Westvleteren is one of the world's most legendary Trappist breweries, nestled within the Sint-Sixtus Abbey in the small village of Westvleteren in the West Flanders region of Belgium. The monastery's roots trace back to 1814, when Jan-Baptist Victoor settled as a hermit in the forests of Westvleteren, in an area that already had a long monastic tradition. The brewery itself was officially established in 1838, making it one of the oldest continuously operating Trappist breweries in the world. The monks brew beer solely to finance the upkeep and life of the abbey, not for commercial gain. Westvleteren's portfolio is deliberately small, consisting of just three beers: a Blonde, a so-called 8, and the iconic Westvleteren 12, a dark quadrupel that has repeatedly been cited among the finest beers in the world. Production is intentionally limited to just under 4,000 barrels per year — the smallest output of any of the ten recognised Trappist breweries globally. For decades, the beer was only available directly from the abbey or through its adjoining café, In de Vrede, requiring visitors to reserve by phone. The extraordinary scarcity of Westvleteren beer has contributed to its near-mythical reputation. In 2012, bottles were sold in the United States for the first time — a one-off initiative to raise funds for abbey repairs. More recently, the brewery introduced an online ordering system to make distribution fairer and more accessible, marking a significant shift for an institution long defined by its deliberate restraint.