Number one Beer, Westvlerten

[Smokin Don]

I have always enjoyed beer; I think my favorite was trying different beers from around the world at a store called Andersons. They carried over 100 varieties and sold it by the bottles. They closed about 12 years ago and I can never find that wide of selection close by now. I enjoyed some Belgium beer once in a while. I think the most I paid for one beer was $6 and I think it was a Belgium beer. To me it’s closer to a wine than a beer.

A fellow member of Lets Talk BBQ, flyingbouchman, had been to Belgium and brought back some beer. I commented on one of his posts about the beer and that I used to enjoy some Belgium beer. Out of the blue he asked for my address and sent me two bottles, Westvleteren 12 and Maredsous 8.

Someone else on the site had pointed out the Westvlerteren beer was rated #1 by most of the top beer ratings. I looked it up and found it was one of the smallest breweries with a volume of 160,000 cases a year. With a small production it is hard to find and usually expensive.

I tried the Maredsous and saved the other for my 72nd birthday to have with a good meal. I liked the Maredsous. Now I would never be hired by a company for my taste abilities. Some food and beverage companies hire people with good taste to keep the flavors consistent, like coffee, whiskey, bourbon and beer. I always thought that good tasters had better taste buds than the average person, but in reality they have twice as many taste buds on their tongues than the average person.

When I drank the Westvlerteren for my birthday I tried to be objective on the taste and all I could come up with was caramel, a little fruity, and maybe a hint of vanilla. I then went and looked at some of the reviews and how anyone could come up with roasted walnut, name five different fruits with an undertone of vanilla I will never know!

All I know is it tasted good and thanks to flyingbouchman; I can now say I tasted the #1 beer in the world! 

Smokin Don

[Las Vegan Cajun]

That's awesome Don, I'm a big fan of beer and, like you, I like to try all kinds of different beers from different places.  We have a place in town called The Yardhouse that has 160 different beers on tap, needless to say, one of my favorite places.  When I want to try something different at home I go to a place near my house called Total Wine, they have an aisle of beers that has literally 100's of different beers that can be purchased by the bottle. I'm like a kid in a candy store in that place. There is another place in town called the Freakin' Frog that has 1200 different beers on hand.  Between those three places I don't know if I have enough years left in this lifetime to try them all, but I'm giving it my best shot.
 

[SmokinKat]

How neat to get to try something from such a small brewery with such high marks!!   I love that FB shared the spoils of his journey with you, too-- what a rare treat, and a great way to celebrate your birthday, Don!   

As for the tasting notes....   I worked for a spell in the wine industry, and while yes, some people are indeed "super tasters", there are a lot more that are just "super bull****ers".     (Try it out sometime... if you're ever on a hoity toity  wine tasting, when the person pouring is rattling off the list of 'notes' that you might taste in that red wine... just sip, nod slowly while they're talking, and say thoughtfully, "Hmmm, yes, indeed...  and I detect just a hint of currant".   Doesn't matter what kind of red it is, 9.9 times out of 10 people will applaud you for how insightful your palette is, and agree that they, too, taste the currant.)   And if you get bored with currants, just use some other fairly obscure fruit that people have definitely heard of but have no clue if they've ever actually tasted.    Gooseberries are always a good one.  

LV Cajun, sounds like you have quite the challenge ahead of you!!   How neat to have such a variety at your fingertips!  I used to live near a place that sounds like your "Freakin' Frog", and it was (almost) TOO much selection.  I would usually just walk in and just stand there for awhile trying to get my bearings and let it sink in that "YES, this much good beer DOES exist.  In one place.  And I can buy any of it that I want."   They are definitely on my "zombie apocalypse" hideout list.     If I'm gonna get eaten, might as taste like barley pops!     

[sliding_billy]

That is very cool.

[muebe]

I too received two bottles from FB. The Westvlerten was really good.

We have a Yard House out here also. And there are a bunch of small batch of restaurant/brewers out here it will make your head spin.

I love seeing this trend. It is nice to see other choices available for us beer connoisseurs. Variety is the spice of life

[fishingbouchman]

After visiting wing commander in germany I went on a 7 hr road trip to pick up a couple 6 packs for a few here.  Such a great place here.
I would have sworn the  Gps had me lost multiple times.  In a little European car and a big old combine is headed at you on a dirt road that was not wide enough for two little cars but somehow it was right on the money.
Best beer??  But at least I can say I had some and a fun road trip. And to get to share with others it makes it better.