Award-winning homebrewer and certified beer judge, J. Wilson will be on hand releasing, reading from and signing his new book, "Diary of a Part-Time Monk, this Saturday, December 10 from 1-5 p.m. at the Corning Center for Fine Arts.
Working to nourish their bodies through lengthy Lenten fasts, the monks of Neudeck ob der Au outside of Munich are credited with developing the rich-and-malty doppelbock style of beer. Packed with carbohydrates, calories and vitamins, this unfiltered “liquid bread” is said to have sustained the monks from Ash Wednesday to Easter, and more than 300 years later, the monastic history and quality of this beer style is well-known throughout the world.
A writer and semi-professional beer drinker, Wilson embarked on a 46-day beer-and-water fast to test the legend of doppelbock’s origins, church connections and nutritional value, as well as his own will power—and live to tell the tale. Wilson teamed up with Eric Sorensen, head brewer at Rock Bottom—Des Moines to collaborate on a commercial-scale forex news batch of Wilson’s bock recipe. The result, Illuminator Doppelbock, brewed with Weyermann Munich, Vienna and CaraMunich malts and hopped with Zeus and Liberty hops, was “a bold, unfiltered monk’s Lenten session beer,” weighing in at 6.67 % alcohol by volume and 288 calories per 12-ounce serving.
Come hungry and thirsty. A Soup ‘n Bowl event is also taking place at the Art Center where you can purchase a bowl and have it filled with your choice of soup. Also local brewer, Monte Hensley, will be on hand with a "mock" sample of the beer used during J. Wilson’s fast.
Hope to see you there!