Theologians and beer.
July 22, 2012 Leave a comment
Fr Corrigan at BOACP ran a piece a few weeks ago on theologians and beer. When the Topic came to Professor Tracey Rowland Dean of Melbourne’s John Paul II Institute a number of suggestions were made, with the most popular being that she would have to be Fosters, ” Better received and appreciated by those overseas.”
After discussion with someone close to the subject, we have decided that this may be true, but it also sells Professor Rowland short, for as one beer reviewer writes of Fosters:
I think the taste is decent, unlike a lot of people. It is a simple beer with a simple, straight forward taste. Although it is not exploding with flavor, it’s flavor is wheaty and easy to drink….Overall this beer is decent, not unique, not original, but not bad either. It is refreshing and easy to drink with a very simple, single flavor. I wouldn’t drink these all night or suggest it as a favorite but one from time to time is fine.
No one could describe Professor Rowland as’ simple’, nor ‘not original’ or ‘not unique’, and for those who have heard her speak you could definitely listen all night. (if you haven’t read it you should definitely look at the speech she made recently in Melbourne on the reception of the Officers Cross of the Order of Merit, it can be found here)
Here is a beer that perhaps fits her a little better.
Little creatures Bright Ale
With origins starting at the birth of our brewery, born as a bright filtered ale (hence the thought process of the name) we blended a touch of ale inspiration from both the new and old worlds of brewing in crafting this beer. It may be a hybrid ale in origin but we like to think of it as the creation of a truly Australian style ale.Using a selection of four gentle malts including Pale, Carapils, Munich and Vienna, we deliver an unique Australian flavour with the addition of select whole hop flowers, ultimately providing a beer that is clean, crisp and refreshingly balanced.
In Professor Rowland find a theologian in whom can be found a true continuity between new and old and with a truly Australian style, she is uniquely Australian, clean, crisp and for a change ‘refreshingly balanced’, a Bright Ale indeed.
About Fr Nicholas Pearce
