MORE ABOUT ALE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, 26 June 1913, Page 26

MORE ABOUT ALE.

“Fill up the bowl then, fill it high, Fill up the glasses there; for why Should every creature drink but I, Why man of morals, tell me why?” —Cowley.

Much has been written about ale, ale-tasters, ale poles, and ale measures, but in discussing such a very common product we are sometimes apt to overlook its ancient origin, and incidents relating to its merchandising which are of great interest even to the hotelkeeper of to-day. Herodotus writing B.G. 440, tells us that the Egyptians used a liquor made of barley. He tries to trace the origin of the drink going back to mythology and legendary history records that the favourite beverage was prepared from directions of how to brew it originally given to mankind by Isis the wife of Osiris. But that ale was Consumed in our own country at a very early date we have abundant evidence.

The Anglo-Saxons and the Danes drink deep and long draughts, and

toasted their victorious chiefs. They drank before and after their voyages, and their Vi-kings were strong men, and knew how to fight and conquer. They also knew how to feast. Very early there came a need of some method of measuring, or of limiting the draught. From whatever cause this came about, whether it was in the form of a measure, or intended to limit the draught taken by each of those who shared the flagon of ale, it is difficult to decide. St. Dunstan was one of the reformers, and was evidently acquainted with the vessels from which ale was drank. To him is ascribed the ancient custom of pegging the cup at certain intervals. Thus came the origin of peg tankards, and the limitation of drinking down to the pegs. Probably a wise arrangement in the days when one large cup or vessel was served out to a party, and a hard drinker might have emptied the flagon. There were many early enactments in reference to the prices of ale, which came about with the regular institution of taverns, the more general use of small coins possessed by the populace, and the fast diminishing open hostels and monasteries and the free provision of meat and drink to the poor.

The price of ale was established on a graduated scale by Act of Parliament in the reign of Henry 111., in the year 1266. The Coopers’ Company early came into being. Their services were needed in the making, of barrels, for in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, when the larger firms and brewers were coming into being, casks were required in which to store the precious liquor, and to take it to the taverns and ale-houses. In the year 1531 when Henry VIII. was on the throne, the Coopers’ Company received a mandate to gauge and mark all ale barrels. Moreover, they were permitted to fix a standard price of ale, and to maintain that price throughout the country.

But even at an earlier date than that the authorities and those in power began to exercise control over the brewing of ale, and the selling of it to the consumer. As early as the reign of Henry I. ale-conners were appointed in the City of London, Chaucer, in his writings in 1348, making reference to their duties. Ale-tast-ers did good service in their day, no doubt, and these officials were appointed by municipalities; and even by the Universities, for we hear that in 1617 John Shurle had a patent from the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford, for the office of ale-tester to the University. also possessing a right of assizing bottles. In times gone by the ale-taster had to go to every ale brewer and taste their ale, for which service he received a fee in kind, having given to him for each day’s testing a gallon of strong ale, and two gallons of small wort, for which it is recorded the market value was one penny per gallon. History does not record in what way the old taster used his fee, or whether he exchanged it for money. There have been changes from time to time in the old ale measures. What was known as the old ale gallon of varying quantity according to locality was finally abolished in 1824, when by an Act passed in the reign of George IV., at that date, modern measures of standard capacities were introduced. — London L.V. “Gazette.”

“I believe that a man who drinks alone is liable to become a drunkard. Men who drink in company rarely become intoxicated. I believe that

a nation where the people use the cup of wine for an exchange of social courtesies is more apt to be a sober and industrious nation.” —Rabbi Hirsch, Chicago.