As long as I can remember, my family has been wine people. When I was about 10, I helped my father assemble a series of wine racks for the cellar he was building in our basement. When my sisters and I were around 14, we each were allowed to sip the different vintages our parents brought to the table and guess what elements were part of the tasting. Dry reds and full whites lined the shelves of a temperature controlled room organized by region. No sweet sissy wines allowed.

  And then I was off to college, the land of cheap beer and boxed *Gasp* wine. This was sacrilege compared to the education I had received for the past 17 years. So I learned to make do with sip-able mixed drinks like a vodka Sprite, and gave a wide berth to the natty-lites and keystones that my roommates guzzled. My introduction to beer wasn’t ideal.

  But then I began working in a local wine bar, and spouting off memorized facts about flavors and pairings for the few beers we stocked that were not selling. It was embarrassing for me to know enough about wine to show some flair, but have no clue how to differentiate an IPA from a pilsner. Our sister restaurant was a beer garden up the road which provided the perfect classroom for beer 101. Graciously, my restaurant manager volunteered to be my guide, and one Friday evening after shift placed a tall dark brew in front of me and urged me to sip. It tasted like beer. But it was hell of a lot better than the watery crap I’d been chugging for beer pong.

  My reintroduction was hopeful with great prospects. After about a month of taste testing I was a beer drinking gal. I’m still learning, and I’m not the only one.
A recent Gallup poll has found that women ages 18-34 have been reaching for beer before wine, with a portion of 25-34 year olds preferring craft beers. Women are stepping up in the world of beer, unafraid to taste this dominantly male advertised drink. We have our own dedicated beer websites such as Women Enjoying Beer.com. We are even being represented in beer commercials.

  So what is encouraging this new trend? Julia Herz, the craft beer program director for the Colorado-based Craft Brewers Association, had a few suggestions in a recent interview with RYOT News. The 20-30 year old female is socially conscious as well as environmentally conscious, drawn to artisanal goods produced by local vendors. As Herz describes, “The cost of a bottle of beer, usually less than a bottle wine, affords aficionados a chance to sample several craft beer flavors for a simple trade up in price.” Craft beers, especially those from smaller microbreweries, provide the opportunity to purchase affordable artisanal drinks focused on quality.

  This new upswing in women’s sales has produced a category of beers specifically marketed to women. Consider Chick Beer, the “Boutique Light Lager” with a carrier designed to look like a purse, or Two Women Beer, which boasts 16% less calories than its competitors. Both beers are brewed by women, for women. These are not the first beers of their kind advertised mainly to women, and they certainly won’t be the last with the rising statistics.

  Maybe this is the next stage of female empowerment. We’ve been wearing pants for years, our gender is represented in most employment circles, and even I have been able to tackle opening pickle jars. Now we are gaining equal footing with men when it comes to brewing, and enjoying a cold one.

  So ladies, let’s raise a glass. Be it a porter, an imperial stout or amber lager. Cheers!