Westvleteren

Before heading to Flanders Field for the Memorial Day service, we went to lunch at Westvleteren.  This is supposed to be THE best beer in the WORLD.  You can't buy it in restaurants or grocery stores.  You have to go to the abbey.  And there is a complex process of calling and sitting through hours of busy signals to get selected to pick up your beer.  Once you've gotten through, they write down your phone number and you aren't allowed to call again from that number for 2 months.  And then when you go, they write down your license plate....and you guessed it.... you can't bring that car to pick up beer for 2 months.  Crazy monks.

Anyway......

We tried all three of the beers they have... the 12, 8 and the Blonde.  The 12 is supposed to be the best, but we didn't like it that much  It is said to be better after it ages....  we liked the 8, though.

You couldn't tour the grounds, so we don't have any pictures of the monks or the abbey..... just the visitor center and an entrance.

The monks were raising money recently, and selling their beer in the US, to build a new bell tower, or something.  Looks like the money is rolling in nicely.  Everything was really new and modern.