Alpirsbach Monastery: Brewing Beer in the Middle Ages

Dr Markus Rombach explains why hunger was one of the reasons why monastic culture and the tradition of brewing have always been so closely linked. Monks were, of course, required to observe Lent between Carnival and Easter, when there was little to eat. However, a convenient loophole helped those with rumbling stomachs: ‘Liquida non frangunt ieiunium – liquids do not break the fast.’ As they were allowed very little food during Lent, the monks followed this principle and sustained themselves with strong, full-flavoured, high-calorie beer.

According to historical accounts, each monk was allowed to drink five litres of beer a day. We gulp when we hear this. Dr Rombach reassures us, however, that beer had a much lower alcohol content in those days. Once the monks had drunk their fill, an idea occurred to them: if they were brewing beer anyway, why not make a few extra barrels and sell them? ‘Because the monks could read and write, they were able to study historical records and try out old recipes,’ Dr Rombach tells us. It soon becomes clear how they quickly became experts in the art of brewing.

First, however, Dr Rombach takes us to the heart of the complex: Alpirsbach Monastery Church is considered one of the best-preserved examples of Romanesque ecclesiastical architecture in Germany. The three-aisled columned basilica, laid out in the shape of a Latin cross, is home to frescoes and stained glass, sections of choir stalls, an imposing altar dedicated to the Virgin Mary and a true rarity: an elaborately turned choir bench measuring more than seven metres in length and dating from the mid-14th century. Memorial slabs commemorating prominent abbots, patrons and benefactors of the monastery bear witness in stone to these bygone eras.

A staircase leads us directly from the church to the monks’ dormitory mentioned earlier. The dormitory was originally a large hall where all the monks slept together. What we find today, however, are small, partitioned cubicles. At the end of the 15th century, timber-framed walls were added to divide the large space into individual cells, creating a broad corridor down the centre. Standing here, we peer into the sparsely furnished rooms. A small wall cupboard and a window seat offer a vivid impression of the austere, contemplative way of life at the time.

We learn that Alpirsbach became a monastic school during the Reformation. On the walls of the sleeping cells, we discover an unusual form of wall art: initials, dates and sayings featuring Renaissance motifs – the ‘graffiti’ left by the monastery’s pupils. In 1958, a collection of everyday objects and garments dating from the 15th and 16th centuries was also discovered beneath the dormitory floorboards. The finds included a pair of men’s trousers, several children’s shirts and a total of 17 leather shoes, all of which are now on display in the monastery museum.

We pass through the warming room – the only room in the monastery that could be heated – and the cloister, with its magnificent red sandstone net vault, before finally reaching the monastery’s former storeroom. After learning so much about monastic life, we enjoy some refreshments in the cellarium: a hearty traditional Swabian cold meal known as a Vesper, accompanied by an Alpirsbacher beer from the privately owned brewery directly opposite the monastery. Fortunately, the Rule of St Benedict calling for moderation in eating and drinking is now a thing of the past in Alpirsbach.