Polygamy Porter and four other religious beers

Joanna writes: A lovely tailpiece in The Times letters page today "Sir, One of my favourite American beers is Polygamy Porter, sold throughout the state of Utah (including Salt Lake City) marketed under the slogan 'Why stop at one?'" Paul Buyers Bedford. And indeed it exists...here

This prompts at look at other religiously inspired brews:

These Trappist Monks brew an exclusive beer called the Trappist that can only be purchased by reservation on the "beer phone". They're based in Flanders. You call, reserve, they give you a time to call back, you make an appointment with the operator, and give the licence plate number of the car that will make the collection. All vital when dealing with a silent order.

Avery Brewing has a range of beers called Holy Trinity because the company started with three beers to their name:  The Reverend, Hog Heaven, and Salvation.

Orval is another tipple from a Trappist monastery in Belgium, their  profits from the licence fee go to charity.

The monks in Pennsylvania defended themselves against accusations they were profiting from the sale of their beer in a letter to the New York Times in 1895.   

If that's not enough to work up a thirst there's a history of Beer Saints here.

LIBBY PURVES ADDS:

  I happen to own two Nativity scenes made entirely out of beermats, cunningly using the religious symbols innate in beer labels. Vernon Rose and Roger Hardy made them in their peerless exhibition of beermat art.   When I get home I shall take a photo for your delight.   L.

Comments

[Alistair]

How can you posibly have missed the Benedictine monks on Dartmoor and their Buckfast, or "Buckie", as it is more commonly known?

See http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/buck_wine.htm

[Christoffer Molner]

American breweries are very fond of using religiously loaded monikers to brand their beers. Lost Abbey http://lostabbey.com/ brews "for saints and sinners alike", featuring ales such as Judgment Day and Devotion. Many Belgian-style ales, often inspired by monastic brewing traditions, have spiritual titles: Blasphemy http://www.weyerbacher.com/cwo.php?id=7&page_id=52 Ommegeddon, http://www.ommegang.com/index.php?mcat=1&scat=6&ssnl=1 Holy Sheet, http://www.ccbeer.com/holy-sheet-uber-abbey-ale
and the doubly punny Brother Thelonious. Schmaltz Brewery creates He'Brew - the Chosen Beer, and other ales with delicious schtick. http://www.shmaltz.com/index1.html

Avery has a dark trinity, too, of extra strong beers (14-16% ABV): Mephistopheles,http://www.averybrewing.com/BigBeers/seasonal/MephistophelesStout Samael, http://www.averybrewing.com/BigBeers/seasonal/Samael and The Beast http://www.averybrewing.com/BigBeers/seasonal/thebeast

As far as the Trappists go, they have been brewing for centuries and are often regarded as the finest brewers in the world. Their beers have incredible complexity and are prone to induce idolatry along with inebriation, which was probably not the goal in mind of whatever abbots decided to sell the delicious libations as a means of supporting the various monasteries, but is a most welcome and holy side effect. Westvleteren, brewed by the Trappist monks at Saint Sixtus as you mentioned, must be purchased at the monastery itself, where you also sign a form declaring that you will drink it, not sell it (hardly a cruel task, I think). The Trappists are not, however, a silent order; they simply refrain from unnecessary speech so as to promote a contemplative climate in the monastery. Certainly it varies from abbey to abbey and brother to brother, but I have found many a garrulous monk in my monastic visits.

The drink itself is a sort of holy grail for beer snobs, and a black market for it has sprung up here in the States, especially via eBay. Some consider it the best beer in the world, though I suspect that laud is influenced by its famous scarcity.

And let us not forget the beer blessing from the Rituale Romanum.
http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/?p=324

[Steve]

A lot closer to home, Bishop's Tipple was developed in the mid 1960's to commemorate the appointment of a new Bishop of Salisbury. See http://www.ratebeer.com/beerimages/full_size/6981.jpg