The Sheriff of Gloucester's Assize of Ale

Re-enactment of the medieval annual inspection of the quality of the beer in local "hostelries" raising funds for the Civic charities.

The Sheriff’s Assize of Ale dates back to medieval times when the Sheriff was responsible for ensuring the ale on sale in the city was of palatable quality.

Today this practice is recreated annually with the primary aim of raising funds for the Civic Charities.

​The Sheriff, 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 involving a wooden stool, someone dressed in leather breeches and an egg timer!

​

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

Conversely, if the Ale Conner can move freely at the end of the three minutes, it does pass.

​

​The tradition was reintroduced in 2003 by former City Council Leader Paul James during his year as Sheriff of Gloucester and has taken place each year since then, apart from a break during the Covid pandemic.

​

​Since that time the event has raised around £15,000 for charity. Paul continues to organise the event with Gloucester’s Town Crier Alan Myatt, with a group of other local ‘characters’ taking part.