Why can’t beer be more like gin?

Download a PDF copy of the 2019 report

A study into female attitudes and behaviours towards beer by women and beer interest group, Dea Latis, reveals that women would switch to beer if it wasn’t associated with pints, bloating and sexist imagery and reinvented itself, as gin has done in recent years, with added elegance, better glassware and a premium serve.

In a follow up to The Gender Pint Gap, published last year, The Beer Agender explores in more detail the opinions and attitudes of women; their perceptions of beer – the product, the service, the drinkers, and the world it inhabits.

The Beer Agender includes revealing quotes from the women who took part in the research that showed women can often be their own harshest critics. With only 17% of women drinking beer regularly* the report shows that they are still influenced by the complex attitudes and imagery associated with men and beer.

The Beer Agender reports that:

• the image of beer and its advertising is often associated with beer-swilling men in pubs;
• the typical female beer drinker is someone who doesn’t care too much about what other people think of her or is a woman who doesn’t care too much about what she thinks of herself;
• the bloat factor is a major consideration and feeling tight across the belly and burping is a big barrier to drinking beer on a night out;
• women definitely don’t want a ladies-only beer and want to move beyond volume to focus more on beautiful glassware and lighter, more golden beers;
• they want tastings as standard, with glasses and packages of beer that are smaller than a half pint, but with more interest and more flavours;
• and that matching types of food with beer is an attractive proposition for women but they need to taste, sample, inspired and enticed.

The report’s co-author, beer sommelier and Dea Latis director Annabel Smith said: “This year’s report illustrated that many women in this country still have some ingrained deep-seated beliefs and perceptions about beer. And many of these are not positive. Women don’t want a beer made for women. Women just want the beer and pub industry to look at things from their perspective, and reconsider how beer is presented and positioned to them.”

The Beer Agender suggests that brewers and retailers should take these issues on board and stop dwelling on past beliefs. It concludes that women who drink beer are relaxed and happy and fun and in control and generally comfortable within their own skin and it should be this confident woman that other women aspire to be.

Jaega Wise, Head Brewer for Wild Card Brewing in Walthamstow, London commented on the report, saying: “This report is important for the health and growth of the beer industry in the UK. Many factors, long suspected in the complicated relationship between women and beer, specifically in the UK, have been confirmed with this thorough research. There is a huge amount of work for the beer industry to do to overcome outdated stereotypes facilitated by decades of damaging advertising.”

*The Gender Pint Gap survey conducted by YouGov

Survey Methodology

The Dea Latis survey was conducted using a qualitative approach that involved facilitating a two hour ‘beer event’ in Sutton Coldfield, along with eight paired in-depth interviews held in Manchester and Watford.

During the beer event, participants were given an opportunity to try several beers and were also asked to come up with their own ideas around encouraging more women to drink more beer.

The follow-up paired in-depth interviews gave us a chance to probe further on some issues which emerged in the beer event, as well as finding out more about the real reasons women choose beer less frequently than they might.

The sample for the beer event and in-depth interviews was deliberately split by age, social grade, life-stage and beer usership, this to partly reflect the sample from the first report undertaken.

The Beer Agender research and report was funded by a grant from the Brewing and Education Fund run by The Worshipful Company of Brewers.

The Gender Pint Gap in 2018 reported that currently, only 17% of women drink beer at least once a week (compared to 53% of men) and male oriented advertising is the main barrier to over a quarter (27%) of women drinking beer – rising even higher for the 18-24 year-old female group to almost half (48%).

A fifth of women (20%) find the thought of calories in beer and putting on weight to be the biggest reason for not drinking beer and 17% of women feel that ‘being judged by others’ is the third biggest barrier to drinking beer.

Taste is the great divide: Of the women who drink beer 56% do so because they like the taste; conversely, of the women who never drink beer 83% do so because they don’t like the taste.

What stood out most was that female attitudes towards beer have not changed much since the last major survey in 2009.

Women dominate beer group awards

Women involved in the beer and pub sector dominated the awards given at the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group (APPBG) Annual Dinner in Westminster recently with four of the seven awards going to five women.

The presentation was made by Mike Wood MP, the Chairman of the APPBG at the Beer Group’s Annual Awards Dinner in Westminster which attracted over 200 MPs, Peers and senior industry figures.

Sara Barton from Brewster’s Brewery in Grantham was nominated by the Institute of Brewing & Distilling as ‘Brewer of the Year’ for her brewing innovation, advocacy in communicating about beer and for blazing a trail for the current generation of female brewers and beer lovers.

Annabel Smith and Jane Peyton won a joint ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’. Annabel was described as one of the countries most respected beer quality trainers; one of the driving forces behind Dea Latis and hosting beer and food matching events for female MPs, the most recent being held last November.

