Shout out for St Peter's Without

So yesterday, switching from tea to beer at half time enabled England to win their match. I've not yet seen an acknowledgement from the team of my part in the victory. But I do want to acknowledge the beer's part.

I was a given a couple of bottles of St Peter's Without, a craft zero alcohol beer brewed in Beccles in the county of Suffolk, UK. I only drink occasional alcohol, being more partial to zero alcohol beers. This is a particularly tasty example, very hoppy and flavourful - well done St Peter's Brewery! - so I bought a further supply.  They do four varieties of zero alcohol beer: Original, Gold, Organic and Elderberry & Raspberry, with a mixed case of 12x500ml for £21.00. I'm definitely going to give that a try - unless of course they decide to donate one in a sponsorship deal😁. They do have interesting chunky bottles:

I'm not sure if other Saints have their own breweries but I guess there has always been a tradition of monks and religious orders brewing and distilling. Not sure why, although Arthur Guinness was a devout Christian who starting brewing beer "to wean people off spirits". Works for me. But does the brewery have Papal permission for use of the Saint Peter nomenclature? Perhaps copyright protection expired a couple of thousand years ago, so I could have called this blog Saint Peter without problems. Imagine that, St Peter blogging today!

Heard of Ninkasi? She was the Sumerian Goddess of Beer around 1800 BCE and her poem A Hymn to Ninkasi is a clay tablet that was simply a beer recipe. Not kidding; it's true. Here is a bit:

You are the one who soaks the malt in a jar,
The waves rise, the waves fall.
Ninkasi, you are the one who soaks the malt in a jar,
The waves rise, the waves fall.

You are the one who spreads the cooked mash on large reed mats,
Coolness overcomes,
Ninkasi, you are the one who spreads the cooked mash on large reed mats,
Coolness overcomes,

You are the one who holds with both hands the great sweet wort,
Brewing [it] with honey [and] wine
(You the sweet wort to the vessel)
Ninkasi, (…)(You the sweet wort to the vessel)

I guess it's not easy to be certain about translating ancient Sumerian tablets.