Did Martin Luther drink better beer than your average American college student?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

A weird tangent yes, but one I now wonder about, and the answer is almost certainly.

I've obviously never had 16th century German beer, but it's hard to imagine it being worse than the disgusting crap most college students drink today...and yes that includes me in college.

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

I don't know what to say.

Don't you hate him though? I think most Atlasians hate Martin Luther.

[anvi]

Tischreden would not have been possible without excellent beer.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Probably he did.

[Yeahsayyeah]

He surely drank more, at least. But the everyday beer of the 16th century was still light beer with little original wort that has probably some similarity with the German chliché of "American beer".
On the other hand, Torgisch beer (from the town of Torgau) is probably the beer Luther drank most in Wittenberg and this had a very good reputation. (It was at least that good that the students of Leipzig once started a revolt to have the import of Torgisch beer allowed so they had not to drink the beer from Leipzig that tasted like "karst".

Luther also liked wine, first of all Malvasier

On a particularly unrelated note, he once stated, that, unlike Justus Jonas, he did not use this new fenzy invention called "toilet paper".

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Probably.  How do you get worse than Miller Lite and Keystone?  On another note, I'd like to see it become more well-known that Luther drank so today's Bushie-esque Protestants would just stop the BS and live a little. 

[angus]

Probably.  How do you get worse than Miller Lite and Keystone?  On another note, I'd like to see it become more well-known that Luther drank so today's Bushie-esque Protestants would just stop the BS and live a little. 

Don't think it would make a difference.  It is already pretty well known that the Pilgrims drank beer, and lots of it.  William Bradford was famous for complaining that the captain hastened them ashore and made the drink water in order to make sure the sailors got more than their share of beer.  The Jamestown people were big beer drinkers as well, despite the Virginia Company's concern about that "odious vice of drunkenes." 

Don't know what Martin Luther drank, but my guess would be wine.  It would have been free for him, right?  If he had taken a vow of poverty, then beer, which probably costs money, might not have been on the menu very often.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Probably.  How do you get worse than Miller Lite and Keystone?  On another note, I'd like to see it become more well-known that Luther drank so today's Bushie-esque Protestants would just stop the BS and live a little. 

Don't think it would make a difference.  It is already pretty well known that the Pilgrims drank beer, and lots of it.  William Bradford was famous for complaining that the captain hastened them ashore and made the drink water in order to make sure the sailors got more than their share of beer.  The Jamestown people were big beer drinkers as well, despite the Virginia Company's concern about that "odious vice of drunkenes." 

Don't know what Martin Luther drank, but my guess would be wine.  It would have been free for him, right?  If he had taken a vow of poverty, then beer, which probably costs money, might not have been on the menu very often.

No, you see.  I want Protestants to know that the Father of Protestantism drank, not the Pilgrims or colonials.  I also want them to find out he got mad tail.  I firmly believe most of the problems caused by these evangelical types (gay bashing, slut shaming, etc.) have to do with the fact they are needlessly sobered, sexually immature, backed-up gasbags who are made to feel guilt for any pleasure not derived from muh Lord. 

[traininthedistance]

He surely drank more, at least. But the everyday beer of the 16th century was still light beer with little original wort that has probably some similarity with the German chliché of "American beer".
On the other hand, Torgisch beer (from the town of Torgau) is probably the beer Luther drank most in Wittenberg and this had a very good reputation. (It was at least that good that the students of Leipzig once started a revolt to have the import of Torgisch beer allowed so they had not to drink the beer from Leipzig that tasted like "karst".

Luther also liked wine, first of all Malvasier

On a particularly unrelated note, he once stated, that, unlike Justus Jonas, he did not use this new fenzy invention called "toilet paper".

It was light as in "lite", i.e. low-calorie and low alcohol, but it was almost certainly dark-colored, and quite possibly smoky and/or sour.  Pale malts and controlled fermentation are relatively recent innovations.

[Associate Justice PiT]

Probably.  How do you get worse than Miller Lite and Keystone?  On another note, I'd like to see it become more well-known that Luther drank so today's Bushie-esque Protestants would just stop the BS and live a little. 

Don't think it would make a difference.  It is already pretty well known that the Pilgrims drank beer, and lots of it.  William Bradford was famous for complaining that the captain hastened them ashore and made the drink water in order to make sure the sailors got more than their share of beer.  The Jamestown people were big beer drinkers as well, despite the Virginia Company's concern about that "odious vice of drunkenes." 

Don't know what Martin Luther drank, but my guess would be wine.  It would have been free for him, right?  If he had taken a vow of poverty, then beer, which probably costs money, might not have been on the menu very often.

No, you see.  I want Protestants to know that the Father of Protestantism drank, not the Pilgrims or colonials.  I also want them to find out he got mad tail.  I firmly believe most of the problems caused by these evangelical types (gay bashing, slut shaming, etc.) have to do with the fact they are needlessly sobered, sexually immature, backed-up gasbags who are made to feel guilt for any pleasure not derived from muh Lord. 

