by Laura Lee Winger

Created on: August 19, 2010   Last Updated: September 04, 2010

There are hundreds of unique breweries in the US, and even more big name import and domestic beers available at local bars and stores.  Like many indulgences, the more experience you have in tasting and enjoying the classic drink, the more discerning your taste.  Given these facts, it's a wonder that more women don't enjoy the tasty beverage.  Beer-brewing.com states that men account for 80% of beer consumption [http://www.beer-brewing.com/beer-brewing/US_beer_in dustry/beer_demographics.htm].  But beer doesn't have to be just a guy thing.

One reason that can account for the disparity between men's and women's beer consumption could be purely a matter of volume - that is, pound for pound, women have less water in their bodies than men, and therefore are more affected by alcohol than men [http://www.athealth.com/Consumer/disorders/womenalc ohol.html].  So the statistic that men account for 80% of beer consumption does not mean that 80% of beer drinkers are men, just that the volume of beer is consumed mostly by men. 

Another reason beer might be viewed as a man's drink is because, let's face it, women have their "foo-foo" drinks to turn to - cocktails that most men wouldn't be caught dead ordering for themselves.  Beer is also often associated with male-dominant activities like watching sports.  How many beer commercials are aired during the Super Bowl?  And is beer not the most common (if only) alcoholic beverage at baseball games?  But enjoying football and baseball is not limited to the portion of the population that is male, women also enjoy football and baseball, and just as much so, women enjoy throwing back a cold one. 

The history of beer goes back to BC times, possibly as far back as 9000 BC [http://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Beer].  Beer is made of a handful of ingredients including water, a starch (like malted barley), yeast and flavoring such as hops.  Understanding the impact of the various ingredients chosen can help you decipher what beers you may or may not enjoy.  Beer connoisseurs may talk about a specific beer being very hoppy or needing more hops, for example.  So if you determine you do or don't like hoppy beer, you can use that determination to help you choose your next drink of choice.  Most women veer towards lighter beers and specialty microbrewed beers, but that doesn't mean they can't try and even enjoy a dark ale from time to time. 

It is true that men, statistically speaking, can down more of nature's nectar than women (before being adversely affected), but that doesn't mean men should have all the fun in drinking a brewsky.  Whether you like pale lagers or brown ales or anything in between, beer doesn't have to be just a guy thing.

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