| Do you suppose that after the conclave of cardinals elected Pope Benedict XVI last month, they cracked open a few cool ones to celebrate?
Don’t laugh – beer has a long and august history in the Roman Catholic Church. In fact, it even has its own canonized saint. Of course, wine has three saints, and then there is that whole water-made-into-wine thing involving the big guy’s son. But with apologies to the Messiah and the three saints of wine, beer has just one saint and that suits me fine.
In AD 612, beer’s future patron saint, Arnold, was a young, upwardly mobile priest. Arnold’s sermons often involved the virtues of beer and the evils of water. Water around villages in the Dark Ages was very nasty stuff, and beer, which was boiled, was much safer. Needless to say, these sermons were well received by the parishioners. Young Father Arnold soon became Bishop of Metz.
Arnold retired in 627 to Remiremont, France, died and was buried there in 640. A year later, in 641, the Metz locals petitioned to have his body exhumed and their beloved bishop brought back to Metz. While moving the body and heavy sarcophagus, the Metz locals grew weary and thirsty and had to stop at a tavern for their favourite beverage, beer.
The publican sadly declared that there was only one pint remaining and all would have to share. Well, that mug never ran dry and all had their fill of beer. Every saint needs a miracle, and St. Arnold’s was the endless mug of suds. The news of the miracle spread and eventually the Catholic Church canonized Bishop Arnold as the patron saint of brewers.
There is also an order of monks that brew beer, the Cistercians, who are more commonly known as Trappist monks. These holy men live in solitude, near silence and near poverty, and most of their labour goes to keep their enclosed community, the abbey, self-sufficient. The monks’ normal day consists of as many as six religious and reflective ceremonies starting at 3:30 a.m. each morning and spaced thoughout the day. As the monks take a vow of poverty, close to 100 per cent of the profits from their brewing go to help the world through religious and charitable endeavours.
Six abbeys are able to carry the Trappist appellation and no one else in the world can call their beer a Trappist ale. They are Achel, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle and, the most reclusive and hardest to find of all, Westvleteren.
Achel, Rochefort and Westmalle sell in very small quantities in British Columbia, and we are fortunate to get Orval and Chimay here in Calgary.
Chimay is the most commercial of all the Trappist abbeys – some even wonder why Chimay hasn’t been stripped of its Trappist title. Whether commercial or not, Chimay makes three amazing beers. Calgary receives the red label, which is outstanding in its own right, and the even more remarkable blue label.
Maybe it just proves the old saying, "Inhale blue, exhale red," but Chimay Blue, also known as Grande Reserve, has the ability to cast calmness like no other beer. Savouring the nine per cent Grande Reserve Chimay, you find it has big notes of Christmas cake in plum and rum sauce, ending with a dry sherry-like finish. It is much more complex and contemplative than any wine I have ever had.
The Abbaye Notre Dame d’Orval is considered one of the most beautiful abbeys. The same can be said of its beer. My editor will not allow me near enough words to describe Orval fully, but it truly is the most unique of all the Trappist beers. On the palate, this beer has a light, effervescent quality with layer upon layer of complexity and a mouth-drying quality that may require some serious beer reflection.
All these special beers have a guide on the side of their bottles for how to best enjoy the monks’ hard work. The first time I had a Trappist ale, it was fridge temperature and I missed the point; but years later, I had one at proper temperature and haven’t been able to forget these heavenly brews. These beers, when served correctly, may cause an epiphany.
BEERFEST
The annual Calgary International Beerfest takes place Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7 at the Gateway pub on the SAIT campus. It’s a chance to sample a bevy of beers from more than 30 breweries, coupled with food from 15 local restaurants, live music, a silent auction and beer seminars with noted brewmasters. For tickets and more information, go to www.get-a-life.ca. |
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