Christianity and home brewing

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There's a quote that's not from the Bible but sums up my views on a Christian having a beer:
A man's got to know his limitations. Clint Eastwood

At a local beer fest I was talking to a police officer, who seems to always work these events, and asked him if he had any problems. He said he enjoyed working the brewery events because people are here that enjoy trying different styles and appreciate it all. They're not here to just slam as many as they can in four hours! I think that attitude covers most home brewers and nearly all Christians.
 
ittybittykittycommittee said:
I used to attend a church with a minority of parishioners who believed that alcohol is a sin. Not just that, but some believed Jesus sinned when he drank wine, whaaaaaa? It created a bit of a ruckus when the pastor added wine to communion as opposed to decades of just grape juice.
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I think a lot of Protestant Churches have started doing this. Mine did it a few years back as well. They also went to a communal goblet from the individual 'dixie cups' they used to pass around. I think it's a little closer to the tradition inhereted from the Catholic church. I like it.
 
I am a Christian...I consider myself to be dedicated to God and His only Son. The Bible mentions alcohol 224 times....of which only 6 are mentioned in a negative light...where the term drunkeness is directly used. It is not the alcohol that is deemed bad...it is ones actions while comsuming it that is!
 
Temperance is a 19th century family health movement popular with women that quickly migrated into the churches.
The idea was to force husbands come home and take care of their family after work instead of spending their time and money in the saloon.
It didn't gain much ground until the 20th century when women's suffrage movement teamed up with temperance organizations to help bolster their ranks worldwide.
This movement gained momentum in the US while the men were away fighting in WW1. Right after the war ended, the US ratified both the 18'th and 19'th amendments in quick succession.

So, organized protestant religions established during this time period would have strong connections to teetotalism. I wouldn't be surprised if it is en-grained in their religious texts and Bible interpretations.
Temperance is defiantly en-grained in modern US culture; drinking is still viewed in a negative connotation post prohibition as it is now age limited and sale restricted.
 
My parents don't drink very much and we went to church all the time. the Methodist faith was started by some recovering alcoholics, so they don't even use wine for Communion.

But my parents had a party in August and my dad wanted me to bring some homebrew. I kid you not, the Pastor was the first one to sample my kegs. And he was genuinely interested in the entire process too.

Just anecdotal, but I got a kick out of the whole thing :D
 
I'm not 100% sure of the details, but someone mentioned a new local nano/micro that was planning to start up and use the proceeds to help fund their outreach/mission for a Catholic church. They realize that the stodgy traditional approach doesn't suit some people and are looking to make religion applicable to the modern daily life.

IMHO enjoying a tasty beverage is acceptable. If Jesus turned water into wine he must have considered it okay for the wedding party to drink, otherwise he was enabling them to sin and "heap coals" on his own head.
 
What has been interesting about this thread is the number of pastors who partake but keep it on the "down-low" to keep from offending their more strident parishioners.

I think it goes to show how far we'll go to keep up appearances (even if it is by omission), but at the end of the day we are all just living our lives how we please.
 
johngaltsmotor said:
I'm not 100% sure of the details, but someone mentioned a new local nano/micro that was planning to start up and use the proceeds to help fund their outreach/mission for a Catholic church. They realize that the stodgy traditional approach doesn't suit some people and are looking to make religion applicable to the modern daily life.

IMHO enjoying a tasty beverage is acceptable. If Jesus turned water into wine he must have considered it okay for the wedding party to drink, otherwise he was enabling them to sin and "heap coals" on his own head.
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I know it isn't exactly the same but at my church the local lions club holds a fair every year on church grounds as a fund raiser that benefits the church and other local charities. The taps flow freely as the night gets darker and the music grows louder. Hundreds of kegs float empty every night as thousands of people enjoy peace and fellowship.
 
hehawbrew said:
I think homebrewing "demystifies" beer and let's people look at it as a art and a labor of love.
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So true. I can't tell you how many people connected to our group have changed their general stance on beer since we seriously started researching and homebrewing. There are some out there that view beer/liquor in a completely different light than wine. It seems that it stems from the misconception that wine culture is all about the pairings and the quality. It is an easy drink to enjoy socially and for no reason but to enjoy the flavor. Whereas beer on the other hand was viewed as a means to get a buzz on, because "seriously who drinks Natty Ice for the taste."

