If Christianity has reservations about drinking, then why...?

Are there so many monasteries literally everywhere in Europe (namely Germany, Belgium and France) that tout their own beer recipies, vineyards and liquors? When I was stationed in Germany, we used to run by this old monastery that had been in the town for centuries, and the monks there make a wonderful local beer that they fiercely guard the secret ingerdients to. These are real holy monks too, robes and skullcaps and all.