Beer isn't a drink one normally associates with Italy; however, the good monks of Monastero di San Benedetto di Norcia have crafted a magnificent brew which they hope will prove to be popular.
Birra Nursia is
a four-year-old craft brewery operated by Benedictines.
Every month,
they produce 40,000 bottles of traditional blonde and dark beer in
batches of 700 bottles in order to ensure a standard of high quality.
St. Benedict insisted monasteries strive towards fiscal self-sufficiency
through labor which led the monks of Norcia to create their own craft
beer.
On Sept. 30, the monks hosted a vernissage -- a reception to
highlight its two beers and introduce them to the American market at the
Darien Community Center in Darien, Conn.
Birra Nursia's two signature beers, a blond ale and a Belgian strong ale,
are brewed on the grounds of the Basilica of St. Benedict located on
the traditional birthplace of the twin saints, Benedict and Scholastica.
The town is situated in southeastern Umbria in the Valnerina
valley beneath the majestic slopes of the Sibylline mountains. The blond
beer is light and buoyant -- typical of Belgian light ales. The
dark Birra Nursia is more complex with a rich, rustic malty taste.
The Birra Nursia brewery's motto is taken from Psalm 104:15: "ut laetificet cor" (that the heart might be gladdened).
Despite how liberally the beer flowed during the reception, the
atmosphere was mellowed considering recent, unexpected events at the
monastery.
Norcia is the same town which was devastated by the 6.2 earthquake
which hit central Italy on Aug. 24; 298 perished in the disaster.
The
debut of the beer's release, which was planned many months prior to the
earthquake, took on a more somber tone considering the monks no longer
have a monastery in which to live.
The monks have reserved the Eucharist in the large tent on the
monastery grounds far from the danger of falling debris. It serves the
local community during Divine Office, daily Mass for locals and the
50,000 annual pilgrims that are expected to visit the monastery.
"We, as many others in Norcia and surrounding areas, suffered a lot
of damage to our buildings and especially to our Basilica," explained
Fr. Benedict Nivakoff, the monastery's prior and novicemaster. "[It's]
very sad to see the many beautiful restorations we've made to St.
Benedict's birthplace reduced, in a moment, to disrepair."
"We still offer daily sung Mass in a room adjacent to the crypt," he
said. "Given that more than 30 percent of the buildings in Norcia have
been condemned, [monks] were transferred to other areas temporarily.
Mass is well-attended, and the local people give us much support. The
monks in my community are very grateful for the outpouring of love,
concern and generosity thus far. The earthquake was only a few weeks ago
and sales have been outstanding thus far."
The monks have been very busy in the aftermath of the earthquake.
"The contingent of monks in town has been putting order into the
rubble, trying to welcome visitors and be present to local townspeople
who are often distraught," Nivakoff said. "The monks in the mountains
are working on clearing the property, repairing walls and putting the
structures in place to live monastic life normally."
In a sign of divine consolation, the community's brewery was
preserved from the earthquake's ill effects and is still in operation
most likely because of its new earthquake-proof construction.
"The brewery equipment suffered only minor damage," explained
Nivakoff. "Apparently, all the [brewery's] fermenters jumped eight
inches so the pipes were all bent. Major renovations are required to
transfer the brewery to a more suitable location."
"Our total campaign is for 7.5 million dollars," he added. "That's $1
million for the basilica, $1 million for the monastery attached to the
basilica, $4 million for the monastery in the mountains and $1.5 million
to transfer and rebuild the brewery."
In 1998, a group of American Benedictines arrived in Rome. Not being
able to find a place to stay, they moved to Norcia on Dec. 2, 2000. The
monastery had been closed since 1810.
They renamed the monastery Maria Sedes Sapientiae ("Mary Seat of Wisdom"). It's currently home to 17 monks, four of whom are priests. They have three novices.
Considering their options, the monks settled creating upon a
commercial beer to help finance their community. In order to set up
their brewery, the Norcia monks conferred with their Trappist confreres
at monastic breweries throughout Belgium. The community's first
brewmaster is a Texan monk, Br. Francis Davoren. His assistant is Br.
Massimiliano Silvati from La Spezia, Liguria.
The first 3,000 bottles produced at the monastery sold out
immediately. Birra Nursia even supplied beer to all the cardinals voting
in the 2013 papal conclave which elected Pope Francis.
The bottle's label depicts the Basilica of St Benedict's rose window which was subsequently destroyed in the recent earthquake.
Those interested in sampling Norcia beer before purchasing it, can
order it at any of Mario Batali's five New York City restaurants.
Southern California's Holiday Wine Cellar is the monastery's exclusive
U.S. retailer.