The Story of How Alewives Became Witches in the 15th Century

(Austin, Texas ) - Stories of witches have been around since biblical times. These were women who had mystical powers to seduce, heal or cast spells. But most of these stories were just that, stories, or myths, passed down over the centuries.

What's interesting is that the origin story of witches has nothing to do with Halloween , potions or spells. The origin has everything to do with making beer. This was how women of the 14th and 15th century earned a living.

The Origin of Witches

Before the Spanish Inquisition of the 14th and 15th century, women took care of the home while the men were away fighting or hunting ( alltheswirl.com ). That included caring for the children, cooking and even working to earn some money. One way these women earned money was by brewing ale or beer. T