ale-stake

English

Noun

ale-stake (plural ale-stakes)

1. Alternative form of alestake
   • 1889, John Bickerdyke, The curiosities of ale & beer: an entertaining history, page 108:

     No one was permitted to brew ale so long as any church-ale lasted, nor so long as the keeper of the park had any to sell, nor at any time without licence of the lord or court ; nor to sell without a sign, or, during the fair, without an ale-stake hung out, nor to ask a higher price for ale than that fixed by the jury of assize, nor to lower the quality below what the ale-tasters approved, nor to sell at times of Divine service, nor after nine o'clock at night, nor to sell at all without entering into a bond for ₤10, with a surety of ₤5, to keep orderly houses.

   • 1998, Pete Slosberg, Beer for Pete's Sake, page 53:

     If you ran a public drinking house, you were required to have an ale-stake to show that you were conducting a business where ale was being brewed for sale.

   • 2003, Ian Spencer Hornsey, A History of Beer and Brewing, page 286:

     This was effected by the brewer putting an ale-stake outside of his establishment, with a branch or bush attached to the end of it (Figure 6.1).

Anagrams

• Eastlake

Middle English

Noun

ale-stake

1. alestake
   • c. 1400, Chaucer, Canterbury Tales:

     A garland had he set upon his head As great as it werin for an ale-stake.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)