The Curiosities of Ale & Beer: An Entertaining History: (Illustrated with over Fifty Quaint Cuts)

In Short

John Bickerdyke’s study presents a wide-ranging, affectionate history of British malt liquors, tracing their influence on social customs, law, and literature from early antiquity to the nineteenth century. Rooted in research begun by John Greville Fennell and augmented by Bickerdyke and his associates, the book examine how barley-wine grew from a basic domestic necessity into a major national industry. Along the way, it explores medieval church-ales, old tavern signboards, legal disputes over adulteration, and the songs of drinkers through the ages. Bickerdyke illustrates how ale shaped daily routines, monastic life, literature, and public health across generations. The work endures because it balances antiquarian detail with lively humor, offering a comprehensive, charming portrait of English social life through the lens of its national drink.

The Story

The narrative begins with an investigation into the antiquity of barley-wine, establishing that malt liquor has long served as the natural, foundational drink of the English people. In early centuries, ale was woven directly into daily life, domestic economy, and religious observances. Early records show that even thirteenth-century Christmas celebrations and parish events relied heavily on generous provisions of ale. However, as the drink grew central to public life, dishonest practices emerged. Medieval texts like Piers the Ploughman reveal how brewhouses mixed thin penny-ale with perry to deceive poor laborers, prompting early attempts at legal regulation and price controls to protect consumers from fraudulent brewers and adulterated stock.

As the middle ages progressed into the early modern era, brewing shifted from a casual home craft to an organized trade, complete with powerful guilds and complex statutes. The book follows the rise of the Brewers’ Company in London, chronicling their struggles to enforce quality standards, establish prices, and maintain discipline among their members. Tensions frequently flared between large-scale commercial brewers and small retailers or tipplers. In the street, tavern life flourished, making the English inn a primary setting for social interaction, public entertainment, and artistic life. Early theatrical companies erected temporary stages within the open yards of carrier inns, directly influencing the architecture of modern playhouses with their layered galleries, private boxes, and central standing areas for groundlings.

The narrative then traces the evolution of brewing ingredients, most notably the crucial introduction of the hop. Bickerdyke explains how hops transformed the industry by preserving beer for long-distance transport, breaking down fermentation, and imparting a distinctive bitter flavor through lupuline. The text highlights how regional brewing variations produced specialized, highly potent drinks—ranging from strong October brews and historical "Nipitato" to Cambridge’s "Pharaoh" ale and the famous, heavy-hitting "Stingo" of Yorkshire. Folk tales, mock trials like the prosecution of Sir John Barleycorn, and comedic poems show how deeply these drinks entered popular imagination, often outshining imported wines in the hearts of common folk and poets alike.

Entering the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the story turns toward industrialization and the rise of massive commercial breweries. Great London firms such as Thrale, Whitbread, Calvert, and Truman expanded production to tens of thousands of barrels annually, turning porter into a globally recognized symbol of British commerce. Prominent historical figures enter the narrative, including Dr. Samuel Johnson, who managed the Thrale brewery as an executor, and Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, a brewer-parliamentarian who championed free trade and fought for the abolition of capital punishment for minor crimes and the end of slavery.

Finally, the book examines the physical culture of drinking—cataloging traditional vessels like leather black-jacks, horn cups, and bombards—before concluding with a defense of moderate consumption. Drawing on nineteenth-century medical commentary, chemical analyses, and opinions from figures like Professor Liebig and Sir James Paget, Bickerdyke argues that pure, well-brewed malt liquor provides essential nourishment, aids digestion, and serves as a wholesome, time-tested alternative to unreliable water supplies.

How It Unfolds

The ancient staple — The text opens by establishing barley-wine as the historical, foundational drink of England, detailing its presence in early social life and religious feasts. Early medieval carols and church laws illustrate how deeply ale was integrated into everyday culture and holiday celebrations.

Cheats and regulations — As commercial brewing grows, dishonest practices arise among brewers who dilute their products or sell weak mixtures to laborers. Early laws, price controls, and satirists like William Longland highlight the constant struggle to ensure fair measures and unadulterated drinks.

Guilds and tavern yards — The Brewers’ Company establishes formal rules to govern the trade, managing disputes and securing civic power despite occasional resistance. Meanwhile, country and city inns thrive, with carrier inn yards becoming the structural prototype for early English theaters.

The science of the hop — The introduction of hops revolutionizes brewing by adding preservative qualities and distinct bitterness through yellow lupuline powder. Bickerdyke explains the technical details of fermentation, aging, and regional recipes across various English counties.

Sir John on trial — Popular culture celebrates the strength and humor of drinking through whimsical pamphlets, ballads, and mock trials of "Sir John Barleycorn." Yorkshire ales and potent "humming" brews defeat imported wines in lighthearted literary contests.

