An exploration of the existence of stereotypes and sexism in the UK brewing industry and culture
ALES &
FEMALES
There's trouble, trouble in hops and bubbles
A medival witches scene
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Some women today embrace the name 'witch' as an ironic, tounge-in-cheek expression of their feminist, 'to be feared' identity. But for women in Medieval England, being branded a witch would not have been taken lightly. It meant facing trial, punishment and, often, death.
Many of the women executed on the charge of witchcraft were also brewers. A coincidence? Perhaps not, according to beer historian Jane Peyton. She runs the School of Booze in which she teaches about the connection between the tools of the
brewing trade and the accessories of the typical witch (which dates from this time). She's explored the possibility that the common witch motif stemmed from historic, strategic and misogynistic attempts to rid the brewing industry of women. See the likenesses for yourself.
A large pot was needed to boil all the ingredients together. As soon as fermentation occured, bubbles would begin to froth and foam from inside. This had never been seen before so it was thought to be magic...
Cereals like malt are essential for the brew, but cereals like malt also mean that rats are never too far away.
As a result, the brewer would need a cat
(though, not necessarily a black one)...
To let people in the area know there was ale on sale,
an 'ale stake' was used.
This was a long piece of wood with a bush of twigs attached to the end that was mounted to the side of the house...
Any ale not sold at the home would need to be taken to market.
A pointy hat was a practical
and visual way to stand out amongst the crowds...
Some academics argue women were accused of witchcraft so they would be ostracised from society, allowing others to benefit and profit from their beer production.
The women accused of such could hardly prevent this from happening, since it was rare for them to
escape with their lives.