Ale and witch Ale is a type of beer that dates back to ancient times. It is fermented using a yeast called Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is commonly referred to as ale yeast. The brewing process involves combining malted barley with water and hops, and then fermenting the mixture using the ale yeast. Witches, on the other hand, have been a topic of fascination and fear for centuries. They are typically portrayed as women with magical powers, often associated with dark forces and evil deeds. In folklore and popular culture, witches are often depicted as brewing potions and casting spells.
In folklore and popular culture, witches are often depicted as brewing potions and casting spells. The connection between ale and witches can be traced back to medieval times. During this period, ale was a common beverage consumed by people of all social classes.
No, That Halloween Witch (Probably) Does Not Represent A Persecuted Beer Brewer
Two witches burned at the stake by the Inquisition. Woodcut colored, Germany approx. 1550. (Photo by . [+] Fototeca Gilardi/Getty Images).
Caution: some artwork may not be appropriate for some children.
Every year in the creep to Halloween, a handful of journalists, bloggers, and podcasters play a well-meaning yet dubious trick on their audiences. They write or republish stories — unedited and unvetted for the most part — that use unquestioning language to unequivocally connect the objects we associate with witchcraft with the tools of the medieval and renaissance European brewer. Most brewers at the time were female and a great many females were brewers; a lot of them sold the surplus from the low-alcohol beer they brewed to nourish their families for the fewest of coins and the minimum of autonomy.
Brooms, cats, cauldrons and pointy hats all had their place. But did they spell the ruin of these “brewsters” and “alewives?”
The media pieces accurately explain that the forces of politics, economics and religion often “conspired” to suppress classes of people, women among them, and that brewsters, with their relative independence, threatened the social order. Enter brewster-as-witch smear campaign to literally kill them off.
Execution by hanging of four witches. Colored engraving from 'Law and Custom of Scotland in Matters . [+] Criminal', by Sir George Mackenzie. Scotland, Edinburgh 1678. (Photo by Fototeca Gilardi/Getty Images)
Though the storyline makes sense, it’s very likely a fairytale or at best “inspired by a true story.” Ireland-based beer historian Dr. Christina Wade, who’s excruciatingly researched the intersection of gender and beer in medieval northern Europe, convincingly argues that enough dates and places fail to match up for it to unfold that neatly.
“These arguments aren’t historically accurate. At all,” she writes on her blog, Braciatrix. “Hello, my name is Christina, Crusher of Myths, and today I’m here to refute the idea that modern pop culture depictions of witches are rooted in the dress and culture of either medieval, or 16th century alewives.”
MORE FROM FORBES ADVISORBest Tax Software Of 2022
Best Tax Software For The Self-Employed Of 2022
Income Tax Calculator: Estimate Your Taxes
To provide a little more context, here’s an edited excerpt from my book, A Woman’s Place Is in the Brewhouse: A Forgotten History of Alewives, Brewsters, Witches and CEOs. The chapter is “Strange Brew: Did Renaissance Brewsters Practice Fermentation . . . Or Witchcraft?”
The History Channel estimates that European authorities hanged or burned alive up to eighty thousand accused witches between 1500 and 1660 (some sources tabulate up to two hundred thousand for approximately the same time period), with Germany massacring the highest number per capita and Ireland killing the fewest. It formed part of a mass control and terror campaign the Roman Inquisition, the Catholic Counter‑Reformation against Protestant reforms, and the fledgling professional class of male doctors and lawyers waged against a formerly feudal and newly liberal population as they sought to consolidate their power and redefine the social structure. Twentieth‑ and twenty‑first‑century scholars credit the rise of capitalism to their efforts.
(Original Caption) Picture shows a witch hanging in England in teh 17th Century. Undated woodcut.
“Is it a coincidence that the image of medieval brewsters so closely resembles the popular image of a witch, or was foul play perpetrated by persons who wanted to malign female brewers in an era when witch hunting was rife?” writes Jane Peyton, an alcohol historian and Britain’s 2014 Beer Sommelier of the Year, on her website, School of Booze.
The social structure increasingly stacked up against brewsters and alewives in the early modern era, with literature portraying them as sorceresses and the church preaching against the evils of alcohol and the female purveyors who lured men into sin. “If alehouses were ‘the devil’s schoolhouse,’” writes Judith Bennett in Ale, Beer, and Brewsters in England: Women's Work in a Changing World, 1300-1600. “Then women were the devil’s schoolmistresses.”
