In the 1600s, Nairn paid “honest men” called cunnisters to publicly “tak tryall o the ale or beer from every inn thrice weekly” and loudly declare whether it was good or not. Brewers were fined a shilling for every bad pint the cunnisters got.
Update:
Seems that “ale-cunnars” have been important roles in Scottish burghs since at least the 15th century including references from Peebles (1460), Prestwick (1470), Dunfermline (1497), Stirling (1548), and Lanark (1569)
References
Bain, G. (1893) History of Nairnshire. Nairn Telegraph Office, Nairn. pg.333
“cunnar”. Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue. https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/cunnar