Jane is a writer, broadcaster, events host and drinks educator. She holds the Guinness World Record for leading the world’s largest beer tasting; hosts a popular beer tasting tour of historic London pubs and instigated Beer Day Britain. Both were two of the UK’s first female beer sommeliers in 2012.

Ruth Smeeth, MP for Stoke North was awarded the honour of ‘Beer Parliamentarian of the Year’. Ruth has brewed her own beer, worked an evening behind the bar at the Bulls Head in Burslem; she has hosted two receptions in Parliament for Dea Latis and is the Beer Group’s Labour Vice chair.

Finally, Great British Bake-Off winner, Candice Brown, was named as the Beer Drinker of the Year.

Other awards at the dinner were:

• Special Award: Colin Valentine and Tim Page, CAMRA
• Pub Parliamentarian of the Year: Ben Bradley, MP for Mansfield.
• PubAid Award:  Stonegate Pub Company

The photograph shows Jane Peyton, Annabel Smith and Sara Barton toasting their awards

Is beer the last alcoholic drink with a gender bias?

Download PDF: The Gender Pint Gap Report_Dea Latis_May 2018

The UK has one of the lowest percentage of female beer drinkers in the world, despite the much lauded craft beer boom. Outdated sexist marketing, fear of the ‘beer belly’, and negative perceptions about flavour are all contributing to British women spurning our national drink. These are the findings in a new report into female attitudes and behaviours towards the UK’s favourite alcoholic drink.

The Gender Pint Gap report released by the women and beer group, Dea Latis is the first major piece of research about female attitudes towards beer in almost a decade. In a fast-moving consumer landscape that has seen a huge rise in the number of breweries and beer brands in the UK, the report reveals:

• Only 17% of women drink beer at least once a week (compared to 53% of men).
• Male oriented advertising is one of the three main barriers for over a quarter (27%) of women drinking beer – rising even higher for the 18-24 year-old female group to almost half (48%).
• A fifth of women (20%) say that high calorie content is one of the three main barriers for women drinking beer.
• 17% of women feel that ‘being judged by others’ is one of the three biggest barriers to drinking beer.
• 32% of women would now drink beer at home with friends, compared to just 3% of women in another survey about women’s drinking habits and their relationship with beer in 2009*.
• Taste is the great divide: Of the women who drink beer 56% do so because they like the taste; conversely, of the women who never drink beer 83% do so because they don’t like the taste.

The research conducted by YouGov was commissioned by Dea Latis, the group set up to inform and educate women about beer and to choose beer as a drink of choice. They wanted to examine whether the UK’s craft beer boom in the last decade has inspired more women to drink beer.

Comparing their statistics to a similar piece of research conducted in 2009*, it appears that female attitudes, perceptions and beliefs about beer have not changed much beyond a stronger trend to drinking beer at home. The report, say the authors, begs the question: why is the beer industry not tapping into this female market with an image overhaul?

Beer Sommelier and Dea Latis director Annabel Smith said: “We know that the beer category has seen massive progress in the last decade – you only need to look at the wide variety of styles and flavours which weren’t available widely in the UK ten years ago. Yet it appears the female consumer either hasn’t come on the same journey, or the beer industry just isn’t addressing their female audience adequately. Overtly masculine advertising and promotion of beer has been largely absent from media channels for a number of years but there is a lot of history to unravel. Women still perceive beer branding is targeted at men.”

Co-author of the report, Lisa Harlow added: “Our research has shown many misconceptions which women still hold about beer, such as calorific content, self-image and pre-conceptions about taste. It was disheartening in our supposedly enlightened times that so many of our female respondents cited ‘being judged by others’ as a reason for not drinking beer. Perhaps we need some high-profile celebrity advocates to show women that it is acceptable to drink beer?”

Beer writer, Sommelier & Certified Cicerone®, Melissa Cole said of the report: “An important piece of research that’s based on intelligent and insightful questions to unearth the simple ways the beer industry has managed to disenfranchise women from their once-loved drink over the last 70 years or so.

“It highlights everything from societal pressures to inappropriate serves to ingrained misogyny and more as just some of the issues and challenges the brewing industry to do something about it.

“But it’s not just criticism, it’s got rational advice on how the new, and old, guard of brewing can make beer relevant to 51% of the population again; but it’s also only just the start and I hope more long-overdue funding is provided to help address this issue.”

Jane Peyton, Beer Sommelier, writer, and founder of the School of Booze said: “The stats are fascinating and so insightful. I learned a lot about attitudes. This report should be read by everyone who makes and sells beer.”

The report concludes with a ‘Beer Drinking Women’s Manifesto’ which urges women who drink beer to become advocates; encouraging sampling, asking for different volumes and glassware and dispelling myths about calories and acceptability.