Let’s survey the evidence that suggests brewsters form a basis for our conception of witches.
Cats: Considered a familiar that accompanies a witch, cats made themselves valuable staples in the brewster home by devouring the mice and rats who fed on sacks of stored grain.
The pointy hat: Alewives in some regions donned it when they went on excursions to the market so potential customers could spot them above the crowd.
The broomstick: In some areas, regulations required the alewife to post an ale stake, a long stick adhered to twigs, which might have doubled as a broom, above her door to signal to customers and government regulators that she had beer to sell.
The cauldron: This is where the magic happened—literally. A massive cauldron of wort bubbles when it boils over a flame froths rabidly as it ferments.
For many thousands of years, a mostly illiterate European populace ascribed fermentation to magic.
Witches roasting and boiling infants, 1608 (19th century). Copy of an illustration from Compendium . [+] Maleticarum by Fr M Guaccius, Milan 1608, used in History of Magic, published late 19th century. Artist Unknown. (Photo by Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images/Getty Images)
It wasn’t just brewers, saints, and goddesses practicing the magic of fermentation. Up to and through the Renaissance, Europeans of all stripes used herbs and incantations for natural healing and other purposes—it was all they had. As schooling formalized, girls, whose household duties kept them from attending, couldn’t access this training. While young men earned degrees in the medical arts, increasingly Christian societies shunned the natural healing arts and the women who plied them.
“‘Wise women,’ herbalists, and old women have been looked on with suspicion in many cultures throughout millennia, so brewsters joined this group where superstitious, uneducated people considered such people to be ‘the other,’” explains Peyton in an e‑mail.
There's little, if any, historical evidence directly linking real brewsters to witch trials. A project to identify and map women tried as witches in Scotland, home to an intense witch hunt between the late sixteenth and early eighteenth centuries, turned up no direct correlation, and according to Christina Wade, a study of the assize records in Essex, England, between 1560 and 1680 found only one woman with a listed connection to a professional brewer—her husband.
The media pieces accurately explain that the forces of politics, economics and religion often “conspired” to suppress classes of people, women among them, and that brewsters, with their relative independence, threatened the social order. Enter brewster-as-witch smear campaign to literally kill them off.
It was often brewed at home, and women had a significant role in its production. They would often gather in groups to brew ale, a practice known as alewifery. This association between women and ale brewing led to the belief that witches used their knowledge of brewing to create potions and spells. This belief was reinforced by the use of various herbs and plants in brewing, many of which were seen as having magical properties. These herbs and plants, such as mugwort and hops, were believed to have the power to induce hallucinations or alter consciousness. In addition to the alleged use of brewing techniques and ingredients, witches were also often accused of using ale as a tool for malevolent purposes. It was believed that they would curse the ale and cause harm to those who drank it. This fear of witchcraft and poisoned ale fueled the witch trials and persecutions that took place during the early modern period. While the connection between ale and witches may have been rooted in superstition and fear, it showcases the significance of ale in the cultural and social fabric of medieval and early modern societies. It also serves as a reminder of the enduring power of folklore and myth in shaping our perceptions and beliefs. In conclusion, ale and witches have a long and intertwined history. Ale brewing was a common practice in medieval times, and women played a significant role in its production. This association between women, ale, and brewing led to the belief that witches used their knowledge of brewing to create potions and spells. While the link between ale and witches may have been rooted in fear and superstition, it highlights the cultural and social significance of ale in ancient and medieval societies..
Reviews for "Witch's Ale in Literature and Folklore: A Literary Analysis"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Ale and Witch". The plot was all over the place and it was hard to follow what was going on. The characters felt one-dimensional and I didn't connect with any of them. The writing style was also quite dull and it couldn't hold my attention. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for an enjoyable reading experience.
2. John - 1 star - I don't understand the hype surrounding "Ale and Witch". I found the story to be extremely predictable and cliché. The dialogue was forced and unrealistic, making it hard to believe in the characters. Additionally, the pacing was all over the place and it felt like nothing of importance was happening for the majority of the book. I struggled to finish it and was left feeling unsatisfied. Definitely not my cup of tea.
3. Emily - 2 stars - "Ale and Witch" was a major letdown for me. The plot was filled with holes and inconsistencies that made it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. The romance aspect was also really underdeveloped and lacked any real chemistry between the characters. Overall, the book felt rushed and poorly executed. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating read.