A beer for the lady

A huge opportunity exists for beer companies which target new female drinkers, the drinks business has been told.

Considering 79% of the female population does not currently drink beer, an extremely large part of the UK drinking popualtion remains untapped by the sector.

A female-only beer and food pairing evening at the White Horse in Parson’s Green last night (14 December) was designed to demonstrate that the great British drink has plenty to offer everyone, including women.

Showcasing a range of beers including the delicate Schneider Weiss with fresh lemon notes, the richly hoppy Goose Island IPA and the deeply toffee flavoured Innis & Gunn, Beer Academy representative Rupert Ponsonby matched the wide ranging flavours with food.  

Marketing beer to women is not a new idea, having been attempted on a number of occasions by a selection of brands, including Adnams and Coors, through a range of methods including female-orientated marketing and inclusion of more fruit and other ‘female-friendly’ flavours. None, to date, have been overly successful.

The main issues that stand in the way between women and beer, according to Ponsonby, include its masculine image and the belief that it will lead to an unsightly beer belly.

Ponsonby, however, attacked these "myths", explaining that beer, being 95% water, was actually significantly healthier than wine in many cases, and contained no fat or carbohydrates. In fact, a half pint of beer averages 94 calories, while a medium glass of white wine (175ml) counts 131.

Ponsonby went on to attack the idea that in order to interest women, beer did not need to have lighter, fruitier flavours. “Women’s palates vary very little from men’s, and they are just as likely to enjoy a complex, hoppy beer as any man, in the same way they enjoy olives, vinaigrette and coffee – all bitter flavours”, he continued.

In his eyes, the secret to attracting women to beer is to treat the drink with more reverence, as is the case on the Continent, appreciating it more as a flavoursome and complex drink.

Also, as with wine, different beers benefit from different glassware: flutes for light blonde beers, sniffers for malty, deeper alternatives, and a tapering head for foamy – often wheat – beers.

Even the weight of the glass can play a role in the taste, with heavier glasses preferred in summer for lighter beers as they slow the warming process.

In terms of food and beer pairing, Ponsonby explained that the rules were similar to that of wine and food matching; identifying similar flavours in both will work well, as well as working rather on a complementary level; such as matching a lemon flavoured beer with fish that might be served with lemon.

Marinel FitzSimons, 15.12.2010