ale | Origin and meaning of ale by Online Etymology Dictionary
ale (n.) "intoxicating liquor made by malt fermentation," Old English ealu "ale, beer," from Proto-Germanic *aluth-(source also of Old Saxon alo, Old Norse öl), which is of uncertain origin.Perhaps from a PIE root meaning "bitter" (source also of Latin alumen "alum"), or from PIE *alu-t "ale," from root *alu-, which has connotations of "sorcery, magic, possession, and intoxication" [Watkins].