Westvleteren Abbey

Saint-Sixtus Abbey is a monastic complex in white buildings set within extensive gardens, where monks maintain both religious practices and brewing operations. The site includes living quarters, a church, farm buildings, and cultivated grounds arranged according to monastic principles.

The monastery traces its origins to 1814 when hop merchant Jan-Baptist Victoor established himself as a hermit in the Sint-Sixtus forests. Later, others joined him, and brewing began as a way to support the monastic community financially.

The monastery follows the Rule of Saint Benedict, with monks dedicating their lives to prayer, reading, and manual labor within the abbey walls. This way of life shapes the daily rhythm and the community's choice to distribute their beers only in limited amounts.

Beer is available only through an online reservation system with strict quantity limits and set collection times. Visitors should check reservation requirements in advance and be prepared for limited availability.

The abbey operates one of the few remaining Trappist breweries and is known as one of the hardest to access, as its beers are sold in limited quantities according to strict monastic principles. This scarcity has made the monastery a destination for beer lovers willing to wait patiently for a chance to taste its brews.