🍺 Witch Bottles and Beer: When Alewives Were Accused of Witchcraft
Category: History | Folklore | Women in Brewing
Witches, Beer, and Broomsticks: The Forgotten Tale of Alewives
Long before breweries were corporations and bartenders wore branded tees, the beer world was run by an unlikely figure: the alewife—a woman who brewed and sold beer from her home.
But as strange as it sounds today, these early female brewers were eventually accused of witchcraft, their trade poisoned by fear, sexism, and superstition. Some were driven out. Others were executed.
Their tools—cauldrons, cats, and brooms—became the classic iconography of witches we still recognize.
And at the center of this story? A chilling object known as the witch bottle.
Alewives: The Original Brewmasters
In medieval and early modern Europe, brewing beer was considered “women’s work.” Much like baking bread or making butter, it was part of the domestic economy. Most beer—especially in England—was brewed by women for sale in local markets.
These women, known as alewives, often advertised their goods with a broomstick above the door (signaling fresh beer for sale) and wore tall pointed hats to stand out in crowded markets.
Sound familiar?
From Brew to Blasphemy: How Alewives Became Suspects
As beer became more profitable, especially in towns and cities, men began to take over the trade. Women brewers were pushed out—sometimes through economic pressure, other times through more sinister means.
One tactic? Accusing them of witchcraft.
The logic went like this:
- Brewing required knowledge of herbs and fermentation → clearly “witchy”
- Cats were used to keep mice away from grain → "witch’s familiar"
- Bubbles in the brew or odd smells? Must be spells or curses
What was once seen as skilled labor was now framed as suspicious magic.
Witch Bottles: Superstition in a Mug
In homes and breweries across England, people began using witch bottles—ceramic or glass containers filled with nails, pins, hair, urine, or herbs. These were buried under thresholds or hearths to protect against witches who might curse the beer or household.
Some believed that alewives could spoil beer with just a glare or an incantation.
Others used witch bottles to trap or confuse evil spirits, hoping to ward off brewers-turned-sorceresses.
Beer, Sex, and Scapegoats
Alewives were often poor, single, or widowed women, living on the edge of society. That made them easy scapegoats.
Some were accused of adding “love potions” to ale. Others were said to seduce men and lure them into drunkenness—a sin heavily condemned by the Church.
In some communities, drunkenness itself was blamed on witches, not on the drinker’s choices. This allowed people to point fingers rather than face social consequences.
The Fall of the Alewife
By the 17th century, the image of the alewife had shifted from respected tradeswoman to wicked crone. Many lost their brewing licenses. Others were dragged before courts during Europe's widespread witch trials.
What had once been a symbol of hospitality—a woman offering a warm ale—became twisted into the image of a witch luring souls to sin.
Conclusion: Brewing Fear and Folklore
The story of alewives and witch bottles isn’t just a quirky bit of history—it’s a tale of gender, power, and fear. Women who dared to master a craft, earn a living, and be independent were recast as witches, punished not for potions—but for success.
So next time you raise a pint, remember: behind that brew lies a forgotten history, where women were both the first brewers and the first to be burned.
Key Figures & Themes
- Alewives – Women who brewed and sold beer in pre-industrial Europe
- Witch Bottles – Objects used to protect against “curses” in homes and taverns
- Beer and Misogyny – Male brewers and churches demonized female brewers
- Folklore & Fear – How everyday tools became symbols of the occult
Tags:
#Alewives #WitchcraftHistory #BeerAndWitches #MedievalBrewing #WitchBottle #WomenInBeer
Reviewed by Sagar B
on
June 28, 2025
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