Sheriff tests ale in unusual medieval tradition

The ale testing requires a town crier, an ale corner, city guardian and a sheriff

An unusual historic tradition that involves a city's sheriff testing the quality of ale with a wooden stool and an egg timer while wearing leather breeches is taking place again this year.

Gloucester's Sheriff's Assize of Ale dates back to medieval times and was reintroduced to the city in 2003.

It stems from when the sheriff was responsible for ensuring the ale in the city was of "palatable quality" and puts pubs across Gloucester to the test.

The yearly tradition raises money for charity, with the Alzheimer’s Society, Sue Ryder Care and Teckels Animal Shelter due to benefit.

A small amount of ale is poured onto a wooden stool

Current sheriff Pam Tracey represents all the pubs in the city centre, the docks and quays.

Sheriff Tracey, together with an army of followers dressed in medieval clothing, tour the pubs in the city’s historic core collecting cash for charity and carrying out a slightly bizarre ritual

The sheriff has an "ale conner", whose job it is to sit on a wooden stool, on which a small amount of ale has been poured, wearing a pair of leather breeches.

If after three minutes the trousers stick to the stool, the ale does not pass the test.

The ale conner, clad in leather breeches, sat on a wooden stool to test the ale

But if the ale conner can move freely at the end of the three minutes, it passes.

The tradition was reintroduced in 2003 by former Gloucester City Council leader Paul James during his year as Sheriff of Gloucester and has taken place each year since then, other than a two-year gap during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The event takes place over two sessions, the first on Thursday 24 October and the second on Saturday 26 October.