Two days dedicated to beer and its noble ecclesiastical history. Photo Credit: Freepik
Brno, Sept. 20 (BD) – On 29 and 30 September, the Masaryk University Philosophical Faculty is organising the second annual professional workshop as part of the ‘Cultural History of Beer’ research project, which focuses on the cultural and historical significance of beer to our society. The workshop, entitled Pivo je Boží! (“Beer is godly”, or “Beer is great”), will focus on the connection between religion and beer production, both in history and in the present day. The event is conceived as an environment in which scholars, students, brewers, clergymen, beer lovers and those interested in church history can discuss these topics through lectures and debates… over a good glass of beer.
The workshop will begin on Thursday 29 September at 2pm with a block of lectures that will focus on the analysis of beer and religion in Asia. The eight talks, conducted in English, will focus on China, Tibet, Mongolia, Japan and Korea. Speakers will include anthropologist Charles Ramble, Professor Emeritus of Oxford University, religious scholar J.F. Marc des Jardins from Montreal, sinologist Ute Wallenböck and other guests.
The day on Friday will be held in Czech and will start at 9.30am. Nine presentations will be given by experts from various fields. Speakers will include not only scientists, but also brewers and people from the Church. The programme includes lectures by historian Kateřina Charvátová, Hussite parish priest Sandra Silná, conservator and historian Petr Holub, brewery owner Lukáš Provazník, and others. Among the guests on Friday’s programme will be the Dean of the Faculty of Arts Irena Radová and the Bishop of Brno, Pavel Konzbul.
The event includes a rich accompanying programme related to this year’s Science Night. Posters with the themes of the history of the beer bottle and monastic brewing will be installed in the courtyard of the Faculty. There will also be a Doppelbock-style beer tasting, which Lukáš Provazník will talk about in his lecture. Another tasting will introduce Belgian monastic production and the specific culture of beer consumption through the eyes of Jakub Acsay. The topic of interest will be the special beer St. Bernardus Abt.
The Vorkloster Monastery Brewery in Pre-Claister will be present with its beers on tap as well as products from the Ossegg Monastery Brewery. There will be a wide range of refreshments chosen to go well with beer, and a coffee stand, with everything from local breweries.
