ALE-CONNER, an officer appointed yearly at the court-leet of
ancient English manors for the assize of ale and ale-measures.
The
gustatores cervisiae--called in different localities
by the different names "ale-tasters," "ale-founders," and
"ale-conners"--were sworn to examine beer and ale, to take
care that they were good and wholesome and were sold at proper
prices. In London four ale-conners, whose duty it is to examine
the measures used by beer and liquor sellers to guard against
fraud, are still chosen annually by the liverymen in common
hall assembled on Midsummer Day. Since ale and beer have become
excisable commodities the custom of appointing ale-tasters has
in most places fallen into disuse. (See also ADULTERATION.)
This article is from the 1911 edition of an
encyclopedia, which is out of copyright here in the U.S. It is in the
public domain and you may copy, download, print and distribute this work
as you see fit.
Every effort has been made to present this text accurately and
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Snell nor About may be held liable for any problems you experience with
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