WEBVTT 00:02.366 --> 00:03.866 align:left position:15%,start line:5% size:75% - Caroline Boswell: And there were different strengths 00:03.966 --> 00:05.033 align:left position:22.5%,start line:5% size:67.5% of drink at this time. 00:05.133 --> 00:07.766 align:left position:12.5%,start line:71% size:77.5% You had small beer, which would be a weaker beer, 00:07.866 --> 00:10.566 align:left position:22.5%,start line:71% size:67.5% often brewed by pouring additional hot water 00:10.666 --> 00:13.533 align:left position:17.5%,start line:71% size:72.5% on top of the original mash from the first brew. 00:13.633 --> 00:16.600 align:left position:25%,start line:71% size:65% You had middle beer, which would be, you know, 00:16.700 --> 00:18.500 align:left position:15%,start line:71% size:75% the first batch of relatively strong beer. 00:18.600 --> 00:20.700 align:left position:15%,start line:71% size:75% And then you had strong beer. 00:20.800 --> 00:23.600 align:left position:17.5%,start line:71% size:72.5% And this was really what we would call high-gravity beer. 00:23.700 --> 00:27.300 align:left position:15%,start line:71% size:75% And of course, people at the time drank all three kinds 00:27.400 --> 00:28.900 align:left position:15%,start line:71% size:75% depending on the time of day it was. 00:29.000 --> 00:31.666 align:left position:15%,start line:71% size:75% You probably drank small beer in the morning, 00:31.766 --> 00:33.400 align:left position:25%,start line:71% size:65% and then maybe middle and strong beer 00:33.500 --> 00:35.000 align:left position:15%,start line:71% size:75% over the course of your day. 00:35.100 --> 00:37.300 align:left position:20%,start line:71% size:70% And a lot of it depended on your occupation. 00:37.400 --> 00:40.866 align:left position:17.5%,start line:71% size:72.5% For a long time, historians assumed that poor people 00:40.966 --> 00:44.700 align:left position:15%,start line:71% size:75% and especially day laborers, perhaps farmhands, 00:44.800 --> 00:46.633 align:left position:22.5%,start line:71% size:67.5% drank only small beer, but in fact, 00:46.733 --> 00:49.466 align:left position:15%,start line:71% size:75% they often drank strong beer because, 00:49.566 --> 00:52.300 align:left position:15%,start line:71% size:75% part of the reason drink was an everyday necessity 00:52.400 --> 00:55.366 align:left position:17.5%,start line:71% size:72.5% was that it's, as we know, high in calories, right. 00:55.466 --> 00:58.266 align:left position:30%,start line:71% size:60% And so, actually, landowners would fight 00:58.366 --> 01:01.800 align:left position:20%,start line:71% size:70% for the best farmhands by offering the strongest beer 01:01.900 --> 01:03.800 align:left position:17.5%,start line:71% size:72.5% because that would actually be part of your pay. 01:03.900 --> 01:06.533 align:left position:15%,start line:71% size:75% And this would be, you know, legendary 01:06.633 --> 01:09.966 align:left position:15%,start line:71% size:75% or it would be passed down by rumor that such-and-such a farm, 01:10.066 --> 01:13.433 align:left position:15%,start line:71% size:75% if you labored there, had the strongest beer on offer. 01:13.533 --> 01:16.266 align:left position:12.5%,start line:71% size:77.5% And now, people have asked me, well, how exactly was it 01:16.366 --> 01:18.666 align:left position:25%,start line:71% size:65% that people were able to be productive 01:18.766 --> 01:20.700 align:left position:25%,start line:71% size:65% if they were drinking particularly strong beer? 01:20.800 --> 01:21.866 align:left position:22.5%,start line:71% size:67.5% And that is a question 01:21.966 --> 01:24.066 align:left position:12.5%,start line:71% size:77.5% that historians have not quite answered yet. 01:24.166 --> 01:25.733 align:left position:27.5%,start line:71% size:62.5% [audience laughing] 01:25.833 --> 01:28.233 align:left position:20%,start line:71% size:70% Let's talk a little bit, something about the name. 01:28.333 --> 01:30.500 align:left position:10%,start line:71% size:80% Public house, they weren't owned by the state, 01:30.600 --> 01:32.633 align:left position:12.5%,start line:71% size:77.5% despite the fact they're called public houses. 01:32.733 --> 01:35.133 align:left position:12.5%,start line:71% size:77.5% They were public houses because they were open to the public. 01:35.233 --> 01:36.800 align:left position:20%,start line:71% size:70% Right, and so, therefore, they had to provide 01:36.900 --> 01:39.200 align:left position:20%,start line:71% size:70%   very specific services to be licensed. 01:39.300 --> 01:40.966 align:left position:12.5%,start line:83% size:77.5% And that's where the name "pub" comes from. 01:41.066 --> 01:43.666 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65% It's a short version of "public house." 01:43.766 --> 01:45.900 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5% They very specifically had three different types 01:46.000 --> 01:47.500 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5% of drinking establishments. 