Saint Ides
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Saint Ides was an Irish nun who lived during the fifth and sixth centuries. In the twentieth century, her name was given to a brand of malt liquor in the United States.
The Irish nun
Saint Ita, also known as Saint Ida or Saint Ides, (ca. 475 - January 15, 570), was an Irish nun.
Ida, called the "Brigid of Munster", was born in the present County of Waterford. She became a nun, settling down at Cluain Credhail, a place-name that has ever since been known as Killeedy--that is, "Church of St. Ita"--in County Limerick. Her austerities are told by St. Cuimin of Down, and numerous miracles are recorded of her.
She was also endowed with the gift of prophecy and was held in great veneration by a large number of contemporary saints, men as well as women. When she felt her end approaching she sent for her community of nuns, and invoked the blessing of heaven on the clergy and laity of the district around Killeedy. Not alone was St. Ita a saint, but she was the foster-mother of many saints, including St. Brendan the Navigator, St. Pulcherius (Mochoemog), and St. Cummian Fada. At the request of Bishop Butler of Limerick, Pope Pius IX granted a special Office and Mass for the feast of St. Ita, which is kept on January 15.
The malt liquor
Under the name St. Ides, she lent her name to a potent brand of malt liquor that is manufactured by the Pabst Brewing Company. The beer contains 8.0% alcohol by volume, which puts it at the high end even for the high-alcohol malt liquor category of American lager beers. In addition to the plain St. Ides, the beer is also available in a number of "St. Ides Special Brews" that add a variety of flavorings, including mint and various fruit flavors, to the beer.
St. Ides malt liquor is celebrated in American popular culture; it has been mentioned in the songs St. Ides by the Wu-Tang Clan, and in the song St. Ides Heaven by Elliot Smith.
External links
- Pabst Brewing Company (http://www.pabst.com)
- Statistics and reviews (http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/289/798/) on St. Ides malt liquor from BeerAdvocate.com (http://www.beeradvocate.com)
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Catholic Encyclopedia.