A Myth of Monks: Did They Really Practice Beer Fasting?

It's not a myth; it's the truth. A Catholic News Service article tells the tale of 15th-century monks who fasted on beer during the Lenten season. The article reads: They needed something other than water to sustain them, so the monks turned to a common staple of the time of their region - beer. They concocted an 'unusually strong' brew, full of carbohydrates and nutrients, because 'liquid bread wouldn't break the fast.'

In this piece, Christian journalist J. Wilson recreates the fast in modern times, with a similar beer, and finds an even higher truth than he was searching for. (No, it's not just because of the beer!) Read more about the monks and Wilson's transformative journey here.