Drinking beer for 40 days straight may not seem like a huge sacrifice, but for Toronto-based beer blogger Chris Schryer, it's been the ultimate test of faith.

In honor of the annual Christian observance of Lent, Schryer has forgone solid food in favor of his own home-brewed oat-infused beer — to emulate the monks who first created Dopplebock in the 17th century, reports Canada's QMI Agency. The oats bring extra nutrients in the form of protein and unfermentable sugars, though Schryer also supplements his hoppy diet with water, apple juice, and lightly sugared tea to keep hydrated and limit his inebriation.

Thus far, the experiment has proven to be challenging and eye-opening, with Schryer posting spiritual updates to his blog every couple of days:

"And in doing these things, I’ll be making myself more spiritually 'fit,'" Schryer writes, "and more importantly, I will become closer to God. And then, when it’s game seven of the Churchly Cup, I’ll be ready and engaged. The darkness of Good Friday will cut deeper, and the joy of Easter Sunday will be greater, because I will be more in tune with the story that we are participating in."

Picthx Toronto Beer Blog