Gastronomic walk hop shoots in Westvleteren

During the walk, participants will also receive information about the history of Saint Sixtus Abbey. The abbey is known for its Trappist beer, Westvleteren.

Hops are only harvested in September, but Ivan Lemahieu is already picking the shoots of those hops. It takes more than two hours to pick a kilo of shoots. The first harvest was already auctioned at the end of December.

Hop shoots have become a real delicacy. Prices of up to 1,200 euros per kilo are no exception. After the first shipment of the season has left the door, prices take on ‘more normal’ proportions, around 125 to 135 Euro per kilo.