Monk figurine jug 1/2 liter

Monks and beer…

YES, there are still many monastery breweries in Germany.

One of the first breweries in a monastery dates back to 1119 (Scheyern Monastery).

In the 18th century, there were around 350 monastery breweries in Germany.

Why did the monasteries brew their own beer?

There were two main reasons for this:

1. The monasteries wanted to be self-sufficient – to provide for themselves.
2. Beer was an important foodstuff during periods of fasting. The monks had recognized that bock beer satisfied hunger. The reason for this is the high malt content in beer. Beer was also able to cover the calorie requirement properly.

There would be no other explanation for the large quantities that each monk was entitled to daily:

According to tradition, each monk was allowed to drink five liters of beer a day.

Originally, beer was only brewed for the monastery’s own needs. However, it was soon realized that the monastery could also generate some money for the monastery coffers by selling beer.

Why did and do monks have their heads shaved?

The original meaning of the so-called tonsure is unclear. Penitents had their heads shaved early on. In this respect, the tonsure can be interpreted as a sign of complete devotion to God in consecrated life