Plague Brewing Shift Displaced Alewives

Before the Black Death reached England, women brewed most ale for domestic and commercial use and dominated its sale, including the management of many alehouses. Since brewing did not need a special place to work, wives, widows and unmarried women could make ale at home and earn an independent living. Following the plague of 1347 to 1350, the demand for beer grew, and more investment in brewing made it a commercialized trade, enabling better-capitalized men to take control and slowly push many women brewers to the margins.

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