INSPIRED by medieval history, the Rector of St Peter and St Paul, Fakenham, the Revd Tracy Jessop, might be pulling pints of the church’s own ale on the Norfolk town’s annual Gin and Beer Festival this weekend.
Ms Jessop, a first-timer on the event last yr, found that some festivalgoers were surprised to see their parish priest amongst them, despite a silhouette of the church constructing printed on the pint glasses — it was a distinguished feature of the town skyline, which had been chosen because the festival logo that yr. She explained that meeting people locally — whether over communion wine or craft beers — was fundamental to the church’s mission in Fakenham.
‘Interesting. I believe I’d prefer to try the ale next’
The encounter led her to work with Barsham Brewery to supply a neighborhood ale, Two Apostles, named after the church’s patron saints, following a medieval brewing tradition. This was, she said this week, “a superb method to remind folks that the local church still provides spiritual support and, occasionally, a church ale”.
Beer and meads were commonly brewed and sold by churches and monasteries through the Middle Ages, and the proceeds were used to support the poorest members of society, Ms Jessop said.
“The parish ale or church ale was heavily relied on in medieval Europe, as clean drinking water wasn’t all the time readily accessible. People of all ages and from all walks of life often relied on various medieval drinks for hydration and sustenance.
“Although the important purpose of a church ale was intended to coincide with the gathering of monies on account of the parish, often the proceeds were distributed as alms to assist the poor. After chatting to people ultimately yr’s festival . . . I believed this was a superb missional opportunity for the parish church.”
The process, she said, was straightforward: “a phone call of enquiry, an exchange of emails, a few conversations, and a handshake”. The PCC agreed to make a modest investment from the church’s mission budget to sponsor the ale.
The result’s an IPA (Indian Pale Ale) aged in a wine cask in a “nod” to Jesus’s first miracle. The barley comes from the encircling fields of the Barsham Estate and is malted near by at Crisp Maltings. “The grain-to-glass miles are incredibly low, making it a really sustainable pint,” Ms Jessops said.
Two Apostles will be bought on the brewery, and 360 pints might be available on the Fakenham Gin and Beer Festival this Friday and Saturday on the town’s Community Centre. All proceeds from beer sold on the Festival might be given to the Community Centre and a neighborhood charity, Ellie’s Love, which supports individuals with cystic fibrosis.
