Drinking With The Saints

Mike and Alexandra explore an unofficial feast of the liturgical calendar to discuss:

Nonalcoholic beer
Sour beer
Wheat beer
The origin of Lammas Day
-mas Days

Drinks of the Week:

Martin House Brewing Company “Key Lime Pie Sour Ale”

Athletic Brewing Company “Atlética”

“Mas” Holidays

The definitions of these words, in chronological order, are:

Uphalimass, Epiphany, January 6--“up” can mean "completed, over" and “hali” is short for haliday or holiday. Epiphany is the end of the Christmas holidays
Twelfthmas Day, Epiphany, January 6 (Anglo-Saxons; see Parker, WITW, 80)
Candlemas, The Purification of the BVM, February 2--from the blessing of candles on this day
Ladymas, The Annunciation of the BVM, March 25 (although it can also pertain to just about any Marian feast)
Georgemas, St. George, April 23
Crouchmas, “Cross Mass,” the Feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross, May 3
Johnsmas, St. John the Baptist, June 24
Petermas, St. Peter [and St. Paul], June 29. Originally, though, it was the Feast of St. Peter in Chains, August 1
Lammas, “Loaf Mass”, August 1. Lammas Day was never officially on the calendar, but it was still a big deal in England and Ireland, when a loaf made from the first grains of the harvest was taken to church and blessed
Marymass or Marymas (aka Lady-Day-in-Harvest), The Assumption of the BVM, August 15
Ellenmas, St. Helen, August 18 [1]
Latter Marymass. The Nativity of the BVM, September 8. If Assumption Day is the first Mary Mass of the season, Mary’s birthday is the occasion for the “later Mary Mass”--at least before the institution of the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the BVM on September 15 centuries later
Roodmas, The Exaltation of the Holy Cross, September 14. A “rood” is a crucifix placed on top of a rood screen, that is, lifted high or exalted, as in the "Dream of the Rood". It's amazing how precise our language can be about crosses
Michaelmas, St. Michael the Archangel, September 29
Lukesmas, St. Luke, October 18
Hallowmas, All Saints’ Day, November 1
Saumas, All Souls’ Day, November 2 (not to be confused with a “Soul Mass,” i.e., a Requiem Mass)
Martinmas or Martlemas, St. Martin of Tours, November 11
Andrewmass or Andermas, St. Andrew, November 30
Christmas or Christenmas, December 25
Childermas, Holy Innocents, December 28
Kermas or Kermis, a “church Mass,” that is, the anniversary of the dedication of a church. The term quickly migrated to an “annual fair or carnival, characterized by much noisy merry-making” or, in the U.S., a festival held for charitable purposes.