About the survey:

The Dea Latis survey was conducted using an online interview administered to members of the YouGov Plc UK panel of 800,000+ individuals who have agreed to take part in surveys.

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2026 adults of which 1094 were female. Fieldwork was undertaken between 3rd – 4th October 2017. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

 

*Molson Coors’ Bittersweet Survey: ‘Study into the drinking habits of UK women and their relationship with beer’ was sourced from an ICM survey in 2009. ICM interviewed a random sample of 2002 women aged 18-64 from its online panel between 26^th – 28^th January 2009. Respondents who don’t drink alcohol were screened out.

 

 

Best of the West Dinner

Join Dea Latis at The Albion, Boyce’s Ave, Clifton Village, Bristol BS8 4AA from 7pm, Thursday 20th July 2017 for a Women and Beer Dinner.

Enjoy a delicious five-course beer and food matching dinner in partnership with St Austell Brewery and Bath Ales.

Held at The Albion in Clifton, which prides itself on its modern British cuisine from local ingredients, each dish will be matched with a different beer by Beer Sommelier, Annabel Smith.

Tickets are £25 per person, go to our EventBrite page to purchase them.

Cheers from Burton with beer-loving women

In an event to mark the national celebrations for Beer Day Britain, Dea Latis, is holding a beer and food tasting evening for women at Marston’s Brewery Visitor’s Centre, DE14, on Thursday 15^th June from 6.30pm. Guests will join in with the annual ‘Cheers for Beer’ at 7pm.

Guests are set for a fascinating insight into women’s involvement in beer and brewing as well as sampling six different types of hand-held locally produced foods each matched with a different local beer. Beer Sommelier Annabel Smith will host the evening.

Jo Wyke, Marketing Manager for Marston’s said: “We are excited to be hosting this double celebration; inviting women to learn about beers brewed in Burton as well as joining in with Beer Day Britain’s celebration of our national drink with a countrywide ‘Cheers for beer’ at 7pm. She added: “At Marston’s, five of our brewers and over 75% of the brands marketing team are women so we are really behind this event.”

Alongside beers brewed by Marston’s the evening will also feature beers brewed by Burton Bridge Brewery, Freedom Brewery and a couple of surprise guest beers. Dea Latis organiser, Lisa Harlow said: “Burton Upon Trent is famous the world over for brewing beer so it’s time we united Burton’s beer-loving women with those who would like to know more about our national drink.”

The Dea Latis team are keen to point out that it is not a women-only event but clearly want to see women represented in force. Tickets are £20 (including a booking fee) per head and available online at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/from-burton-with-love-tickets-34850717434

Dea Latis goes international

Annabel Smith, one of the founding members of Dea Latis, attended the 13^th International Beer Strategies Conference in Barcelona on 10^th May, to speak on the subject of how beer can appeal to a wider female audience. She was accompanied by Jenny Elliott, a fellow Beer Sommelier, and the Brand and Beer Champion at Molson Coors.

The conference was attended by representatives from the entire spectrum of the brewing industry, and hosted speakers from Asahi Europe, Heineken, Diageo, Carlsberg, Brooklyn Brewery and Bieres de Chimay amongst others.

The conference was held over two days and included a behind the scenes visit to the Estrella Damm brewery.

Annabel said “The conference was really enlightening in terms of learning about future trends, current research and emerging brands in the beer industry. However, our ultimate mission was to communicate how the beer industry could engage a wider female audience by highlighting the challenges women face in choosing a beer as a drink of choice: namely misconceptions about health and calories, presentation and serve, brand positioning, and marketing”.

She added: “One really important message we did want to get across was that women do not want a beer which is designed specifically and solely for the female consumer. These type of beers have been launched before and they have failed. It’s patronising to assume that all women will like a particular flavour, style or colour of beer. What the beer industry needs to do is invest more time and funding in education, awareness and product presentation to engage women with the vast array of fantastic styles and brands which are already available on the market. There is a beer style which suits everyone, regardless of their gender.”

Annabel and Jenny hosted a panel discussion and invited questions from the delegates on how they could overcome some of the challenges the beer industry faced in getting women to choose beer as drink of choice, particularly in the UK where female beer consumption is far lower than the rest of Europe or the US.

The photograph above shows Jenny Elliott and Annabel Smith at the conference

Liverpool ladies love their beer

 

Annabel Smith, Graham Evans MP, Lisa Harlow

We hosted our first ever event in Liverpool, offering a six-course meal with matching beers to an audience of local women – and a handful of men including chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, Graham Evans MP.

