---
title: "Westvleteren 12 Quadrupel: The Legend of the Best Beer in the World"
description: "Unlike other Trappist abbeys located in Belgium, the Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren (Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren in Dutch) does not date back to the times of the first congregations of the Cistercian Order."
url: https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/westvleteren-12-quadrupel-the-legend-of-the-best-beer-in-the-world/
date: 2021-09-12
modified: 2026-06-10
author: "Carlos Uhart M."
image: https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Cervezas_Westvleteren.jpg
categories: ["Culture"]
tags: ["Belgian Beers", "Bélgica", "Westvleteren 12"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Westvleteren 12 Quadrupel: The Legend of the Best Beer in the World

Unlike other Trappist abbeys located in Belgium, the Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren ((https://sintsixtus.be/) in Dutch) does not date back to the times of the first congregations of the (https://www.thebeertimes.com/cervezas-trapenses-ora-et-labora/).

!(https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Cervezas_Westvleteren.jpg)*Westvleteren 6, 8 and 12*

It was only in 1831 when a group of three monks led by Dom François-Marie came from Mont des Cats Abbey, just 20 kilometers from the border with France.

It was there that they founded the Westvleteren monastery, located in the western part of the municipality of Vleteren, where they were originally welcomed by Jan-Baptist Victoor, a hermit who lived there.

But after its founding, they had to wait 40 years, until 1851, to receive official recognition as an Abbey.

## Brewing of Westvleteren

It was a few years after its founding, in 1838, that the brewing of the first beers began, but their sale to the public did not begin until 1931.

Although production remained uninterrupted over time, during the two world wars it was considerably reduced because much of the monastery served as a hospital for the allies.

!(https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Westvleteren-300x153.jpg)

Later, from 1946, the Abbey undertook a series of restoration tasks that meant that the beer intended for commercialization ceased to be produced and was limited only to brewing for the monks’ own consumption.

This is how Westvleteren beer began to be brewed under a production license at the nearby St. Bernardus cheese factory, located in the small town of Watou, in the western region of Flanders.

In 1992, the monks decided to resume brewing beer to sell directly to the public in small quantities, and it was then that the now (https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/the-history-of-the-st-bernardus-brewery-and-its-close-relationship-with-westvleteren-abbey/) continued brewing its own beers using the same monastic recipes, which is why they are constantly compared.

## Production of Westvleteren

Westvleteren Abbey, like almost all of them, does not allow visits; one goes there for the beer, a beer that is the only Trappist Belgian one where the monks still handle the entire brewing process, to which they dedicate 72 days a year.

Over time, their beers gained fame, particularly due to the mysticism surrounding their brewing and the difficulty of acquiring their products, a consequence of their decision to sell directly to the public in small quantities.

!(https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Ratebeer_Westvleteren.jpg)

Their production has been stable in recent decades, about 4,750 hectoliters annually across their three varieties, despite growing interest in their beers since Westvleteren 12 was first named the best beer in the world by (http://RateBeer.com) in 2005.

In 2012, to finance much-needed restoration work at the abbey, a special edition went on sale in boxes of 6 (https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/westvleteren-12-xii-tasting-notes/) beers (renamed Westvleteren XII for the occasion) and two commemorative glasses, sold in supermarkets in several countries, reaching up to €100.

## How to buy Westvleteren?

There are few “legal” ways to buy the beers, and the monks themselves, whenever they break their sacred silence, beg not to acquire them otherwise.

!(https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Comprando_Wetvleteren.jpg)

You can buy up to two boxes of 24 beers at the abbey itself, at the adjoining café called “(http://www.indevrede.be/)” (In Peace), and in some other bars and shops in the surrounding area, always with the instruction not to sell more than one bottle per person.

Buying beer directly at the Abbey is not a simple task; you must follow a rigorous application process that begins with a call to the Belgian telephone number [+32 70210045](tel:+32 70210045).

The number is only active for a certain number of hours each week, and when it is, it is only to request up to a maximum of two boxes of 24 beers of one of the three varieties.

