A FORGOTTEN GOLDEN AGE

According to an article from the Smithsonian Institution, way back in the day, almost all beer was brewed by women, referred to as ‘Alewives’. That was until the 16th century in Europe, when religious intervention shaped gender norms, doing so by pushing and stigmatising the idea of witchcraft. And this is where things get really interesting. 

Not only did females make up the majority of those producing and selling beer, but a lot of the symbols we still recognise today of witches may actually stem from here. Women would sell beer at markets, stirred in large cauldrons. To help them stand out in these crowded spaces and make themselves easily recognisable, they wore long, pointed hats. Brooms were used as signs to indicate houses selling beer, as well as to sweep away loose grain so as not to attract vermin. In fact, this was the same reason that witches, I mean, brewers often had cats: to ward off rodents.  

Some of you might remember the Hazy IPA we did a few years ago, which featured a purple cat stylised in witchy design. We didn’t realise at the time, but with this beer and its distinct decal, we were apparently paying homage to linked traditions that have largely been overlooked.  

TOIL AND TROUBLE...

So, how did this perfectly practical brewing equipment come to be associated with witchery? As the church espoused its ideas of sorcery as evil, male brewers took the opportunity to stamp out competition, labeling female brewers as witches and misrepresenting their beer as magical potion.  

The consequences of such a claim would’ve been devastating, witchcraft being an offence punishable by death in many cases. Through this persecution, common brewing garb and tools were detached from their original purpose and rebranded as witch paraphernalia. And sadly, women were gradually forced out of the brewing trade. 

WHERE TO FROM HERE?

It’s great to see that even within our four walls, slowly but surely, more and more women are entering and remaining in brewing. We’ve had female colleagues from head brewers to canning specialists, in what we hope is a mark of the tide not only turning, but expanding into a state of greater diversity, inclusivity and equality. This puts the onus on us to help make that happen, a challenge we hope all breweries are joining us in rising to.  

Let’s conclude with a cheers – to all the witches out there. We always knew there was more than just swag to those broomsticks, pointy hats and feline sidekicks. And it’s fun to see our brew kit as aggrandised cauldrons… So come down to TGBC for a potion or two this weekend, fresh from our brewery taps!  

Looking to enter the industry? Take a look at our careers page to see what jobs are available at TGB, or shoot an email to careers@thegrifter.com.au to get in touch. We might not have any vacancies right now, but we’d love to hear from you.