The tasting, held at the city’s Old Blind School, was led by award-winning Beer Sommelier Annabel Smith, who guided the audience through six different styles of beer, including brews from two local brewers Mad Hatter and Neptune Brewery. Each beer was accompanied by a complementary food, ranging from cheese and fish to cheesecake and chocolate.

Annabel said, “The response from our guests was overwhelmingly positive; non-beer drinkers had their preconceptions about beer overturned as they found at least one beer they enjoyed and will consider drinking in future. Women already drinking beer broadened their repertoire by trying new styles.

The beer and food matches served to the women of Liverpool were:

• Freedom Pilsner with Welsh Rarebit
• Blue Moon with Smoked Haddock Fishcake with Chorizo (as well as with Terry’s Chocolate Orange)
• Lagunitas IPA with Tandoori Salmon
• Neptune Brewery Abyss Stout with Six-Hour Roasted Lamb
• Mad Hatter Brewery Liverpool Tart Sour Beer with Vimto and blackcurrant cheesecake
• Robinson’s Old Tom with Chocolate Mousse
  

Dea Latis organiser, Lisa Harlow said: “We had great support from the local Ladies That Beer group who meet regularly in Liverpool and I think we converted quite a few beer novices too.

“Many women still have preconceptions about beer, so our events are about trying to bust some of those myths and show that beer doesn’t make you fat, doesn’t have to be served in pint glasses and isn’t all brown and bitter!”

Birkenhead-based CPL Training who sponsored the event also donated a voucher for a free online course about beer styles for every guest.

Dea Latis welcomes support from brewers, pub groups, licensees and others who share their aim of bringing beer to women. To find out more please email us.

See the video from our evening here.

 

 

Women to sample brewsters’ beer with brunch

Organisers of the Midlands’ biggest keg beer festival have collaborated with the women and beer group, Dea Latis, to run a special Brewsters’ Brunch, taking place at this year’s Birmingham Beer Bash on Saturday 23^rd July 2016 .

The fringe event is dedicated to celebrating women in the brewing industry with tastings from three of Britain’s top female brewers or ‘brewsters’.

Michelle Kelsall from Offbeat Brewery in Cheshire, Gwen Sanchirico a native New Yorker now brewing at Sacre Brew in Wolverhampton and Sarah John from Swansea’s Boss Brewing will be providing beers and sharing their experiences as women in the male dominated brewing industry.

Hosted by one of the UK’s first female beer sommeliers and one of the Dea Latis founding members, Annabel Smith, the Brewsters’ Brunch is not a women-only event but the aim is to encourage women to go along from 10am to midday to enjoy the tasting of six beers brewed by women. The accompanying brunch will be provided by Peel & Stone, Birmingham’s top independent bakery based in the Jewellery Quarter.

Annabel said: “We’re extremely excited to be a part of this year’s Birmingham Beer Bash. We set up Dea Latis in 2010 as a group of women united by our love for beer and the belief that it is too good to be enjoyed only by men and run events like this around the UK.

“Having worked in the beer industry for over 20 years, I have seen a huge shift in women’s attitudes to beer. Thanks to the recent craft beer revolution there is much more information out there about styles of beer and great choice of ales. I think women feel more confident to ask about beers at the bar.”

Dea Latis recently conducted a survey of 600 beer drinkers which confirmed that more women are now regularly incorporating beer in to their repertoire.

David Shipman, founder and organiser of Birmingham Beer Bash added: “It’s always been part of our stated aims that we want to help bring more of the best beer experiences to Birmingham. Working with Dea Latis to celebrate women in brewing does exactly that.

“Beer Bash is a great opportunity for men and women alike to try different styles, talk to brewers and enjoy some of the great beers from around the country. We hope that this fringe event will show what brilliant female brewing talent we have in the industry.”

Tickets, available from Eventbrite and the main event website birminghambeerbash.co.uk, cost £22.50 and include a flight of six beers and brunch as well as admission to the popular Saturday daytime of the Birmingham Beer Bash.

Women & Beer Survey 2016

Please can you spare less than five minutes to take part in a women and beer survey to help us conduct some research?

We want your opinion on whether attitudes by women towards drinking beer have changed over the last decade.

We would be delighted if you could share the survey link with any other friends who you think might be interested in taking part and we are very happy if you want to share the survey on social media. When the feedback is collated we will share the results with you.
If you could complete the survey by Wednesday 11th May we would be most grateful. Please click through here – Dea Latis Women & Beer Survey 2016

If you have any other views, strong opinions or even your own research that you would like to add please drop a separate email to us here.

Dea Latis mentioned in The Guardian

Our very own Annabel Smith was interviewed for a ‘Women in Leadership’ article in The Guardian. Read all about it here:  http://www.theguardian.com/women-in-leadership/2015/oct/23/women-beer-sommelier-uk-day-in-the-life#comments