I feel like the craft brew/homebrew culture has made it apparent to general beer drinkers and non-beer drinkers alike that beer can be every bit as complex, subtle and artisanal as wine and because of this, it's now a more accepted drink in circles where it used to be shunned.
 
In respectful response to someone's post re: alcohol addiction, etc., I grew up in a family of alcoholics my [former] self included, none of whom brewed their own beer.

Whether through addiction, habit, desire, weakness, family tradition, lack of awareness, whatever, too many people through the generations in my family had too many drinks within too short a time. With just as many excuses. And although I admire those in their 12-step recovery programs, my 1-step program worked for me. I have been told I am "still and forever will be" an alcoholic. I don't believe it. If that were true, how could I enjoy a beer now and then and still enjoy a totally sober life?

My wife and I are Christians. She simply doesn't like the taste of alcohol (although when she tasted my Nut Brown Ale this past weekend, she said if she "had" to drink beer, that would be a contender), but knows I enjoy a good beer or glass of wine once in awhile. She bought me my brewing equipment for Christmas, something I probably would not have done on my own. She enjoys watching me enjoy the process, challenges, and delightful results of homebrewing. I believe a Christian can conscientiously enjoy the hobby of homebrewing; it is creative, fun and fulfilling to successfully make something on your own, and something you and others can enjoy responsibly. What being able to manufacture (or consume) an alcoholic beverage boils down to (npi) is self-control. And by that, I mean, if you "need" to drink beer for any reason other than to enjoy it responsibly, you probably will NOT be a homebrewer.
 
Can anyone confirm the rumor that Yuengling (sp?) donates a share of their profits to Christian missions?
 
ittybittykittycommittee said:
Look at all us Lutherans! Awwww yeah! :mug:

I used to attend a church with a minority of parishioners who believed that alcohol is a sin. Not just that, but some believed Jesus sinned when he drank wine, whaaaaaa? It created a bit of a ruckus when the pastor added wine to communion as opposed to decades of just grape juice.

Now the congregation I attend has a few homebrewers (apparently). I even gave the pastor a sixer of homebrew as thanks at one point.
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It must be all that German blood running through here! I grew up in an LCMS Lutheran church, but have family that are ELCA as well. I'm currently at a non-denominational church.
 
As the son of a Methodist minister who moved around a lot, I've seen a pretty broad range of opinions on alcohol consumption. The older members of the church spoke against alcohol, while the younger members drank but didn't really talk about it. My parents drank on rare occasion, maybe a beer or wine cooler here and there, but it was never a big thing in our household. Communion was always served with Welch's to avoid excluding anyone from partaking.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was a brewer. You can even find some of his writings on beer if you try hard enough (Google "John Wesley brewer").

My dad's Presbyterian parents never drank. My mom's Catholic parents owned a wine and homebrewing shop.

When I became interested in brewing my grandparents gave me most of the equipment I would need to get started, and my parents didn't seem to mind. Even my dad's mother eventually came around.

The church I attend now offers both juice and wine, of which I usually take the juice. The wine they use does not pair well with the bread at all! :(
 
It's absolutely fine in moderation but can also be a potential threat.

“May God give to you

of the dew of the heavens

And of the fertility of the earth

abundance of grain and wine.” (Gn 27:28)
 
I know a Priest who is a card-carrying member of CAMRA in England. It's no secret that he's a beer geek - most of the gifts he is given around Christmas are beer-related.

Me? I'm not Christian - I'm Jewish, and I can say there is very little against alcohol in our set of beliefs - heck, at 8 days old us guys get a swig to dull down the circumcision.:drunk:
I know one synagogue that at the end of Shabbat services, the guys go up to the front for a drink of whiskey. Another one at the end of Yom Kippur (the day of atonement; we don't eat from sundown to sundown) the temple president has a break-the-fast for the guys out of the truck of his car - coolers of beer, a few bottles wine, whiskey, vodka...
My own synagogue has a mens club where the most popular event is the Scotch tasting.
I think they were trying to set up a trip to a brew-on-premises, but I don't know if that happened.
 
