Page 18 - All About History - Issue 186-19

BEER

POINTYHAT

Tall conical hats known as henin
THE European women in the late
were popular among noble

Middle Ages as a way of showing
off their power and influence. MALTEDBARLEY
Alewives adopted the style when
brewing in marketplaces as a way The ale would go sour if it
to stand out in such a bustling was left for too many days
area, with the distinctive hats so the women would be kept
made from a black material. busy constantly producing
the drink in large quantities.
They mainly used malted
barley, wheat or oats that were
left overnight, strained and
mixed with herbs and yeast.
The price of ale per gallon was
YOUNGASSISTANCE regulated by the Assize of
Bread and Ale according to the
The alewives would often involve cost of the ingredients.
their children in the making of their
brews because it meant that they
could produce greater quantities
and so make more money. Children
would also drink ale, and some of
BREWINGUP the brew would be set aside for the
family. Ale for general consumption
was deliberately weak given that
The women would boil grain people would be drinking it all day.
for ale in a large cauldron
before allowing the brew
to ferment. They would
experiment with flavours
and blends to produce a drink
better than their rivals. The
high temperature would
protect the brown liquid
against bacteria, making ale
the safest drink at that time.

BOTTOMSUP ABROOMSTICK
ABLACKCAT The brewing and selling of ale – served in wooden tankards home an evergreen bush on a pole – known
When an alewife was brewing from her
Illustration by: Kevin McGivern Cats were used by alewives to protect their grains from mice. But hang independence ale-making gave the alewives (a term first A broomstick was also a tool of the trade,
– attracted many young, unmarried or widowed women,
as an alestake – would be placed outside
until men spied the potential profits and resented the
and above the front door like a flagpole
on: cats, pointy hat, cauldron, broomstick? Little wonder historians
to show that ale was available to buy.
have suggested that the modern perception of witches was influenced
recorded in 1393). Women would be accused of watering
by alewives, underpinned by the fact that their brews could – by the
the ale and being disobedient to their husbands. The
used by the women to tidy up.
presence of alcohol – make drinkers act out of character.
18 mainstream trade became dominated by men.