Female Supremacy Articles - Page 11

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Writing in response to the hubbub the event sparked on the Digest, Bettencourt pointed out that many AHA-sanctioned competitions are restricted to a much smaller number of home brewers than this women-only event. There are club-only competitions, local-area competitions, and even competitions limited to deaf or hearing-impaired brewers (the Grateful Deaf homebrew club's successful brewing competition earlier this year). Exclusivity is nothing new to homebrew competitions.

Sangeri said the controversy surrounding the competition was due to lack of understanding. The Queen of Beer competition, she says, was not created because "women are no better or no worse than men in brewing beer." It was created as a forum where women could brew independently from their boyfriends or husbands.

The idea originated when Sangeri tried to ask a group of male brewers some brewing questions. Their advice began with, "What your husband should do is . . ." Their response reflected the stereotype that only men brew beer. Sangeri believes there is a "silent group of women brewers" that need encouragement to start actively participating in brewing competitions. She knows of some women who are intimidated from entering competitions because generally the events are "male dominated and sometimes fraternity-like."