Hi,
It is time for an update!
Trappist Westvleteren brewpub Café in de Vrede underwent a major update lately.
We visited on Saturday and Sunday last weekend.
Saturday, to pick up our three crates of Westvleteren 12 (..and more crates at Deca), and doing a tasting at In de Vrede.
Sunday, to also taste at In de Vrede, but doing other things too in that georgeous region. (..more later)
This picture was published inside the BBB Facebook group, and shows the renovated Café in de Vrede interior. Picture was taken during the inauguration.
New tables, chairs, wall decoration, and this amazing exposion closet on the right side there.
It shows the old 75cl botttles, a load of wooden Westvleteren crates, and an old manual bottling equipment.
What an amazing achievement!
Here's a closer view.
And even more close...
Another exposion closet shows other old 75cl bottels and a load of old original Westvleteren crown corks. That's a BIG wow for me 
The lower part of the wall is decorated with pieces of the old wooden beer crates.
The planks that carry the Westvleteren and Sixtus text to be precise.
Now, if that isn't a wonderful idea folks 
What a great improvement, and things still look very sober. Perfect !!
The shop underwent a major face-lift too.
Alot of "Authentic Trappist Products" are available.
Dried smoked sausages, made with Trappist Westvleteren 12 for instance.
Trappist cheeses too.
More Trappist cheeses and some local Hennepot, Rilette, and Bolle Beef from nearby Alveringem based De Veurn'Ambachtse (Potje Paté).
The excellent Westvleteren cheese ofcourse (not a Trappist product), and the truly excellent paté made with Westvleteren beer, also made at the Veurn'Ambachtse.
Westvleteren cheeses exposed !!
The new menu
The new prices 
Westvleteren 12 for Katrien and myself, paired with smoked ham and bread.
That's perfection in one picture folks
Do notice the dark mustard.
After tasting, I already had a clue, but for certainty I asked the waitress, and she told me that this indeed is the authentic mustard from Torhout, i.e. Wostyntje! FINALLY !!
Brewed on 15 October 2024.
This one tasted way more sweet than before 
Also, less carbonated and not such a rich head too.
No problem, we went back the day after......
Sunday afternoon, consulting the menu again.
Notice the underlying wooden plate. Actually, that's a part of the wooden crates again, similar to the wall decoration. All together some great ideas 
This time, my Westevleteren 12 was brewed on 10 December 2024.
That's two months later than the one I tasted on Saturday.
I wondered if it's also that sweet 
And indeed, that sweetness was remarkable.
Notice the less creamy head. Katrien's glass showed a small layer.
To reach the head I really needed to pull the bottle.
Candysugar sweet, soft, subtle carbonation, fluffy head that evolved into a layer.
Notice the big bubbles.
After a while things desintegrated into small layers.
Katrien her glass even became foamless. She didn't pull the bottle when pouring, hence.
I presume that something went wrong during the warm room conditioning.
Hence the beer being that more sweet too.
Actually, I really loved it. And Katrien too.
More sweet gives less hop bitterness in the mouth and a less dry beer.
Food pairing at Café in de Vrede.
Now, I was wondering if the beer I brought back home was that sweet too.
Well, call me lucky, but this time everything was just 100% PERFECT!!
Pouring gave an easy rich head (no pulling)! Still that presence of big bubbles though.
Brewed this year on 14 January 2025.
I can't remember having this beer that fresh!!
A rich yeast sediment on the bottom of the glass. That's a real nature product.
To my surprise, this one wasn't that sweet!
This is how I know this beer needs to be.
Earthy hoppy, candy sugar sweet, perfumy, and still having a slight dryeness with a great hoppy longlasting finish. And ofcourse, a long lasting head too.
This beer is still too young to fully appreciate, but I do have 3 crates, so within time things will evolve into a masterly delicacy ! Patience is a virtue folks
I also captured the full menu for your convenience.
Alot of food these days, and believe me, everything is delicious 
Cheers,
Filip
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