01:47.600 --> 01:51.600 align:left position:10%,start line:83% size:80% They had inns, they had taverns, and they had ale houses. 01:51.700 --> 01:53.500 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5% Inns were large establishments. 01:53.600 --> 01:55.500 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5% Innkeepers were relatively wealthy. 01:55.600 --> 01:58.533 align:left position:10%,start line:83% size:80% Sometimes they even participated in local politics. 01:58.633 --> 02:01.033 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5% And they catered to a wealthier clientele. 02:01.133 --> 02:03.500 align:left position:10%,start line:71% size:80% You're not gonna find your dukes or kings here. 02:03.600 --> 02:07.400 align:left position:17.5%,start line:71% size:72.5% The toffs don't go to where the ordinary people hang out. 02:07.500 --> 02:08.900 align:left position:17.5%,start line:71% size:72.5% But still, you're gonna be talking about 02:09.000 --> 02:10.666 align:left position:17.5%,start line:71% size:72.5% relatively wealthy people. 02:10.766 --> 02:12.600 align:left position:25%,start line:71% size:65% And they're gonna be attending inns 02:12.700 --> 02:15.000 align:left position:20%,start line:71% size:70% largely because they need sustenance, right, 02:15.100 --> 02:16.800 align:left position:12.5%,start line:71% size:77.5% and they need a place to stay. 02:16.900 --> 02:18.400 align:left position:22.5%,start line:71% size:67.5% So inns, in order to be licensed, 02:18.500 --> 02:20.866 align:left position:22.5%,start line:71% size:67.5% obviously had to offer accommodations to people. 02:20.966 --> 02:23.066 align:left position:20%,start line:71% size:70% They had to have stables, which again, 02:23.166 --> 02:25.433 align:left position:20%,start line:71% size:70% suggests they're wealthy clientele 02:25.533 --> 02:27.466 align:left position:17.5%,start line:71% size:72.5% if you can afford a horse. 02:27.566 --> 02:29.633 align:left position:22.5%,start line:71% size:67.5% And, of course, you had to have food. 02:29.733 --> 02:31.166 align:left position:30%,start line:71% size:60% But additionally, what people wanted 02:31.266 --> 02:33.566 align:left position:15%,start line:71% size:75% was access to private rooms. 02:33.666 --> 02:35.933 align:left position:27.5%,start line:71% size:62.5% Not just to sleep, but to socialize 02:36.033 --> 02:37.433 align:left position:12.5%,start line:71% size:77.5% because they didn't necessarily want to mix 02:37.533 --> 02:38.733 align:left position:17.5%,start line:71% size:72.5% with the general population 02:38.833 --> 02:41.500 align:left position:12.5%,start line:71% size:77.5% that might be attending the inn at any given time. 02:41.600 --> 02:45.500 align:left position:12.5%,start line:71% size:77.5% And so, they very much cater to a specific, more elite class 02:45.600 --> 02:47.500 align:left position:22.5%,start line:71% size:67.5% and as such they offer more beverages 02:47.600 --> 02:48.666 align:left position:20%,start line:71% size:70% than, say, an ale house. 02:48.766 --> 02:51.100 align:left position:20%,start line:71% size:70% They're gonna offer wine in addition to beer, 02:51.200 --> 02:53.466 align:left position:20%,start line:71% size:70%   ale, and potentially cider and perry, 02:53.566 --> 02:56.633 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70% depending on what part of England you're in. 02:56.733 --> 02:59.566 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5% Taverns, again, catered to relatively well-to-do, 02:59.666 --> 03:02.633 align:left position:12.5%,start line:83% size:77.5% as they would call them, people in the early modern period. 03:02.733 --> 03:04.733 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75% They specifically sold wine, 03:04.833 --> 03:06.933 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75% though you could, of course, purchase beer there as well, 03:07.033 --> 03:09.533 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5% but you went to the tavern to purchase wine. 03:09.633 --> 03:11.400 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5% And wine was more expensive in England than beer 03:11.500 --> 03:13.833 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5% because it was not produced there. 