The Ale Wife... bless her!

“The Anglo-Saxons maintained the credit of their Teutonic origin in being mighty drinkers; yet, mighty topers as the English were, it may be doubted if they have ever outdone the Germans in beer-swilling, not withstanding the assertion of Igao that “your Dane, your German, and your swag-bellied Hollander... are nothing to your English” in powers of drinking!
Frederick W. Hackwood, author of “Inns, Ales and drinking customs of Old England...”  PP 89

Ale itself hasn't changed much since the middle ages.  Beer and Ale remain a traditional sustenance of Englishmen. In early times, when brewing was a domestic industry the trade was entirely in the hands of the Ale-Wife.  Now think about this... if you open up a Salt Lake City, Utah phone book, strange as it may seem... you will find a predominance of the name “Smith” and also “Young,” and gee I wonder why?  So in the 11th century in England , as the name for an Ale- Wife was “Brewster” that when the Doomsday Book was written... well I bet you this happened in so many villages and towns across England.. Do we find because of an Ale-Wife did the Normans not assign said family the name “Brewster” for their records?  And how common today is the last name Brewster, or Brewer?

I have to thank the fine people at Morrison’s grocery chain for granting me permission to photograph what I can only describe to you as a thing of great beauty.  Look at this, shelf upon shelf in the everyday supermarket of today’s United Kingdom offering the finest British Real Ales and Beers and look, the choice is endless, and this is only the bottles. 

Do and about face and lo and behold, beer and ale in cans by the case... and yessssssssssssss

                                       Boddies
My good friend Jim Seedorf introduced me, in the United States in Baltimore of all places, in an "Irish" pub on the harbor, while we were attending a conference and it was after hours... to Boddingtons.  

I do not know a man who has delighted in this fine English Ale to not like it.  I have witnessed grown men order a second and a third in one setting, such is... as things find themselves to be in a pub.  Renowned for its golden color, distinctive creamy head, smooth body and easy drinking character, Boddingtons is a medium-bodied pale ale. It has a creamy, malty and slightly sweet flavor and features a clean, pleasant aftertaste. If you can believe this or not: Boddingtons is imported and distributed in the United States by Anheuser-Busch, Inc.

Beer - Ale quote of the day: "People who drink light 'beer' don't like the taste of beer; they just like to pee a lot."