Alehouses were the original beer drinking places. They existed across the land and were the drinking places and rest spots for travellers and local villagers alike. They existed as a place to get a drink and relax. Often the beer was supplied by the proprietor and women were the brewer (brewster).

As mass production and mass retailing developed, commercial brewing began to replace the pub brewers of the alehouses. In time, commercial brewers purchased some of the alehouses. They installed tenents or managers with deals that tied them to the brewery. These became tied houses selling only products from that brewery with the occasional pub being allowed a guest tap.

Freehouses, as they became known, were not tied to any one brewery by ownership or the beer they chose to serve. Today’s freehouse will often have beer from many different breweries and some will have a sign proclaiming the establishment as a freehouse.