Holy Father Beer
Looking for a good Lenten observance this year? Pull up a lawn chair and crack open a cold one, because the Paulaner monks may have the perfect Lenten observance for you.
Paulaner monks, also known as the Order of Minims, were mendicant friars. Their order was founded by Francis of Paola and approved by Pope Sixtus IV in 1774. As a hermit, Francis sought to humble himself and his followers even lower than the Friars Minor, founded by St. Francis of Assisi. Ironically, no small task. The Minims took the usual vows of chastity, poverty and obedience but distinguished themselves by adopting perpetual Lenten observances, which entailed wearing a black habit, going about barefoot and a lifetime fast from meat, dairy and eggs.
With such severe vows, one must wonder how the Minims behaved during actual Lent. The answer is actually a good deal more tolerable than anticipated. In the 17th century, a group of Paulaner monks moved from Southern Italy to Neudeck ob der Au in Bavaria. The monks there adapted to their new environment and began to brew beer to distribute to the poor and sell at the monastery tavern as a source of income. The brew they concocted was knowns as “the Paulaner Salvator.” It was a potent, surprisingly-rich, dark beer with a chocolaty aroma.
When Lent rolled around, the brothers vowed to abstain from solid food until Easter, but they had to have something to survive. That something was the Salvator. Their “Holy Father Beer” sustained them all Lent long and went on to become a global phenomenon and one of the chief stars of Munich’s Octoberfest.
How healthy and able to walk in a straight line were the monks by Easter? It’s difficult to say, but they may have been fairly healthy and clear headed. Unsurprisingly, stories of an all-beer fast have inspired several gentlemen over the years to replicate the observance. An Iowa newspaper editor successfully fasted on beer in 2011. A Cincinnati army veteran mimicked the monks in 2019, and in 2020, Chicago bar owner made good use of his own stock. The men reported an impressive drop in weight (25-44 pounds) and no inebriation. In fact, the Iowan editor claimed it gave him “a tunnel of clarity unlike anything [he’d] ever experienced,” while the Chicago barman achieved only a “slight buzz.”
Throughout history, beer has provided a significant contribution to diet. Alcohols and sugars provide most of the calories. Non-starch sugars provide fiber that promotes gut health. Beers also contains B vitamins, some minerals, low salt and antioxidants. However, it is generally not recommended that beer constitute one’s entire diet, at least not for too long or without the surveillance of a healthcare professional. After all, man cannot live on doppelbock alone.
Brian Rutter, PhD, is the cofounder of Hundredfold Video and plant biologist working for 2Blades at the University of Minnesota. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our “Sower Stories – Odd Facts About Plants” and video production tips in your inbox every month!
Works cited:
Bamforth, Charles W. "Nutritional aspects of beer—a review." Nutrition research 22, no. 1-2 (2002): 227-237.
D’Angelo, Bob. “Ohio Man Who Only Drank Beer for Lent Loses 44 Pounds.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Cox Media Group), May 7, 2019. Accessed 18 February 2026. https://www.ajc.com/news/ohio-man-who-only-drank-beer-for-lent-loses-pounds/Otoc4brcgErbRJmhko3KlI/.
Hadro, Matt. “These 17th Century Monks Did a Beer Fast for Lent.” The Catholic Telegraph, February 11, 2024. Accessed 18 February 2026. https://www.thecatholictelegraph.com/lent-fast-beer/63676.
Laurence, Justin. “Chicago Bar Owner on a Beer-Only Diet During 40 Days of Lent — and He’s Already Lost 18 Pounds.” Block Club Chicago, March 2, 2020. Accessed 18 February 2026. https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/03/02/paddy-longs-owner-on-a-beer-only-fast-during-lent-and-hes-already-lost-18-pounds/.
“Paulaner: Monastic Brewery History to Munich Oktoberfest.” Rimping. August 13, 2025. Accessed 18 February 2026. https://www.rimping.com/blog/7955/history-paulaner-monastic-brewery.
