Ale
A warm-fermented beer with a rich history, from medieval staple to modern craft favorite.
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Ale is a type of beer made through a warm fermentation process. In medieval England, the word specifically described a drink brewed without hops.
Like most beers, ale usually includes a bittering agent to offset the malt and help preserve the beverage. Originally, this bitterness came from gruit—a blend of herbs or spices boiled into the wort before fermentation—but hops eventually replaced gruit for this purpose. In England, though, it was also common to brew ale without adding any herbs at all.
Background
Ale was a crucial part of the medieval diet, especially in England during the early 1300s. Alongside pottage and bread, it was one of the three main ways people got their grain. Grain itself was the foundation of most meals, making up roughly 80% of the calories for farm laborers, 75% for soldiers, and even about 65% for nobles. A weaker version, called small beer, table beer, or mild beer, was especially important.
History
It was highly nutritious, had just enough alcohol to keep it from spoiling, and could be drunk all day without getting anyone drunk. Almost everyone in the medieval world, including children, drank small beer daily, while stronger ales were saved for fun. Because small beer was cheaper to make and taxed less, some sellers would water down their "strong beer" with it and still sell it as the stronger brew.
Medieval records show people drank enormous amounts of ale. In 1272, a retired couple at Selby Abbey got two gallons a day, plus two loaves of white bread and one of brown. Monks at Westminster Abbey each had a gallon daily.
In 1299, Henry de Lacy’s household bought about 85 gallons every day, and in 1385–86, Framlingham Castle went through 78 gallons a day. Brewing was mostly done by women, known as brewsters or alewives, who made it at home for their families and to sell a little on the side. This work brought in good extra money for families, but only for some, like widows, was it the main way they supported themselves.
Starting in the mid-1600s, strong ales became trendy. They had fun names like Huff-Cap, Nippitate, and Hum-Cup—the last because it made your head hum. Like wine, strong ale had a lot of sediment, so it was poured into small glasses that suited its high alcohol content. According to Chambers' Cyclopædia from 1741, the main difference between ale and beer was the amount of hops: beer had more, making it more bitter and better for long-term storage.
Did You Know?
- The word ale comes into English from Proto-Germanic; its origin is 'uncertain and disputed' according to the Oxford English Dictionary.
- Research by Harald Bjorvand suggests the Germanic word alú-þ- descends from an Indo-European word meaning 'golden or reddish colour'.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is ale?
Ale is a style of beer defined by its warm-temperature fermentation process, distinguishing it from lagers that use cooler, bottom-fermenting yeast. In medieval England, the word specifically meant a beer brewed without hops.
How is ale different from lager or other beer styles?
The key distinction is the fermentation method: ale relies on top-fermenting yeast at warmer temperatures, which produces a fuller, fruitier flavor profile. This warm process sets it apart from the cooler, cleaner fermentation used for lagers.
What was ale bittered with before hops became standard?
Early ale was bittered with gruit, a blend of herbs and spices that was boiled directly into the wort before fermentation began. Hops gradually took over as the preferred bittering agent, though in England some brewers simply omitted any added herbs altogether.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Ale (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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