Abbey has a beer for its 900th birthday

England's Wymondham Abbey was founded 900 years ago by William d'Albini. That in itself is enough to stagger the imagination in this world of disposable people and things.

Wolf Brewery of Besthorpe, Norfolk, located northeast of London, is marking the anniversary with a special beer called Abbey 900.

"We have always known of the centuries-old tradition of monastic brewing and have based Abbey 900 on monks' recipes which use herbs for flavoring." said brewery spokesman Wolfe Witham. “We have used coriander, cinnamon and bog myrtle to give the beer a distinctive and, we believe, deliciously refreshing taste.”

The Rule of St. Benedict, which is adhered to by most European monks, calls for daily rations of beer for every monk, especially on fast days and during Lent.

Greg Kitsock of The Washington Post has put together a brief but fascinating history of monastic brewing from the Old World to the New World that I recommend reading.

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