Monks run out of the world's best beer

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Monks at a Belgian abbey have been forced to stop selling their famous beer after it was voted the best in the world and was promptly sold out.

The abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren in western Belgium is home to some 30 Cistercian and Trappist monks who lead a life of seclusion, prayer, manual labor -- and beer-brewing.

A survey of thousands of beer enthusiasts from 65 countries on the RateBeer Web site in June rated the Westvleteren 12 beer as the world's best.

But the abbey only has a limited brewing capacity, and was not able to cope with the beer's sudden popularity.

"Our shop is closed because all our beer has been sold out," said a message on the abbey's answering machine, which it calls the "beer phone."

And the abbey has no intention of boosting its capacity to satisfy market demand.

"We are not brewers, we are monks. We brew beer to be able to afford being monks," the father abbot said on the abbey's Web site.

Monk Mark Bode told De Morgen daily: "Outsiders don't understand why we are not raising production. But for us life in the abbey comes first, not the brewery."
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good for them. i'm not a fan of organized religions, but i like monks and hermits and other ascetics from various paths.....

even if its not what i believe in, its good to see people honestly and lovingly devoting themselves to their faiths and leading simple, spiritual lives free from excessive attachments and greed. i think its GREAT to hear they aren't increasing their output...no need for more people to be chasing the almighty dollar, especially not monks.

it's also sweet when a holy man can whip up a mean pint, too.......

 

now I want to try it...

 

If you can actually find it, expect to pay around $10-12 for a single 12 oz. bottle of it. Around here it's about $11 a bottle. I buy a bottle once in a blue moon, when I can afford it.

 

that had better be some "dank ass brew"

 

hmmmm I know a store that just might have it.....

 

If you guys like Belgian beer, why don't you come on vacation here? Sometimes we got beerfests here, "Bierfeesten". Come over for like a week or so and taste all the beer you can ( not want, I really do mean can ; ). You willl love it. Schol!

 

I would love to. is belgium near an ocean?
( so my geography aint so good, but my google skills are, so only answer if you want to)


hmmm wrong side of the continent....maybe we will go into North Sea on our way back to America.....