Beer Chick Perspective - Women drink beer
Every style of beer, every flavor, every ABV, every malt and hop: they are for everyone - not just for men.
What’s surprising is that even in 2015 when the craft beer scene is exploding, women are still being persuaded to believe that drinking craft beer isn't for them. It’s still being painted as unfeminine and presented as a “mans drink.” Even the way beer is marketed, by presenting commercials with women portrayed as the lust object or bartender, is made for men.
Women and craft beer didn't always have this kind of relationship. In the earliest records of fermented beverages, women were front and center, and even revered as goddesses in some ancient cultures. It was the women who brewed the beer, and it was the women who created the drink that is so deeply loved. When prohibition ended, it was the result of marketing and advertisements that pushed beer to men’s side. This happened purely because of the advertisers’ choice to go along with the popular opinions of the time that put women in the position of homemaker and care-giver, and the men as the bread winner and deserver of a reward at the end of the work day.
Now I could go in to an entire breakdown on the marketing of beer and how it still rarely targets women. I could also dive deep into how and why it’s so difficult to market to women, and that when they do, it often fails or upsets the person it’s trying to pander to. That’s not what this is about.
It is, however, about how it should be accepted and expected that women do enjoy good beer. The marketing of beer, especially craft, doesn't exactly work like it used to, as more and more women are drinking beer, brewing, and becoming major players in craft beer world.
The Brewers Association even cites that women account for 25 percent of the total beer consumption by volume, and 37 percent of craft beer consumption in the United States. That number can and will increase if those who sell it and share it are smart enough to realize that women can - and do - actually love beer. The spotlight is turning toward women, but there are still common missteps that are hurting the growth.
A popular magazine that is promoted to women says “Yeah, you can drink beer, but drink these girlie beers instead.” What exactly is a girlie beer? For the many beautiful and intelligent beer-drinking ladies I know and myself, that could be any beer we fancy at the moment. From a bright and refreshing Stiegl Grapefruit Radler, a lager blended with a grapefruit soda, to the smooth and bitter bite of Avery Maharaja, a bold and delicious imperial IPA. We want what we want, and beer is brewed for all to enjoy.
From the business perspective, categorizing something as “chick beer,” is also not such a great idea. I recently saw a picture come across my newsfeed that another beer-loving lady shared from her visit to bar. What she found was a draft list that separated beer in to styles such as brown ales, lagers, IPAs, and you guessed it: Chick Beers. Now, I’m sure they meant it as a joke, but it struck a cord with quite a few women and men I shared it with. The beers that were listed were low abv fruit ales with flavors like blueberry or strawberry. The term “fruit beer” would have worked just fine, but just by directing a joke or trying to be cute, the menu turned that beer drinking woman off.
People, men and women, don’t enjoy being told how to enjoy beer. Selling and sharing beer based on gender isn't how the beer industry grows, and it’s just not nice to continue to place women in a lesser category of the beer world. Times have changed and it’s time for everyone to be on the same page and enjoy a good craft brew- together!
This story was originally published October 12, 2015 at 4:54 PM with the headline "Beer Chick Perspective - Women drink beer."