03:13.933 --> 03:15.666 align:left position:25%,start line:71% size:65% And so, it was again, wealthier merchants 03:15.766 --> 03:17.633 align:left position:30%,start line:71% size:60% who would be able to afford this. 03:17.733 --> 03:19.966 align:left position:12.5%,start line:71% size:77.5% So they're largely going there to purchase their wine. 03:20.066 --> 03:21.366 align:left position:22.5%,start line:71% size:67.5% And in fact, sometimes you would go 03:21.466 --> 03:23.900 align:left position:17.5%,start line:71% size:72.5% just to simply purchase it and take it home, right, 03:24.000 --> 03:26.033 align:left position:10%,start line:71% size:80% because most people did not make their own wine. 03:26.133 --> 03:28.633 align:left position:17.5%,start line:71% size:72.5% In fact, the vast majority of people did not. 03:28.733 --> 03:31.100 align:left position:17.5%,start line:71% size:72.5%   Taverns, much like inns, 03:31.200 --> 03:33.266 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5% also had to offer a degree of accommodations, 03:33.366 --> 03:36.166 align:left position:10%,start line:83% size:80% though that wasn't their primary purpose like an inn. 03:36.266 --> 03:38.500 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75% The lowest and most prolific of all of these 03:38.600 --> 03:41.833 align:left position:12.5%,start line:83% size:77.5% kind of drinking establishments was the ale house. 03:41.933 --> 03:44.933 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70% Ale houses were far less permanent structures 03:45.033 --> 03:46.933 align:left position:25%,start line:89% size:65% than taverns or inns. 03:47.033 --> 03:49.066 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75% Oftentimes, they were simply someone's house 03:49.166 --> 03:51.200 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5% that had opened up as an ale house 03:51.300 --> 03:53.400 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75% in part to supplement income. 03:53.500 --> 03:57.300 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75% But they were definitely much smaller, less affluent places. 03:57.400 --> 04:00.933 align:left position:20%,start line:71% size:70% Their primary purpose, of course, was to offer beer. 04:01.033 --> 04:02.333 align:left position:15%,start line:71% size:75% Originally they offered ale, 04:02.433 --> 04:04.300 align:left position:20%,start line:71% size:70% but ale had more or less been replaced, 04:04.400 --> 04:07.033 align:left position:17.5%,start line:71% size:72.5% since ale is unhopped beer in England. 04:07.133 --> 04:08.266 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5% This is the Medieval image 04:08.366 --> 04:09.866 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5% and you can see what's going on here, 04:09.966 --> 04:11.766 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5% is this woman, who is an ale wife, 04:11.866 --> 04:14.066 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75% right, she runs an ale house, 04:14.166 --> 04:17.166 align:left position:12.5%,start line:83% size:77.5% is welcoming her new customer, who is clearly a monk, 04:17.266 --> 04:18.633 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5% he's quite thirsty, very happy to see 04:18.733 --> 04:21.133 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5% that she has ale available for him. 04:21.233 --> 04:22.766 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5% And how does he know this? 04:22.866 --> 04:25.500 align:left position:12.5%,start line:83% size:77.5% Well, at this time, if you were going to sell ale 04:25.600 --> 04:26.800 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5% and you didn't do it regularly, 04:26.900 --> 04:28.400 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75% the way in which you signaled the fact 04:28.500 --> 04:30.500 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5% that you had a fresh brew ready 04:30.600 --> 04:33.533 align:left position:12.5%,start line:83% size:77.5% was that you put the ale stake at the top of your house. 04:33.633 --> 04:36.333 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5% Which in this case is this broom, so it's an ale stake, 04:36.433 --> 04:38.866 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70% hanging out to signal to passersby: 04:38.966 --> 04:40.633 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60% "Hey, we're open for business today. 04:40.733 --> 04:42.533 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5% "Come on in, we've got a fresh brew." 04:42.633 --> 04:45.033 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5% And this, obviously, is the precursor to the pub sign, 04:45.133 --> 04:49.800 align:left position:17.5%,start line:71% size:72.5% right, which becomes a more permanent fixture in the future. 04:49.900 --> 04:52.433 align:left position:17.5%,start line:71% size:72.5% But this was how ale houses tended to operate 04:52.533 --> 04:53.733 align:left position:25%,start line:71% size:65% in the Medieval era. 04:53.833 --> 04:55.700 align:left position:12.5%,start line:71% size:77.5% Eventually, they'll become more permanent structures, 04:55.800 --> 04:58.733 align:left position:10%,start line:71% size:80% but the illegal ones, kind of in and out, as you might imagine, 04:58.833 --> 05:00.800 align:left position:17.5%,start line:71% size:72.5% depending on when they were unearthed 05:00.900 --> 05:02.300 align:left position:20%,start line:71% size:70% by the local authorities.