Calling tips for westvleteren

Discussion in 'Belgium' started by beerfish, Jun 12, 2012.

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  1. Brabander

    Brabander Initiate (0) Oct 10, 2009 Netherlands

    Threepacks are there 99 percent of the time the beer pickup point is open. We could buy two each last monday and we had the luck that the shop in Cafe in de Vrede sold sixpacks of the blond and the 8 for a decent price!

    Thijs
     
  2. PourMore

    PourMore Crusader (428) Oct 4, 2014 Florida

    Hey Thijs, It looks like this thread is long dead but you seem to know alot about getting this sacred Westvleteren beer. I am new to the process and will be in the Poperinge area on October 18, 2014. I'm wondering if it is even possible to get a crate of the beer, as the abbey website says "closed" for the one listed pickup date in October. I was going to try and call this week to try and reserve something. Am I out of luck? Any tips? Thanks.
     
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  3. Brabander

    Brabander Initiate (0) Oct 10, 2009 Netherlands

    For october 18 the site of the monks will show the possibilities this sunday. You can only call on that dates and time which you see on the left. On the right you can see which pickupdates are available. Do not call on other hours cause they will not answer..... I called this week for the 8 and got trough in 40 minutes with only one Phone. Be SURE the phonenumber is visible for the monks or else you will not get trough....

    This is the site to watch: http://users.telenet.be/sintsixtus/sintsixtus/bierverkoopactueel.htm

    Good luck and if you have more questions...just ask them here!

    Thijs
     
  4. PourMore

    PourMore Crusader (428) Oct 4, 2014 Florida

    Thanks so much. I am unfamiliar with the format of Belgian phone numbers. I have successfully called Netherlands phone numbers, but they seem to have 31 followed by (0) and then 9 more digits.... while this is 32 followed by (0) and 8 more digits. Is this 32 (0)70 21 00 45 the full/correct number?..... and do I need to use the zero in parentheses?

    Thanks!
     
  5. Brabander

    Brabander Initiate (0) Oct 10, 2009 Netherlands

    it is 0032 70 210045 or +32 70 210045 you have to choose. If you get a busy signal ring again and again and again and again! When you finally get trough you will have to wait for a minute or so before they actually pick up the Phone. Good luck with it and the last months it is getting easier to get them on the Phone then in the old days.

    One more thing...saturday is a popular day so the first ones who get trough almost Always reserve for the saturday so it could be possible when it takes a lot of time to get trough all saturday reservations are booked...just saying...
     
  6. PourMore

    PourMore Crusader (428) Oct 4, 2014 Florida

    Ok I will give that a try! Just to make sure I understand... You said they will post the possibilities for the 18th this sunday.... meaning tomorrow? And what will be posted.... just the time-window for calling the number? or the pick-up date as well?
     
  7. Brabander

    Brabander Initiate (0) Oct 10, 2009 Netherlands

    Correct, jus look tomorrow at the end of the European day...and mail me then so that i can explain you how it works...
     
  8. PourMore

    PourMore Crusader (428) Oct 4, 2014 Florida

    Ok great. I will do that. Thanks for all the info!
     
  9. PourMore

    PourMore Crusader (428) Oct 4, 2014 Florida

    That's strange.... it looks like they updated the page, but the dates are all in September of this year? Maybe I need to wait until later today ....
     
  10. Brabander

    Brabander Initiate (0) Oct 10, 2009 Netherlands

    The month is not correct but for the rest it is correct. That means you will have to try your luck on wednesday from 08.30 till 12.00. Use severla phones to increase your chances. If you do not succeed there is always the thursday you can give it a try but the saturday will be fully booked for sure then cause most of the people want a pick up on the saturday....good luck and let us know if you succeeded!
     
  11. PourMore

    PourMore Crusader (428) Oct 4, 2014 Florida

    Ok! Got my alarm set to start making calls as soon as the line opens. Will let you know how it goes!
     
  12. Stevenwings

    Stevenwings Initiate (0) Jan 15, 2014 Belgium

    Good luck ...
     
  13. BelgianBeerFan

    BelgianBeerFan Initiate (0) Feb 8, 2014 England

    I shall be using a rental car to visit Westvleteren so I do not know the registration or the car, will this be a problem when making a beer reservation?
     
  14. digita7693

    digita7693 Initiate (0) Jan 19, 2010 Germany

    just tell them that, they will ask for your name and you will have to show them an ID with your name on it when you pick up.

    cheers
     
  15. digita7693

    digita7693 Initiate (0) Jan 19, 2010 Germany

    there should really be a sticky for "how to call westvleteren".
     
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  16. PourMore

    PourMore Crusader (428) Oct 4, 2014 Florida

    Hmmm.... well I began calling at 0830 belgium time. 95% of calls I got a beep that was about 2 beeps per second.... sounded kind of like a busy tone. That style of beep would expire after 32 beeps every time, then I would hear silence and hang up. Then once in a while, I would get a slower beep that seemed a bit more like a familiar busy tone, slightly lower in pitch and maybe 3 beeps every 2 seconds. This would go on for about the same duration as the other, then silence. But something changed at around 1015 belgium time. I continue to redial, and every single time I hear nothing. Perhaps they filled their quota for the day, and have just disabled the lines for the duration of the call-in time?
     
  17. Stevenwings

    Stevenwings Initiate (0) Jan 15, 2014 Belgium

    If you hear silence then you got connection so actually you allmost made it .... the silence is a good thing
     
  18. PourMore

    PourMore Crusader (428) Oct 4, 2014 Florida

    hmmm.... but should i sit and wait when i get the silence? i did that a few times and nothing happened.
     
  19. beerpirates

    beerpirates Initiate (0) May 4, 2010 Belgium

    Offcorse just sit and wait :slight_smile: thats what they want you to do , like that all the other people can get tru :wink:
    Just sit and wait. .
     
  20. PourMore

    PourMore Crusader (428) Oct 4, 2014 Florida

    Woooooo! I got through at 9:10 Belgium time. The guy just asked for my car license plate, and I told him it would be a rental. He asked for my name and I gave him that. And he told me what time to show up on the day I picked....... but I was so excited that I forgot to even say "two crates of the number 12 beer." But he didn't seem interested in anything but my name, and arrival time. So..... is it just assumed that I am picking up 2 crates of westy 12?? Lol. Or do i tell them what I want when I get there?
     
    bostonwolf, Stevenwings and Brabander like this.
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