For centuries, women in brewing defined how beer was made, sold, and shared. Men then erased their role and seized control. From sacred goddesses to mocked witches, women’s brewing history shows both loss and resilience.
Women as the first brewers
Brewing began long before medieval alewives. In ancient Mesopotamia, women held sacred roles in brewing. People tied beer to goddesses like Ninkasi, and female priests led rituals of fermentation. Across Egypt and Sumer, brewing was a respected, feminine craft.
Later in Europe, women brewed at home as part of daily life. Ale was food, medicine, and income. Women brewed for their families and sold extra to neighbours. Known as alewives or brewsters, they became skilled keepers of grain, herbs, and yeast. For centuries, women sustained communities with their brewing knowledge.
Men enter the brewing trade
The story shifted when brewing grew beyond the household. Demand rose, and brewing became profitable. Monasteries stepped in with advantages no alewife could match. They had land, workers, and tax exemptions. Their large breweries quickly outproduced domestic brewing.
At the same time, towns created guilds to regulate trades. Male-dominated guilds excluded women from the trade. Brewing transformed from a kitchen skill into an organised profession. Capital, licenses, and networks shut women out of brewing.The craft they had built became a male preserve, and their role slowly vanished from history.
Alewives and the witch myth
Alewives left behind a striking image. Tall hats made them easy to spot in busy marketplaces. Cats guarded their grain from hungry vermin. Meanwhile, cauldrons steamed and bubbled with fresh ale.
Centuries later, these same symbols became the familiar image of the witch. This overlap has fuelled the myth that monks accused women brewers of witchcraft to erase competition. Yet history does not support this claim. Religion, fear, and misogyny drove the witch trials. Still, it is striking how alewives’ symbols shaped our idea of witches.
Women return to brewing
Today, women are steadily reclaiming their place in brewing. Across the world, female brewers are opening breweries, leading collaborations, and shaping new beer cultures. They brew classic styles with skill but also push bold innovations. Their visibility challenges the outdated idea that brewing is a man’s world.
Many women in brewing also connect their work to history, proudly reminding us that beer was theirs first. Their success is not a novelty. It is a correction of centuries of exclusion.
A craft shared once more
The story of alewives shows us how gender shaped brewing. It also shows resilience. Despite centuries of exclusion, women are returning to their roots. Brewing is no longer the sole domain of men. It is once more a shared craft, enriched by diverse voices.
