Heavenly Brew

There are many reasons I love being Catholic. This is one my Baptist wife would not agree with me.

Some Trappists monks have determined that making beer is very good business. However, not at the expense of heavenly duties.

“No question, it is the holy grail of beers,” says Remi Johnson, manager of the Publick House, a Boston bar that has Westvleteren on its menu but rarely in stock…In the 1980s, the monks even debated whether they should continue making something from which people can get drunk. “There is no dishonor in brewing beer for a living. We are monks of the West: moderation is a key word in our asceticism,” says Brother Joris in a separate, email interview. “We decided to stick to our traditional skills instead of breeding rabbits.”Last year, St. Sixtus filed a complaint with the government against two companies that refused — BelgianFood.com, a Web site that sells beer, cheese, chocolate and other niche products, and Beermania, a Brussels beer shop that also sells online. Both offer Westvleteren at around $18 a bottle. “I’m not making a lot of money and I pay my taxes,” says BelgianFood.com owner Bruno Dourcy. “You can only buy two cases at once, you know.” Mr. Dourcy makes monthly two-hour car trips from his home in eastern Belgium. “Seek the Kingdom of God first, and all these things will be given to you,” counters Brother Joris, quoting from the Bible, adding that it refers only to things you really need. “So if you can’t have it, possibly you do not really need it.”

Have to love a monk with a acerbic sense of righteous humor.

Here’s the web page to order here (if you can get ever get through).

Read Full Post »