Westvleteren Brewery facts for kids
| Industry | Trappist brewery |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1838 |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | Beer |
|
Production output
|
4750 hl |
The Westvleteren Brewery (Brouwerij Westvleteren) is a Belgian brewery. It started in 1838 at the Saint Sixtus Abbey in Vleteren, Belgium. The brewery and its beers are usually called Westvleteren. Their three types of beer are famous worldwide for being very tasty and high quality. But they are also hard to find!
For a long time, the monks only shared their beer with guests. But in 1931, they started selling it to everyone. This is special because Westvleteren is the only Trappist brewery where monks still do all the work. Five monks brew the beer, and five more help put it into bottles.
Contents
Why the Monks Brew Beer
Like all Trappist breweries, the monks sell their beer for a special reason. They use the money to support their monastery. They also give money to help good causes.
The monks do not advertise their beer at all. There is only a small sign outside the abbey. They have said many times that they only make enough beer to run the monastery. They will not make more, even if many people want to buy it.
During World War II, the brewery stopped selling to big stores. Since then, they only sell to people who visit the brewery. You can also buy it at their visitor's center.
Types of Westvleteren Beer
The brewery makes three different kinds of beer today:
- Westvleteren Blonde (green cap), which has 5.8% alcohol. It was first made in 1999.
- Westvleteren 8 (blue cap), which has 8% alcohol. It used to be called Extra.
- Westvleteren 12 (yellow cap), which has 10.2% alcohol. It used to be called Abt and was first made in 1940.
Before 1999, the brewery also made a dark beer with 6.2% alcohol. They also made a lighter beer called 4°. This was the beer the monks drank with their meals.
The 8 and 12 beers are bottle conditioned. This means they finish fermenting in the bottle. They can be stored for a long time. Some people think they taste even better after a few years. The main things used to make the beer are yeast, hops, malt, sugar, caramel, and water.
Unique Bottle Design
Since 1945, the bottles have been sold without labels. All the information needed by law is printed on the bottle caps. Because of this, Westvleteren beers are the only Trappist beers that do not have the official Trappist logo on the bottle itself. The logo is only printed on the wooden crates they come in.
World Famous Beer
Many people who drink beer say that Westvleteren 12 is one of their favorite beers. The 8 and the Blonde beers are also highly rated on websites where people review beer.
Even though their beer is very popular, the monks usually say no to interviews. Visitors who are not monks are often turned away from the abbey.
See also
In Spanish: Westvleteren (cerveza) para niños
