alewives

Alewives are women who ran or owned alehouses, inns, or taverns in medieval and early modern England and in colonial America. The term alewife, now largely archaic, described a woman who brewed and sold ale and who managed the establishment that served travelers and local patrons. Alehouses often acted as important social and commercial centers in their communities, and licensed alewives could influence local economies. Women's involvement in brewing and tavern keeping varied with licensing laws, taxes, and prevailing attitudes toward women in business. In some periods widows or unmarried women commonly ran alehouses, while other establishments were managed by men or by households under broader ownership.

Alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) are a species of small-to-mid-sized migratory fish in the herring family, native to the Atlantic coast of North America. The species is anadromous, living in saltwater and spawning in rivers and streams. Alewives historically formed abundant populations and played a major role in freshwater and coastal ecosystems as prey for larger fish and as competitors for plankton-feeding native species. They were introduced to inland waters such as the Great Lakes, where their presence altered food webs and affected native fishes. Management decisions have aimed to balance ecological impact with commercial and recreational considerations.

Today the term alewife more commonly refers to the fish, while the historical use of alewife to mean a woman who kept an alehouse remains of interest in historical and literary contexts. The two senses are distinct and context usually clarifies which meaning is intended.