[hopfenundmalz]

The one I had deserved the hype, IMO.

I happen to have a couple in my fridge that some friends brought back from Belgium.  I haven't opened one yet, but I expect it to be excellent.  And even at excellent. it won't live up to the hype.

This is true.  Made many trips to Belgium when living in Germany, and on trips back to Europe.  The Yellow Cap was around in some speciaty places back in the late 90's, and even then it was expensive compared to what you could buy Rochefort 10 for at the grocery stores.  I do remember that the last one I bought after the conversion to the Euro was in the 3-4 Euro range, and the Rochefort 10 was 1 Euro at the grocery store.  This was around 2002.

Now that the hype train has left the station, I don't see any reason to pay the big dollars for it.  Excellent beer, but there are so many excellent beers that one can have others at a more reasonable prices.

[denny]

Thanks

Here ya go...

7.5lbs Dingemans Pils
7.5lbs Dingemans pale
16oz. dark candi syrup
0.7oz Northern Brewer 7.0%AA @ 60min
0.9oz Hall. Hersbrucker 4.8%AA @ 45min
1.0oz Fuggle 4.5%AA @ 30min
WY3787
Matched the Westvleteren water profile
Sacch rest @ 148F for 90min.
OG 1.080
FG 1.012

[BrewingRover]

No, I mean I really think it's a great beer.  But the hype . . . it makes me crazy.  It's like Dark Lord - if I ever get to try a bottle I'm sure I'll say "that is a damn fine stout" and that still won't be as good as the hype. 

I've had Darklord a couple of times and that's been my exact reaction. I imagine it would be the same with Westy.

[majorvices]

No, I mean I really think it's a great beer.  But the hype . . . it makes me crazy.  It's like Dark Lord - if I ever get to try a bottle I'm sure I'll say "that is a damn fine stout" and that still won't be as good as the hype. 

In both cases the marketing is spot on rockin' in the free world though.

[theoman]

It's a good, albeit overrated beer. However it has recently become more sour to me. I have a difficult time supporting an organization (unless it's a prison) that welcomes and shelters admitted child molesters. Then again, he confessed, so I guess it's not a problem.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1141/is_14_47/ai_n57541529/\
http://blogs.wsj.com/brussels/2010/04/28/beer-abbey-hosts-fallen-bishop/

[bo]

Thanks

Here ya go...

7.5lbs Dingemans Pils
7.5lbs Dingemans pale
16oz. dark candi syrup
0.7oz Northern Brewer 7.0%AA @ 60min
0.9oz Hall. Hersbrucker 4.8%AA @ 45min
1.0oz Fuggle 4.5%AA @ 30min
WY3787
Matched the Westvleteren water profile
Sacch rest @ 148F for 90min.
OG 1.080
FG 1.012

Thanks again.

[breslinp]

I brewed this as a clone of it. It's almost @ 6 weeks in primary. Going to bottle soon.

Amt                   Name                                     Type          #        %/IBU        
14 lbs                Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM)            Grain         1        62.2 %        
6 lbs 8.0 oz        Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)           Grain         2        28.9 %        
2 lbs                  Candi Sugar, D-180 (180.0 SRM)           Sugar         3        8.9 %      
  
1.00 oz              Northern Brewer [10.00 %] - Boil 60.0 mi Hop           4        20.4 IBUs    
2.0 pkg              Abbey Ale (White Labs #WLP530) [35.49 ml Yeast         5        -      

The Pils is Dingemans. The Candi Sugar is from candisyrup.com. I'm not sure it will be cloned, but hopefully it's good
I had a Westy 12 this summer. Not sure if I would even be able to remember it exactly. It was very good, but I wouldn't pay much more than I would pay for a Rochefort 10.