Beer, or more accurately, ale, was of vital importance to both Viking and Irish society. From funerals to births, holidays, weddings and everything in between, ale played an integral role in the culture of these peoples. When the Vikings invaded and colonised Ireland in the early medieval period, they carried with them their social norms and systems of belief.

During this history happy hour, Dr. Christina Wade examines how Viking practices surrounding the creation and consumption of ale may have impacted the Irish. Using archaeological evidence as well as sagas and law tracts, this talk will analyse how these societies blended their cultural norms. Finally, it will make some meaningful conclusions as to the impact of each culture on their respective ale traditions.

This virtual beer history happy hour takes place at 3pm CST via Zoom and Facebook Live.

Since the completion of her thesis, Dr. Christina Wade has been working on a book of beer history in Ireland from medieval to modern. She has written numerous articles and book chapters about Irish medieval history, beer history and the history of women in brewing, for publication in both academic and non-academic publications. She has also written extensively about beer history on her own blog Braciatrix.com and has also had papers accepted at a variety of Irish and International conferences Wade also founded the Ladies Craft Beer Society of Ireland in 2013 and serves as a resident historian and co-host on the Beer Ladies Podcast. She is also on the Chicago Brewseum’s League of Historians.