Green’s Dictionary of Slang

ale n.

SE in slang uses

In compounds

ale-draper (n.) (also draper) [SE draper, seller]

an alehouse-keeper; thus ale-drapery, a public house.

[UK]H. Chettle Kind-Harts Dreame C4: He vtterly undid two milch maydens that had set up a shoppe of Ale-drapery. [Ibid.] E3: I get mee a wife, with her a little money: when we are married, seeke a house we must; no other occupation haue I but to be an Ale-draper.
[UK]R. Younge Charge against Drunkenness 13: These godlesse ale-drapers, and other sellers of drink [OED].
[UK]R. Bateman [title] Batemans hue-and-cry after the pretended Sieur de Vernantes, and his counterfeit spirit of scurvey-grass, lately shamm'd upon the world by one Clark an ale-draper, near Temple-Barr.
[UK] [title] The Kentish maiden: or, The fumbling ale-draper derided. Who gave a handkerchief and money for a night's lodging with a lass whom at length he left in the lurch.
Cuckoldom Alamode 26 Aug. 1: [broadside] A certain Ale-Drapers Wife, whose charming features had so far-witch’d the Head-strong Tallow Chandler.
[UK] in D’Urfey Pills to Purge Melancholy V 258: There lives an Ale-draper near New-palace-yard.
Parish Register of Scotter, Linc. [Buried], July 8th, Thomas Broughton, Farmer and Ale-draper [F&H].
Dublin Courier 16 June 2/1: Elizabeth Harbourn [...] has parted from her husband Charles of the city of Dublin, in George’s-lane, ale-draper.
[UK]Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
[UK]Lex. Balatronicum.
[UK]R. Nares Gloss. (1888) I 16: †ale-draper. A humorous term for the keeper of an ale-house.
[UK]Perry’s Banking Gaz. 22 Feb. 4/1: Court-house, City of York, 5th March [...] Cowlman Richard of Silver-street, York, ale-draper.
ale-knight (n.) [knight n. (1)]

a drunkard, a drinking companion.

[UK]H. Chettle Kind-Harts Dreame C2: While they are in the ruffe of ribaudrie [...] the olde ale-knight their dad breakes out into admiration, and sends out stragling customers to admire his roaring sonnes.
[UK]Pennyless Parliament of Thread-Bare Poets in Harleian Misc. III (1809) 76: But oh! you ale-knights, you that devour the marrow of the malt, and drink whole ale-tubs into consumptions.
[UK]F. Beaumont Answer of Ale to the Challenge of Sack in Chalmers Eng. Poets (1810) VI 208/2: Come all you brave wights, That are dubbed ale-knights.
[UK]J. Melton Astrologaster 19: Saint Martin and Saint Urban guard all Ale-Knights, Tauerne-Hunters, and Drunkards, from falling into the Kennell.
[UK]Mercurius Democritus 19-26 Oct. 624: An Ale Knight, called Sir Thomas Tooper, being lately fuddling in the Dark-house in Old Fish-street [etc.].
[UK]R. Nares Gloss. (1888) I 17: †ale-knight, s. A haunter of ale-houses; a tippler.
R. Chambers Book of Days II 597: This man was a regularly dubbed ale-knight, loved barley wine to the full .

In phrases

ale up (v.)

to get drunk on beer; thus aled up.

[US]D. Runyon ‘A Piece of Pie’ Runyon on Broadway (1954) 674: When a Boston character is engaged in aleing himself up, it is a good idea to let him alone.
[UK]T. Keyes All Night Stand 120: They were already so aled up [...] that there wasn’t much way.