     I doubt most conservative Protestants care that Martin Luther drank. After all, he's not Jesus, nor is he the G-man. In their books, that is who counts.

[DemPGH]

I really can't imagine that he did, honestly. And I doubt that he drank better beer than what I do. I'll take modern day techniques and refinement processes. (Incidentally, I was reading how sherry wine back then was not like the sherry wine now).

I'd love to visit via time machine a late Medieval banquet, but honestly, I think I'd eat before hopping in my time machine! Probably wouldn't eat too much, and wouldn't drink the water, I know that. Stomach problems were almost surely very commonplace. 

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Why should (for instance) someone in the SBC give a fyck about what Luther did or did not do?

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Probably.  How do you get worse than Miller Lite and Keystone?  On another note, I'd like to see it become more well-known that Luther drank so today's Bushie-esque Protestants would just stop the BS and live a little. 

Don't think it would make a difference.  It is already pretty well known that the Pilgrims drank beer, and lots of it.  William Bradford was famous for complaining that the captain hastened them ashore and made the drink water in order to make sure the sailors got more than their share of beer.  The Jamestown people were big beer drinkers as well, despite the Virginia Company's concern about that "odious vice of drunkenes." 

Don't know what Martin Luther drank, but my guess would be wine.  It would have been free for him, right?  If he had taken a vow of poverty, then beer, which probably costs money, might not have been on the menu very often.

No, you see.  I want Protestants to know that the Father of Protestantism drank, not the Pilgrims or colonials.  I also want them to find out he got mad tail.  I firmly believe most of the problems caused by these evangelical types (gay bashing, slut shaming, etc.) have to do with the fact they are needlessly sobered, sexually immature, backed-up gasbags who are made to feel guilt for any pleasure not derived from muh Lord. 

     I doubt most conservative Protestants care that Martin Luther drank. After all, he's not Jesus, nor is he the G-man. In their books, that is who counts.

Jesus? That wine-guzzling schmoozer?

[TDAS04]

Pretty sure he did.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Why should (for instance) someone in the SBC give a fyck about what Luther did or did not do?

I dunno... Because it's Off-Topic and I'm d*cking around?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

If the fact that Jesus drank wine wouldn't persuade someone I don't see why they'd care about Luther.

But HockeyDude most Protestants are NOT anti-alcohol.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

If the fact that Jesus drank wine wouldn't persuade someone I don't see why they'd care about Luther.

But HockeyDude most Protestants are NOT anti-alcohol.

Read my last post.

[free my dawg]

...of course.

[Badger]

Yeahsayyeah and Hockeydude both have it right. Beer of the period was relatively "lite" in terms of alcohol content and body. Not to mention 'flat' (I.e. uncarbonated). It really isn't close to what were envision German beer to be.

On the other hand, what could be worse than Keystone and Old Milwaukee?

[politicus]

Yeahsayyeah and Hockeydude both have it right. Beer of the period was relatively "lite" in terms of alcohol content and body. Not to mention 'flat' (I.e. uncarbonated). It really isn't close to what were envision German beer to be.

On the other hand, what could be worse than Keystone and Old Milwaukee?

Beer was brewed in three qualities in Northern European monasteries in that era: one for high status guests, one that the monks drank and one for labourers, servants and pilgrims. So Luther did not drink low quality beer.

Denmark imported beer from Gemany for festive occasions and "tyskøl" (German beer) was regarded as better and stronger than the beer people usually drank. So German beer already had a reputation as a high quality product at this time.

Reconstructions of late medieval and renaissance beers are quite tasty (and remember beer was hopped at this point). So I am pretty sure the medium standard monastery brew in 16th century Germany was better than what US college students typically drink.

[DemPGH]

Forgot about the un-carbonated part. That plus room temp would really make it a drink different from what we call "beer," at least here.

[angus]

I also want them to find out he got mad tail. 

I think you might be thinking about Saint Augustine.  He is known for being a fire-and-brimstone disciplinarian, but all that came later.  In his youth he lived a fairly hedonistic lifestyle.  I think he was credited with first praying "Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet."  Saint Francis was something of a party animal in his youth as well, wasn't he? 

But Luther is usually described as being quiet and obedient in his youth.  I'm sure he engaged in the occasional circle jerk with his fellow Mendicant candidates, but then who doesn't?  He seems to be the opposite of many christian philosophers.  Instead of sowing his wild oats in his youth and then becoming conservative in old age, he was a goody two-shoes in youth, but got a little rowdy later.  I think when he finally did marry, in his 40s, he found a 25-year-old trophy wife.  They made such a racket that the neighbors complained about the noises from their room almost every night for the first two years of their marriage.