Hot on the heels of my Beer Saints post the other day comes this article about a saint and the brewery named after him: St. Arnold Brewing Company.

Legend says St. Arnold of Metz, the patron saint of brewers, advised people to avoid water and drink beer.

"From man’s sweat and God’s love, beer came into the world," he is recorded as saying.

St. Arnold lived from 580 to 640. He became bishop of Metz, France, in 612, where he stayed until retiring to a monastery in 627.

A miracle is said to have occurred when the citizens of Metz were bringing St. Arnold’s body for burial in the local churchyard.

When the travelers escorting his body stopped for a rest at a tavern, there was only one mug of beer to be had, "but that mug never ran dry and all of the thirsty pilgrims were satisfied."

St. Arnold Brewing is located in Houston, and is (according to their website) the oldest microbrewery in Texas. Sounds like they have some pretty tasty beers, too; I’ll put this on the list of breweries to visit if I’m ever in Texas.