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Most women, under the age of 25, will tell you that they don’t like beer. Many women, even over the age of 25 will tell you that they don’t like beer either. In my experience, and tying in with popular opinion, percentage-wise, more men than women enjoy beer, or at least claim to.

But the plaguing question is, why?

There are a lot of possibilities to this question, some of which have a basis in fact and science and medicine, some of which have a basis in societal expectations, some of which have absolutely no basis at all other than to become the stuff of urban legend. Let’s explore some of this.

I must admit that writing this piece gave me a lot more information and insight into the topic at hand than I really expected. I thought I knew where it was going and where it would end up, but the more information I found, the less I knew where the subject was taking me.

My first thought in wondering about the discrepancy in taste between men and women is to look at the idea of women having more taste buds than men. In addition to this creating a heightened sense of taste and a stronger reaction to sweet and bitter, it also gives women in general a heightened sense of smell, leaving open the possibility of the yeasty odor taking something away from the beer in general.

I’ll be the first to admit that the more bitter a beer, the less inclined I am to try it, simply because my experience has been that I just won’t enjoy it. ESBs are something I consistently shy away from and my foremost complaint tends to be that whatever beer I didn’t like was just “too bitter” or “too hoppy”. Taking this one step further would be the idea that beers that are fruity or have a sweet or spicy aspect to them are “girl beers” or somehow less manly makes perfect sense. Those with more (refined) taste buds are going to prefer something that doesn’t overwhelm the senses.

I’ve read several articles that discuss the growing interest that women are starting to have in beer. Many of these articles start off by discussing other things that are traditionally within the domain of men. Things such as football and muscle cars. Some of the growing interest women have is attributed to the increased numbers of microbreweries and unique flavors being experimented with, personally I think that it’s the other way around, that these new flavors and unique tastes are coming up as ways to expand the reach of beer beyond the sports fans and college parties. The more grown-up the beer, the more grown-ups will drink it, no?

Take, for example, this article, published in November of 2005, discussing the discovery that in pre-Incan culture there were breweries run by not just women, but elite women. Think about the times that you (or people you know) upon first becoming “adult” would have wine with dinner, and how it made you feel more sophisticated. Think about how, as we age, a “good” bottle of wine costs more with each passing year. Now put it into context with beer.

The further removed from the stereotypical male activities beer becomes, the more interested women will be. The problem remains in the issue of taste and taste buds, but with enough adventurism and exploration, most women will be able to find a beer they can enjoy. One of the above-linked articles offers this advice for women:

1. Start off on lighter beers, but not “light beers.”
2. Try different styles. It’s important for new beer drinkers to realize how much diversity there really is in beer.
3. Try something fruity, like lambics, hefe-weizens, or even ciders.
4. Don’t serve anything ice cold; let a good ale warm just a bit before pouring to let some of the more complex tastes come through.
5. Try, try again. If you don’t find the beer of your life in your first pint remember there are plenty more to be had in the big cooler of life.

A Classic Beer Guide for Women offers this on the subject of women who drink beer:

Women who develop an appreciation for beer are a revered segment of the population. Although the number of female beer lovers is growing, they are still considered a rare breed – a fascination to men and a secretly-admired class by other women. When men discover a woman’s delightful knowledge on the subject, they become unconsciously enamored, seemingly seduced by her desire to connect with this thirst-quenching brew.

There is a mystique that goes along with women who drink beer. Possibly it’s one that won’t last too much longer, as women join the ranks of beer afficianados. It’s similar to the mystique of women who are hard-core sports fans or those who can truly appreciate a good porno flick. Not only are they few and far between, once found, they are a prized commodity. It amazes me, the more I delve into this topic because I keep finding information that seems like it should contradict the opinions that are easily validated, but don’t. For example, beer goddesses dot the ancient history landscape, with several cultures having more than one. Beer was also an often proffered homage paid to gods and goddesses not associated with alcohol or even revelry. Running a Google search on “beer goddesses” turns up even more links on female brewers than on ancient (divine) goddesses. Women and beer are not as exclusive as many seem to think.

But, truly, a huge part of the problem lies in the fact of women, themselves, thinking that the two are mutually exclusive. As stated above and in many articles written by both men and women, women who drink beer are highly enjoyed by men. It’s a lower-maintenance drink than almost any other and it’s a heck of a lot more likely that any party you attend is going to have a variety of beer than a variety of fixin’s for the mixed drinks she may prefer.

It has been my experience that women, after having been exposed to cheap, pisswater beer at an early age, will assume that all beer is forever just as nasty. It’s the same problem you run into with children who refuse to try new things. When you go into something assuming you’re not going to like it, the self-fulfilling prophesy will make sure that no matter what, you will not like it. You’ve already convinced yourself of the end result, making the experimental process pointless. Often it will be years, or even decades before most women are able to try beer again with an open mind.

A friend of mine claims that no one under the age of 25 – male or female – actually likes beer. They may claim to, they may pretend to, but prior to age 25, no one actually enjoys it. I personally disagree, but I do think that there’s a certain maturity that one needs to gain in order to change their mind about beer, once they’ve decided that they will not like it under any circumstances. Sadly, there are quite a few who never reach that point. There are people who will go their entire lives assuming that they don’t like beer, simply because they didn’t when they went to a frat party at the tender age of 19 and were served warm pisswater in a plastic cup. Of course that sort of thing applies to a lot more than just beer, but this is a beer blog and I’m trying to stick to the subject at hand!

So what’s the answer? I don’t think that there is any one answer. I’m not even sure what the question was. All I know is that women who DO enjoy a good beer are increasing in numbers and probably will continue to do so with the proper encouragement and support – primarily from other women who drink beer. I think that the labelling of “girl beers” may be helpful to women, but I don’t think that men should be turned off by the flavors that cater to a more refined or sensitive palate.

To end, I guess I’ll just say, Guys, if you know a girl who’s professed an interest in beer, have her do a little research or make it easy on her and send her some of the links cited here. Finding a good beer can be a slow process and it can be difficult to find the right flavors that will flip that switch for her. Ladies, don’t give up. Beer can most certainly be for everyone, history tells us that much. Women, elite women were brewing it in prehistoric civilizations and goddesses were revered for their hoppy wiles.

Let’s see what we ALL can do to bring beer back to its revered days. The days of hops and goddesses.

~FG };^>

(PS I really wanted to title this “The days of hops and goddesses”, but without having read the article, it would have been lost on everybody. Instead, I’m just going to say, I really think that should be the name of an album, or a band, maybe a book…)