Sat conspicuously on my table was the only gift set the reclusive Westvleteren brewery have ever made. Six bottles of Westvleteren XII and two glasses. Anticipation was high, bordering on nervous. What if they were rubbish? How does beer live up to this expectation?
I should perhaps give some background information. Ironically, the first time I ever heard about these beers was in The Beer Book, by Tim Hampson: the entry was precluded 'does this brewery need any introduction?'. 'Yes!', I shouted at the book. I'd never heard of it because, well, you can't buy the beer anywhere other than the abbey and they don't advertise anywhere. They thrive on their reputation (which is huge) but to be honest it seems as though they're perfectly happy brewing on a small scale. They simply brew to live... and pray.
A beer that's so hard to get hold of demands such huge expectation that surely it's impossible to live up to. That's compounded by the fact that I've only got 6 bottles (to share, too!) and when it's gone it's gone, until I make a trip myself to Belgium. However, I was determined to treat it normally and drink it when I feel like it (not sure I'll be saying that when there's one bottle left!). So much so that on my walk home, when I found some Jelly Tots in my pocket, I scoffed them down. What better way to prepare my palate?... Idiot. Fortunately there was some cheese in the fridge to counterbalance the jelly sweets.
On the subject of the fridge; this is not the place to keep Westvleteren XII! Serve at 12-15 degrees, they say. I diligently obliged. I opened with the utmost care and poured delicately; this was not to be spilled.
It looked slightly lighter than I expected. In my head the only Trappist brewery to compare with is Rochefort - no real reason, it's just because I think they're the best readily available - and it was much more like the number 6 (Rochefort's entry level) than the 12 in appearance. It was enticingly murky; all the fantastic yeast was going in too! Imagine a best bitter but with all the extra flotsam and jetsam you'd expect from a trappist monastery. The head was strong, fading from 2cm to a thin-ish sheet after about 5 minutes. I was now ready to get involved!
If this beer has one thing over its comtemporaries then it's the most complex aroma going. The malt doesn't come through that strongly; it's dominated by vinous alcohol and yeast. The overriding flavour is a festive plum scent, followed by (and in no particular order) chocolate cake, musty wood and bready aromas. Bread is something you'd expect in a champagne so I'd be curious to know whether they include a bit of champagne yeast. It excels in giving you warm and comforting smells with something slightly edgy and alive, just in case you forgot what you were drinking.
In the mouth it's as light as a feather and kindly places a cinnamon stick in your cheek, or so it would lead you to believe. It's moussy as the classiest Belgians are and goes down a breeze - at a gentle pace of course. There's bitterness there too, inevitably: there's an immediate sour bitterness after swallowing before giving way to a spicy sweetness which once again is wrestled back by the bitter.
It's a Christmas pudding of a drink with body, spice, bitterness and booze. It's one to keep for a moment when you need a treat and a reminder at what amazing things men (albeit very pious men) can do with malt, water, hops, sugar and yeast. But does it live up to the expectation? Is it the best beer in the world, as some say?
Well, it's certainly one of the best I've tried! It's impossible to give a definitive 'best ever' and as much as people like to give detailed scores, it's wholly subjective. Its reputation creates a fabled air around it but it's not without base. The aroma is probably the best I can think of, with many facets and delightful contrasts and complexity. Its body continues this fine form, the bubbles positively dancing in your mouth. The only area I found it wanting was in the aftertaste, but it's purely a personal thing. I'd prefer a sweeter taste from a beer of this type.
If this beer was available for export and you could buy it from speciality outlets it would still have a sky-high reputation (and demand) because it is a sublime and slightly unique example of a trappist beer. Whether you can get your hands on a glass depends on you getting in your car and driving to meet the monks!
Westvleteren XII - 10
www.sintsixtus.be
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