The Tales of an Ale Wife

"Ale wife..." I whisper to myself as I watch and listen to my husband and his crew talk amonst themselves. Ale wife is what they called me which I guess was well suited, as I did provide this small countryside town the best Ale around. For the 5th Century, there was no real want for big corporations to make and sell ale without it going to waste before it made it's round.

"Another round men?" I asked, swinging my hips past the chairs to rest my hands upon my husbands shoulders. A smile infectiously leaked across their faces as they all nodded and slammed down their empty mugs. Each one dry as a bone. A sure fire sign of enjoyment. I quickly gathered the mugs up and slipped through the room to refill them.

"Last batch boys!" I shout from behind my bar. I watch as the last mug fills. "But don't you worry lads, plenty more tomorrow morning!" I land the mugs back down onto the table and watch them sip and continue their chatter.

I had just enough time to wipe down the room before I was ready to head back into the cellar and finish the last step in my ale making process. I let out a soft sigh, drop the rag over my right shoulder before turning to the cellar door.

I could have been a stay at home wife, who awaits her partner every evening. Someone who had supper ready and children bathed. I still do all of that, while supplying this town with thirst quenching ale. A quality my husband was very fond of, as he brought everyone to our little Ale Shack on a daily basis, as soon as he was finished working as a blacksmith a short distance away.

"Excuse me miss" A voice spoke up from the front doors of our small tavern. A small woman, about my size, stood in the door way. She looked lost and alone but not frightened. She stared at me specifically.

"We're closed!" My husband, sloshed and irritable, said with a slam of a fist to the table. I sent daggers his way. A usual sign to cease whatever was doing or was about to.

"My apologies for my husband, he has unfortunately finished up our last barrel and I am needing to close up and finish the next batch." I said with a more gentle note. I watched as the woman nodded before closing the door, with her still inside the tavern.

"I just needed to talk to you ma'am" She spoke up, a very gentle and soft tone. A tone that settled all men in the room. "My husband was a lover of your ale and with his passing, I needed to come here and..." Her voice trailed off, realizing that the full table had sat quietly listening to her.

I swiftly made my way to their table, swatting at them with the rag that sat on my shoulder. "Shoo, get to your evenings and let us be" I smiled as the men gathered themselves and thanked me for the Ale. My favorite part of the business. My husband touched my hand and nodded before heading out with the others.

"Sit." I say, tapping a chair and watching as the young woman made her way to me.

"My condolences to your husband." I started, clearing my throat. "I remember your husband, he sat along mine and was a great tipper". I watched as her eyes lit up. She was relieved to see her late husbands memory lived on in another.

"Thank you" She nodded before locking eyes with me. "I was wondering if it would be appropriate for me to learn from you. As an Ale wife of course." Her question had thrown me off. I had no daughters to teach the craft and as a married woman, my husband was my only other partner when he wasn't working in his workshop.

Ale wifes typically share the trades workload with their family and pass it along to their daughters. I have found it harder and harder to start that family, so this new idea of teaching another woman, wasn't the worst thing. Widowed or divorced women who run Ale Houses, run it alone.

"Well I would love an extra hand, and this town could use another Tavern as if grows." I thought aloud, before slipping my hand over hers. "Do you have time now? It's time to teach you the steps to brewing."