Mallersdorf Monastery Brewery: The last nuns’ brewery in Bavaria

Germany is, one could say, a beer nation. Despite the industrial crisis. Across social classes and genders. And Bavaria is, one might think, a beer stronghold.

So it's no wonder that the last monastery brewery in the world that is still run by a women's order can be found there. More precisely: in Mallersdorf in Lower Bavaria.

Here, Sister Doris runs the monastery's own brewery. She is the only member of an order who mixes the brew herself and monitors the original wort and alcohol content.

The nun has a theory as to why the monastic brewing industry has now been secularized, but the nuns' brewing industry has not yet. “We women are just more stable,” she says and grins. This is what our colleague Christian Reiermann writes, who paid the master brewer a visit.

Nunnery, writes Christian, were already a real haven of emancipation in the Middle Ages. Here women decided on themselves and were allowed to carry out activities that were otherwise reserved for men. And brewing beer was traditionally a woman's job.

Christian also noticed this self-confidence on site, as he wrote to us: "She is a very solid personality, direct and blessed with strong convictions." In addition, Sister Doris simply understands her craft.

The nun says: "Drinking beer is healthy, you just shouldn't overdo it, like everything in life." The nuns use almost a fifth of their production themselves. “We have beer with every meal,” says the sister. “Except for breakfast.”

How Christian came to visit? “As a practicing Catholic and beer drinker, I have a natural preference for products from monastery breweries,” he says. He would classify the quality and drinkability of the beer “between heavenly and paradise”. Well then, cheers!

Here you can find Christian's text, which we highly recommend: "Without alcohol, humanity would not have survived."

What else was good this week – for the world:

He had 14 minutes to save 900 children

It is one of the few good stories from the day of the flood disaster in Nepal: within a few minutes, school principal Rajendra Dawadi decided to evacuate his school, saving hundreds of children. When he left the school building, water was already running into it. Watch the video here.

This Filipino woman triggers “Eala mania”.

She has only just reached the top, but is already probably the most exciting player in the world: Alexandra Eala electrifies the audience with her game. Because the 21-year-old is changing how tennis looks and sounds. Read the story here.

After 21 years, We Are Heroes are back in the charts with “Blind From Here On.”

What longing does the song serve? Read more about the song and a whole attitude to life here.

First round of the DFB Cup

The Eimsbüttel sensation didn't happen. But for half an hour the Hamburg upper division team HEBC successfully held its own against Borussia Dortmund, then the runner-up clearly prevailed. You can still dream in football. Click here for the report.

Batteries in used electric cars last longer than expected

Many people are still skeptical about the lifespan of electric car batteries. But wrongly, as a new evaluation shows. Even after 150,000 kilometers, the loss of capacity appears to be limited.

What makes birdsong so beautiful?

Researchers played 123 bird songs to test subjects and determined which ones were rated as particularly pleasant. They found clues as to why the blackbird won the test - and the barn owl lost. Find out more here.

What’s good – for you:

After the vacation is before the stress? It's better this way

As soon as you get back from your vacation, the relaxation often evaporates again. Here you will find out three ways to make the relaxed feeling last longer and prevent the “post-holiday syndrome” from occurring in the first place.

Welcome back from your summer vacation

There is no longer any summer slump, new series have been running in the past few weeks that are inspiring. Here is a selection of the best – a journey from darkness to light.

How yoga can help with anxiety disorders

Yoga has techniques to deal with mental health issues. However, this can also make symptoms worse. What you should pay attention to, read here.

How the intestinal flora influences your fitness and health

Muscles, endurance and mentality: intestinal bacteria play a key role in this, which is why researchers examine stool samples from top athletes. Can you train the microbiome to become stronger and faster? Find out more here.

And otherwise?

There are state elections coming up. And again there are arguments about the consequences of unity.

In a SPIEGEL mediation, representatives from East and West - the German scholar and author Dirk Oschmann from Leipzig and the vice president of the Ludwig Maximilians University Armin Nassehi from Munich - debate the causes of the conflict. And look for solutions.

Because that’s what society should continue to be about, right? To talk to each other. Because: “Approximation and contradiction” are possible, as Nassehi puts it in the conversation. But it's best to read for yourself: Can the divide between East and West be overcome? And is there even one?

And our colleague Deike Diening met people in Saxony-Anhalt who are not intimidated by the apparent AfD dominance. For example the teacher Max Heckel. He finds it tragic how the AfD's strength is accepted. As if the AfD had already won the election. The “callousness” that she now displays comes from “the fact that her suggestion of digital majorities works.” The more dominant she appears online, the more moral courage shrinks in the real world. But he doesn't want to give in. Here is the full text.

We wish you a nice weekend!

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Yours, Anna Ehlebracht and Anna Kauber Birkelbach from the SPIEGEL news department