In my opinion Jesus was a homebrewer he turned water into wine. Isn't that essentially what we do?
 
akillys said:
In my opinion Jesus was a homebrewer he turned water into wine. Isn't that essentially what we do?
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Lol.

I thinks it's interesting that wine is seen as a more acceptable alcohol than beer. Hmmm.

I've really enjoyed reading all these post.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew
 
I believe the presence and purpose for fermented drink in biblical times was not unlike the reasons it exists today: enjoyment. Even back then, everyone had a favorite drink. It may or may not have been alcohol-based. But in the likely absence of limitless fresh water to drink, or with which to make unfermented drinks, fermenting was (and still is) a necessary means of keeping fruit- and grain- based beverages safe and palatable for long periods of time, e.g., grape juice VS. wine. It was the logical, if not the only, means of preservation in the absence of modern techniques like refrigeration, vacuum-sealing, artificial preservatives, etc.. How cool is it that our Creator designed a substance to be a natural, safe and consumable by-product of the fermentation process that kills harmful bacteria and helps keep the beverage drinkable and enjoyable? Every culture on the globe has at one time or another used fermentation as a means of providing themselves with a palatable beverage.

Alcohol obviously reacts with man's physiology, and generally speaking, the ways in which it is assimilated by the body are beneficial, unless more than a moderate amount is consumed than necessary. While the Bible speaks of [a little] wine being good [for the stomach], it is common knowledge that too much is NOT good, for the stomach OR the head! Setting biblical references to wine and beer consumption aside, common sense would dictate that drinking a fermented beverage in as of itself is not bad or sinful or evil. Drinking too much, though, can certainly lead to behavior resulting in bad, sinful, or evil actions.

Everyone has their own reasons for homebrewing. Hopefully, the majority of us (regardless of religious affiliation) are involved for the simple reason that it is enjoyable. Nothing like opening that very first bottle and taking that first taste and saying, "Wow! That's really good and I made it!". And having others enjoy the 'grains' of our labors as well.
 
ittybittykittycommittee said:
Look at all us Lutherans! Awwww yeah! :mug:

I used to attend a church with a minority of parishioners who believed that alcohol is a sin. Not just that, but some believed Jesus sinned when he drank wine, whaaaaaa? It created a bit of a ruckus when the pastor added wine to communion as opposed to decades of just grape juice.

Now the congregation I attend has a few homebrewers (apparently). I even gave the pastor a sixer of homebrew as thanks at one point.
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I too am a Lutheran. Pastor was the first guy I ever saw drinking a beer from outside the US (he liked some German beers). We went on a church youth group trip to St. Louis and we went to the Anheueser Busch plant. We Lutherans are different in more ways than the women of the church basement.
 
masteraviator said:
I too am a Lutheran. Pastor was the first guy I ever saw drinking a beer from outside the US (he liked some German beers). We went on a church youth group trip to St. Louis and we went to the Anheueser Busch plant. We Lutherans are different in more ways than the women of the church basement.
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One of my former clubs used to have our annual holiday party in the basement of a local Lutheran church. One year the priest even came down after he was done working and sampled some of our wares. Good times.
 
I have had the "Wine / Bible' discussion with folks in the past. One of my favorite phrases is "If you were carrying grape juice around in a goat skin sack in the desert for a week you would have wine too.

Society has become desensitized to most of the Taboo's of the 50's, 60's & 70"s. The church has had to follow suit in most area's or risk ostracizing members of their congregation. I remember when dancing was evil..... One glimpse of Miley twerking 40 years ago would have gotten her an exorcism!!!!!
 
The church I grew up in came from PA German tradition. The services were given in German for many years, however, that pre-dates me. My father, who was also pastor at the church, told me that the church split years ago because the German's brought beer to the Sunday School picnic.
 
Proverbs 25:2 ESV
It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.

