Women were the first craft brewers, says author

Noëlle Phillips loves drinking beer and says men are often surprised that she knows what she wants.

The myth that beer is a naturally masculine drink is one the Douglas College English professor tries to bust in her new book Craft Beer Culture and Modern Medievalism: Brewing Dissent.

The first thing modern craft beer marketing gets wrong is that monks in monasteries were the first brewers, she says.

 It's women who began the craft beer tradition, she writes, selling home-made drink in small batches in their communities, something that's been almost been completely forgotten.

"Early in the Middle Ages it was mostly done by women. It was mostly standardized and regulated by women on a local basis," Phillips told Stephen Quinn, host of The Early Edition. "Into the later Middle Ages as it [became] more widely disseminated ... and regulated more profitable, and women [got] pushed out." 

Diversity in brewing industry

Phillips admits that women are still a minority in the craft beer industry. Although she sees more brewers on the ground being willing to increase gender and racial diversity in the industry, she said she would like to see a quicker transition driven from the top. 

She said Persephone Brewing, based in Gibsons, B.C., appointed a female CEO last year, which was a positive move.

Gender differences in beer taste?

In her book, Phillips interviewed Driftwood Brewery in Victoria, B.C., which offers an ESB — standing for "extra special bitter" — brand of craft beer that honours Hildegard von Bingen, a 12th century German Benedictine abbess who wrote about using hops as preservatives in beer.

Phillips said the notion of gender differences in taste — that women only like sweet beer and men only like strong beer, for instance — is "ridiculous."  She also doubts whether women are drinking less craft beer since the introduction of canned low-calorie beverages.

"If we make certain groups feel like a drink isn't for them, then that's not what they'll buy. And I think women have generally felt unwelcome to some degree in beer environments."

To hear the complete interview with Noëlle Phillips on The Early Edition, tap the audio link below: