Ale-Conner: the history of a professional beer taster

A career in the brewing industry is far from glamorous, but holding a coveted position such as an ale-conner might just change your mind. Or it might not!

What is an ale-conner?

Before you begin your transition from brewer to ale-conner, you might want to know more about what an ale-conner actually is. Let’s start by going back to basics and taking the two words apart.

ale – no necessary definition needed here. We all know what ale is.

conner – Merriam-Webster states that it is an archaic word referring to one that tests or examines.

ale + conner = beer tester (taster)

Intrigued? We were, too! So we did some research and came across some facts and some not-so-facts.

First, the facts.

An ale-conner is a court-appointed person who tests ales to ensure that they were made according to each town’s standards and if sold, were sold at an appropriate price.

Ale-conners would frequent pubs and markets where ale was sold. They also went house to house to ensure that the alewives were brewing acceptable beer, as well.

But it didn’t stop with beer. Ale-conners often also tested bread and other liquors to ensure the tastiness of both.

Ale-conners and their sticky britches

Second, some not-so-facts.

It has been rumored that the ale-conner didn’t actually taste the ale. Instead they sat in it. You heard that correctly. They would pour the ale to be tested on a bench and sit in it. If the beer they sat in made their leather britches stick to the bench, then the beer had too much sugar and was considered bad. Fines were handed out.

Another rumor was quite the opposite. Britches sticking to the bench meant the beer was just fine and suitable to drink. No fines necessary. Happy brewer. Maybe not so happy ale-conner, with sticky pants and all.

Even if there were sticky britches, we’re of the mindset that it’s not too bad of a position so far. Wouldn’t you agree?

Imprisonment, bribes, and death to the ale-conner

No sticky britches involved, this sounds like quite a glamorous job. And it might have been. Until it was time for the ale-conner to hand out fines or a prison sentence if a beer wasn’t to his satisfaction.

Because of this, ale-conners were not very popular. Pub owners tried to bribe them, and they often accepted the bribes. Getting caught could result in their own imprisonment.

But none of that was as bad as the possibility of dying on the job. Death when tasting ales? Very rare in the 21st century, but very possible in the 14th century in Medieval England.

Hops, along with safe brewing methods, didn’t have a role in beer yet, resulting in a sickly sweet brew that was often kept around long after it should have been dumped out. Many ale-conners would get sick and many even died after a tasting from a bad batch of beer.

Are you ready to trade your magic paddle for a beer tasting job in the 1300s? All the ale you can drink… if you can get past upset pub owners, keep your bribes hidden, and never sample a brew that’ll send you to an early grave.

Ale-conners of the 21st century

That said, there are still a few ale-conners sticking around today. Albeit, the role is purely ceremonial. London, along with a few other boroughs throughout England, appoint a few new ale-conners every year, donning leather britches and all.

Whether they sit in the ale or taste it, well, if the tourists want it…

An excerpt from the oath of an Ale-conner

As any law abiding court appointed position should have, there was an oath to swear by for ale-conners of the 14th century. Convoluted and clear as mud, as any good oath should be, the ale-conner’s oath follows suit.

“You shall swear, that you shall know of no brewer or brewster, cook, or pie-baker, in your Ward, who sells the gallon of best ale for more than one penny halfpenny, or the gallon of second for more than one penny, or otherwise than by measure sealed and full of clear ale; or who brews less than he used to do before this cry, by reason hereof, or withdraws himself from following his trade the rather by reason of this cry; or if any persons shall do contrary to any one of these points, you shall certify the Alderman of your Ward [thereof] and of their names. And that you, so soon as you shall be required to taste any ale of a brewer or brewster, shall be ready to do the same; and in case that it be less good than it used to be before this cry, you, by assent of your Alderman, shall set a reasonable price thereon, according to your discretion; and if any one shall afterwards sell the same above the said price, unto your said Alderman you shall certify the same. And that for gift, promise, knowledge, hate, or other cause whatsoever, no brewer, brewster, huckster, cook, or pie-baker, who acts against any one of the points aforesaid, you shall conceal, spare, or tortiously aggrieve; nor when you are required to taste ale, shall absent yourself without reasonable cause and true; but all things which unto your office pertain to do, you shall well and lawfully do.—So God you help, and the Saints.” (as copied from The Old Foodie)

Keep your day job. You can taste all that you brew, all while knowing it’s brewed well.

MMC Knows Malts

And when it comes to malts, while the ale-conner oath is convoluted and confusing, there’s nothing confusing about Malteurop’s malts.

And no bribes needed, either. A well-versed ale-conner will tell you right away that Malteurop’s malts are of the highest quality breed and contribute the flavors you expect and need, so that you’ll never owe penance to the ale-conner.

“Malt should not be something that somebody has to worry about. That’s our job as maltsters. We produce something consistent and to specification every time and take that off of your plate.” (Joel Grosser, Director of Operations for Malteurop North America)

Premium grains from field to flavor.

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About Malteurop Malting Company (MMC)

Malteurop Malting Company (MMC) is based in North America – specializing in growing and producing quality malts for the beer, whiskey, and food processing industries.

With local farms and Malthouses spread across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Malteurop’s commitment to excellence is fully ingrained into every batch it produces, ensuring businesses of any size can create the finest beverages and food products on the planet.

Visit www.malteuropmaltingco.com to learn how we can support your malting needs.

Malting is our passion. Quality is our promise.

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https://beerandbrewing.com/dictionary/xfajLSJZBp/

https://zythophile.co.uk/false-ale-quotes/myth-3-medieval-ale-conners-wore-leather-breeches-and-tested-ale-by-pouring-some-on-a-wooden-bench-and-then-sitting-in-it-and-seeing-if-they-stuck-to-the-bench/

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conner

http://www.theoldfoodie.com/2013/09/the-oath-of-ale-conner.html

https://www.palatepress.com/become-the-next-london-ale-taster/