The Beer Option

Introduction: The Beer Option .  .  .  ............... 1
Part I: A Catholic History of Beer .  .  .  .  .  .    7
Beer in the Ancient World and the Bible . . . . .9
The Rise of Monastic Brewing . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
The Decline and Fall of Catholic Brewing .  .   33
The Renaissance of Benedictine Brewing .  .  45
Part II: Beer and Culture .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . .59
Beer as an Expression of Culture .  .  .  .  .  .   61
Feasting, Fasting, and Friendship . . . . . . . . . 73
The Importance of Place and Tradition .  .  .   85
A Spirituality of Beer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Part III: Experiencing Beer .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 125
Developing Taste .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .127
The Economics of Homebrewing .  .  .  .  .  .  .139
Brew Evangelization .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 153
A Pilgrimage through Monastic Beer . . . . . . .171
Part IV: Beer and Cultural Problems . . . . . . . 203
Drunkenness and Temperance .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .205
Beer versus Marijuana .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 217
Refermenting a Consumerist Culture .  .  .  .   231
Concluding with Beer in Perspective . . . . . .   253

Recommended Books  ...................................263