

Warning: onces you have been there and bought it, you have to go back to the middle of nowhere. Not only to bring back the crates and the bottles for the deposit money, but because you will be addicted to this beer from then on.

Have a taste..

When you bought the beer and transported it home, it is best to leave it for at least 8 days. That way it can rest from the journey and will taste better.
Well, if like us, you would like to taste what you bought you can cross the street and go buy some in De Vrede (Peace). This is a meetingcentre and bar. You can buy the beers and have a bite to eat. There is soup and bread with cheese, meat, chicken, all made in the abbey and all are prepared with the beer.

Other things you should now about the beer:
- leave it to rest at least 8 days after transport, the beer gets better in time
- there is no label, but the cap says it all, the first to numbers are the date of bottling.
- keep the beer in a dark place, between 10 and 18 C, never store it in the fridge.
- keep the bottles in upright position
- poor it in a round glass but leave the last bit in the bottle

have a peek in the abbey

Other things to do here

If you are not into beer at all you can also make a nice walk here, there is a route around the abbey of 7 km.
The area is also great for cycling.

The abbey itself is closed to the public, but you can do like Tom did --------->

More info:
- http://www.sintsixtus.be/, the website of the abbey.
- http://www.indevrede.be/, the website of the bar.
- http://www.westhoek.be, website of the tourism office in the area.

Last visit to Westvleteren: Jun 2005
Intro Updated Jun 21, 2005
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Reviews (5)

First call to ask if there is beer.... Favorites (1)

Before you take a trip to Westvleteren just for the beer you better call first. Sometimes all the beer is sold out. That... more travel advice

better take your own car Transportation (1)

How to get to the abbey? First and most convenient, go with your car so you can load 5 crates. Second option is by... more travel advice

Signs for the St Sixtus walk - Westvleteren

Walk off the calories Things to Do (1)

After the beer you might need some excercise to work away the calories. There is a nice walk around the abbey. It is 7.1... more travel advice

buy beer ;-) Shopping (1)

The abbey sells beer only to private persons. You come with your car, drive up to the loading dock and load a max of 5... more travel advice

Restaurants (1)
taste the beer

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Comments (5)

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Luchonda Sep 9, 2008 at 1:50 PM

Jullie tanken in Westvleteren, ik in Westmalle - als het maar smaakt ! Doei
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richiecdisc Mar 4, 2007 at 1:14 PM

Nice cargo indeed. We unfortunately did not order beer far enough in advance but we tried to make up for it while there!
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irisbe Apr 6, 2005 at 12:18 PM

Great pictures! and as usual witted writings :) I thought for a moment I read that the Vrede was in the Dronkaardstraat but it is the Donkerstraat `-) happy ladies! I missed out a good occasion but Dali was calling!
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diamonddog Mar 31, 2005 at 3:12 AM

Great page!! The monks will be pride if they ever know were the beers actually going to:-) Groetjes, Rudy
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JosM Mar 21, 2005 at 4:37 PM

I know an address nearby where the have some stock of trappist beers... Love the pics inside the abbey!