With each reservation, you must register a telephone number and the license plate of the vehicle to which the reservation will be delivered, assigning them a strict pick-up date and time. Payment can only be made by credit card.

## The beers of Westvleteren

Interestingly, none of the Westvleteren beers have a label, and all the necessary information is printed on the cap, which differs only by color.

Below is a brief review of the beers they currently brew:

### 1. Westvleteren Blond

A Belgian Pale Ale with 5.8% alcohol, distinguished by its green cap, which has been available since 1999.

It is the base beer for the monks’ own consumption at the abbey, the lightest of the family of beers, blonde, fruity, and somewhat bitter.

### 2. Westvleteren 8

Also known as “Westvleteren Extra,” it is a Belgian Dubbel with 8% alcohol, distinguished by its blue cap.

Considered by many to be as good as or even better than its famous big sister, it has a brown color, with notable soft notes of black fruits, roasted malt, toffee, and caramel with a marked finish.

### 3. Westvleteren 12

Also known as “Westvleteren Abt.” It is a Belgian Quadrupel with 10.2% alcohol, distinguished by its yellow cap.

Almost a modern beer myth, for several years it has been considered the best beer in the world in many rankings and publications.

Dark brown in color, balanced and complex flavors of fruit, raisins, caramel, alcohol, and spices with a dry, bitter finish and a long-lasting aftertaste.

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

### 1. What is the real relationship between Westvleteren 12 and St. Bernardus Abt 12?

During the period from 1946 to 1992, the St. Bernardus cheese factory brewed Westvleteren beers under a commercial license, using the original recipe and the yeast strain extracted from the abbey. When the license expired and the monks returned production to the monastery, Westvleteren began using the yeast from their neighbors at Westmalle Abbey. Therefore, although St. Bernardus Abt 12 maintains the historical recipe and the original Westvleteren yeast from the mid-20th century, today’s Westvleteren 12 evolves differently in the bottle due to the yeast change, making them “cousins” very prone to comparative tastings.

### 2. Why do Westvleteren bottles not have a paper label, and how is legal information regulated?

The absence of labels is one of Westvleteren’s most iconic visual traditions. Originally, it responded to a philosophy of monastic austerity and cost savings. To comply with strict European Union regulations on food and ingredient labeling, the monks print all mandatory legal information (ingredients, allergens, alcohol content, and symbols) directly on the bottle cap. Additionally, the glass bottle’s relief features the initials SVD (Sancti Bernardi / St. Sixtus) embossed on the neck.

### 3. How do Westvleteren beers age, and how long can they be stored in a cellar?

Due to their high alcohol content, density, and being bottle-conditioned beers with a second fermentation, Westvleteren 8 and 12 varieties are considered top-tier “cellar beers.” They do not have a real expiration date if stored properly (upright, in the dark, at a constant temperature between 12°C and 16°C). A Westvleteren 12 reaches its optimal aging point between 2 and 5 years of cellaring, a period where the initial bitterness fades and complex notes similar to Port wine, raisin plum, sherry, and leather emerge.

### 4. Why do the Trappist monks drastically limit production despite extremely high global demand?

The Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance (Trappists) follows the Rule of St. Benedict: “ora et labora” (pray and work). The fundamental statute of their breweries states that brewing must be a means of sustenance for the monastery and charitable works, not a profit-driven business. The monks of St. Sixtus have systematically refused to expand the production plant or industrialize the process because it would alter the contemplative life and silence of the monastery; they produce strictly the amount of beer necessary to keep the abbey standing.

### 5. Is it still necessary to call by phone to reserve beer at the abbey today?

Although the mystical “Belgian hotline” system operated strictly for decades (collapsing the telephone lines of the town of Vleteren), the abbey modernized its system to combat illegal resale at speculative prices. The monks implemented an e-commerce platform (online store) with a smart waiting room system on their official website. To purchase, users must register in advance, and the system still links the purchase to the vehicle’s license plate or offers limited shipping exclusively within Belgium and certain regions of Europe, maintaining the maxim of “one box per person.”

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