Jun 4, 2024
"In England back in the Middle Ages, women did most of the beer brewing, both at home and to pick up a little extra cash at market stalls. They wore conical hats to attract customers, stirred their brews in cauldrons, and kept cats around to control the mice attracted to the brewing grains. With the arrival of the Reformation in the early 16th century came finger-pointing at "witches" who cast curses. Seeing an opportunity to cut down on their competition, male brewers began accusing their female peers of being on the dark side, which forevermore linked witches to pointy hats, cauldrons, and black cats."
- The Old Farmer's Almanac, 2023, page 254