Among many other things, I believe this applies to beer.
 
This reminds me of when I was very young and my grandparents took me to church. That Sunday they were celebrating the "last supper" and the grape juice and crackers were passed around.

I said rather loudly:
"Grandma that looks like the wine you drink at home!"

Half the church turned and looked. :tank:
 
I grew up southern baptist, and alcohol is very much frowned upon. I have since lived in several different places, and it is enlightening to see different views on things like this.
 
Culture is an interesting thing to add. My dad says when he travels overseas for mission trips etc, and there are other traveling ministers, the non Americans usually order a beer or two with their meals.


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It pains me to hear the judging that goes on by Christians about alcohol. It is not mine or their job to judge what anybody else does. Hypocrisy is what gives Christians, Lutherans, Jews and you name anyone Else's faith a bad name. Does anyone remember the scandals attached to television ministers 20 years ago?
The Christians once again got raked over the coals as hypocrites.
I lost my point...
 
ittybittykittycommittee said:
Look at all us Lutherans! Awwww yeah! :mug:
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Beer? Oh, yeah.

Martin nearly made it a sacrament, instituting "sessions" to discuss theology over a beer.

I sing and play guitar at the local (LCMS) church. It's a big church, with about 60 of us in the band. Two of us home brew, according to the scriptures. The summer band picnic is always good fellowship.

"What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
Matt 15:11, Mark 7:15, Luke 7:20.

To the teetotalers, I say: Moderation in all things, including moderation.
 
The Bible treats drinking alcoholic beverages like eating. Drinking in and of itself isn't displeasing to God. Wanton drunkenness (just like gluttony and other harmful excesses) is, however, something to avoid.

Having been a student of church history, there's no doubt in my mind that everybody (Baptists included) drank beer and wine in the centuries before the 20th when we didn't have a reliable water supply. The wholly negative attitude toward any consumption of alcohol at all seen in some churches today is a mindset that comes primarily out of the temperance movement rather than an honest study of the scriptures. Fortunately, it looks like a generational shift is happening in many of those churches where the younger members are adopting a different view about this.

Their are plenty of guys at our church (a pretty cool contemporary "bible church") who enjoy craft beers, a few like me who brew and one who started up a nano-brewery last year. We often chat about brewing after the service.:D
 
I have a tap handle I made out of a Buddy Christ figure. My wife's very religious grandmother was over and I noticed she had a pint of lemon blonde. I asked what she thought of it and she told me, "I figured if it was coming from Jesus it had to be good!" Now she makes sure to tell everyone how good that beer is.

buddy_christ-51183.jpg
 
cracked1 said:
I have a tap handle I made out of a Buddy Christ figure. My wife's very religious grandmother was over and I noticed she had a pint of lemon blonde. I asked what she thought of it and she told me, "I figured if it was coming from Jesus it had to be good!" Now she makes sure to tell everyone how good that beer is.

buddy_christ-51183.jpg
Click to expand...

That is a very cool tap handle.

Actually, the keg's just full of water right? :D
 
Some Pastors keep their consumption on the down low because they don't want someone who is battling alcoholism to see the Pastor drinking and thinking "If its okay for the Pastor, its okay for me too." The whole causing another to stumble sort of thing. I grew up in churches where Alcohol was a no-no. My parents didn't drink until I was 21. Their reason for not drinking around us is because both sets of grandparents were violent drunks, and a lot of my aunts and uncles followed in their footsteps. My parents stopped drinking to "break the cycle."

Now we all drink at every family gathering. But there is a major difference between us and the rest of the family when we are all together. My extended relatives are all stupid drunk and we are enjoying our time together and a nice beer/wine/or mixed drink.
 
Good thread. :mug:

I was raised Catholic. Alcohol at church functions was not only common, but practically a requirement. For the most part, people keep their drinking under control as well.

Other denominations aren't quite so lucky, at least not about public consumption. Just because it isn't talked about doesn't mean it isn't going on. The conventional wisdom in the more rural (dry) parts of KY is that if you need to find some booze, talk to either the preacher or the sheriff.
 
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