The industrial giants — Large-scale porter breweries transform the trade into a massive economic engine during the eighteenth century. Figures like Dr. Samuel Johnson and Parliamentarian Thomas Fowell Buxton show how brewing intersected with high society, politics, and social reform.

Vessels and medical defenses — The narrative concludes with an survey of traditional drinking vessels, from leather black-jacks to silver-trimmed jacks, alongside a medical defense of temperance over total abstinence. Bickerdyke cites contemporary scientists and physicians to affirm that pure malt liquor remains a nutritious, digestible beverage.

The People

John Greville Fennell — A contributor to The Field and a passionate lover of ale who first conceived the project of collecting historical materials on British brewing traditions. Advanced age and failing health prevented him from completing the manuscript, prompting him to entrust his unarranged notes and research papers to his friend John Bickerdyke shortly before his death.

Sir John Barleycorn — The personified figure of malt liquor, depicted in popular ballads and whimsical pamphlets as a noble, stout knight beloved across England. In satirical court trials, he defends himself against complaints from tradesmen, arguing through his brother Malt that any trouble arises from human excess rather than the virtue of the grain itself.

Dr. Samuel Johnson — The eminent literary figure who frequented the Thrale family brewery in Southwark and maintained a close friendship with the owners. Following Henry Thrale’s death, Johnson served as an active executor, attempting to help manage the immense business before it was eventually sold to avoid financial peril.

Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton — A prominent nineteenth-century partner in a major London brewing firm who balanced business acumen with dedicated public service in Parliament. An advocate for free trade, Buxton used his legislative influence to help reform the criminal code, abolish capital punishment for minor offenses, and advance the cause of anti-slavery.

Bacchus — The classical god of wine who features in satirical regional poems, such as the Yorkshire Dialogue. Upon visiting English taverns, Bacchus tastes the local strong ales, gets soundly out-drunk by northern country rustics, and declares that English malt liquor far surpasses the finest juice of the grape.

In Its Own Voice

"Since the dawn of our history Barley-wine has been the 'naturall drinke' for an 'Englysshe man,' and has had no unimportant influence on English life and manners."

Bickerdyke explains in his preface why the history of ale deserves a dedicated, bulky volume.

"Why, if it had hopp’d a little further it would have hopp’d into the river. O, my lord, my ale is meat, drink, and cloth; it will make a cat speak and a wise man dumb."

A humorous exchange in an old dialogue reveals common historical complaints about weak, over-hopped beer.

"London is a name pretty widely known in the world; some nations know it for one thing, and some for another. But all nations know that London is the place where porter was invented..."

The text reflects on the global fame achieved by London’s nineteenth-century industrial breweries and their signature dark beer.

What It's Really About

Beneath its collection of antiquarian anecdotes and drinking songs, the book explores how a single beverage can reflect the cultural, economic, and legal evolution of a nation. Bickerdyke argues that ale is not merely an indulgence, but a central pillar of English social history that shaped domestic life, monastic routine, labor rights, and urban entertainment. The text repeatedly contrasts honest, traditional brewing methods using native malt and hops against fraudulent adulteration and modern cheap substitutes, framing pure ale as a matter of national integrity and public health.

Furthermore, the work addresses the ongoing debate between total abstinence and moderate consumption. By bringing together historical records, legal statutes, and contemporary nineteenth-century medical research, Bickerdyke makes a calculated argument for temperance. He suggests that well-made malt liquor, cooked and preserved through proper brewing, historically provided a safe, sustaining source of nourishment in times when clean drinking water was scarce and heavy manual labor demanded high caloric intake.

Why Read It Today

This book will delight readers who enjoy social history, culinary traditions, folklore, and Victorian antiquarian research. Reading it feels like sitting in an old oak-paneled tavern with an exceptionally well-read companion who has spent decades unearthing forgotten manuscripts, parish registers, and street ballads. Bickerdyke writes with warmth, good humor, and a genuine affection for his subject, filling every chapter with curious historical facts—from the way medieval carrier inn yards shaped Shakespearean theater design to the peculiar ingredients used in early medical tonics.

Modern readers should be prepared for the book's episodic structure and antiquarian style. The text frequently pauses its broader historical narrative to reproduce full poetic stanzas, archaic Middle English verses, legal petitions, and long lists of regional brewing terms. Middle English excerpts from Piers Plowman and early modern ballads feature non-standard spelling and regional dialects that require attentive reading. Additionally, the book reflects nineteenth-century perspectives on social class and alcohol consumption that may feel dated today. Nevertheless, for anyone interested in the cultural history of daily life, food, and drink, Bickerdyke’s exhaustive survey remains an entertaining, richly detailed portrait of English social heritage.