So, where are all the women?

[Cposten]

Though she hates beer.

Sorry for the consecutive posts but I just got this new fangled hand held inter net machine and keep hittin wrong buttons

Sent from my SM-T210R using Home Brew mobile app

 

[Yooper]

Yes, there are quite a few women on this site.

I don't know who is female or male unless I check their profile. It is assumed I'm speaking to a man, but that is only because this hobby is really something men happen to do more than women, at the moment. For the amount of members on this site, there are few women. If you want to know what gender someone is, ask or check their profile.

As for the "masculine" flair in threads, I can honestly say I never tried to fluff up my posts to make it obvious that I'm a woman. I'm not that way and I don't care. I have a hobby that I share with others and I sit around on this site discussing it. Oh and I have a vagina, which I don't really share with multiple people. /shrug

One of the great things about this site is that it isn't readily apparent if you are speaking to a man or a woman. And it doesn't matter- we're all brewers.

I'm actually offended by the term "female brewer". I mean, we don't have "male teachers" or "male brewers". We're all brewers.

There may be a thread on peeing standing up, but overall it's a pretty friendly site to both genders.

 

[jeffjm]

For some reason, homebrewing seems to attract an outsized share of technical/scientific types. As I think through all the homebrewers I know personally, a disproportionate number are in science/technology/engineering/mathematics. There's even a 131-page thread here about whether or not you're an engineer.

Women have long been under-represented in STEM fields, just as in homebrewing. Maybe there's some sort of connection.

 

[beernutz]

Here's a hint: if they use "SWMBO" in a post - not a woman.

That's sexist talk right there. Plenty of women have a SWMBO. I was watching some of them on cable just last night.

 

[broadbill]

It's more than the fact that more men enjoy craft beer than women. I think it come down to a couple other factors:

1. Patience. It takes a lot of patience in the homebrewing process. A lot of women are more of a "spontaneous shopper" mindset and if I can't have it now I'm not buying it! This is why I will spend a week researching tools before making a purchase while my wife will go buy the first whatever she's looking for that she sees. This is the same way for a lot of women. Now, the kind of woman who will can vegetables knowing they won't be used for months or years, that's the kinda woman who has the patience for homebrewing!

2. Homebrewing is nasty, messy and uncomfortable: Lets face it, the mash isn't that appetizing looking, even if it smells great. Yeast smell weird and fermenting beer looks like the toilet bowl after a round of alcohol induced vomiting! A lot of women can't get over that aspect of homebrewing. There are exceptions but in general most women are turned off by "nasty" looking/smelling parts of a process. This is why my wife doesn't clean the squirrels and deer I harvest, I do. Homebrewing is labor intensive: milling grain, boiling water, moving equipment around, transferring hot water and wort, standing over a hot kettle in the summer or freezing outside in the cold in the winter, not most female's idea of a good time.



To the women who have what it takes to enjoy homebrewing, we salute you!

Allow me to condense:

Woman don't like to homebrewing because:

1. They lack patience and focus. They prefer to shop for an buy sparkly/glittery things and cute shoes.

2. It is messy and smelly. As we all know woman are allergic to messy and smelly things, which is why men exist to take care of them. That, and they would have to step off the pedestal they have been put on, possibly chipping a nail in the process.


...yeah.....I wish I had to exaggerate for effect on this one...

 

[Melana]

You forgot we keep men around to lift heavy objects.

 

[Melana]

Oh, and don't mess up the hair!

 

[CadiBrewer]

There may be a thread on peeing standing up, but overall it's a pretty friendly site to both genders.

To be fair, Yoop, the thread was about peeing outdoors which isn't gender specific, not peeing standing up. I've had a few lady friends who would pee outdoors more than I do. Perhaps I need to find different lady friends?

 

[unionrdr]

It is odd how men wil say,"Hey,come here & smell this"! Where a woman will look for things that smell nice. We,on the other hand,will look for new more disgusting things to singe our buddies nose hairs... Maybe that's why the look & smell of fermenting wort doesn't bother us as much?

 

[Fenduh]

****s and beer are awesome together.



Wait.... that wasn't my inside voice.

 

[ScottG58]

"Women lack patience." I've been married 30 years. If she had no patience it would haveasted 3 weeks.

 

[Schmaffy]

For some reason, home brewing seems to attract an outsized share of technical/scientific types. As I think through all the homebrewers I know personally, a disproportionate number are in science/technology/engineering/mathematics. There's even a thread here about whether or not you're an engineer.

Women have long been under-represented in STEM fields, just as in homebrewing. Maybe there's some sort of connection.

Now that's an interesting point. I've been involved in male-dominated fields my entire adult life. I was a professional sound engineer on the road for years, and you can't imagine some of the comments I would get. So, do I gravitate towards the same types of hobbies? For the women on here, do you have STEM backgrounds?

Just for the record, I don't care whether you're a man or a woman and I dont think this is an unwelcome place. I notice, I ask, I want others' perspectives. That's all.

 

[eagagnon]

It's more than the fact that more men enjoy craft beer than women. I think it come down to a couple other factors:

1. Patience. It takes a lot of patience in the homebrewing process. A lot of women are more of a "spontaneous shopper" mindset and if I can't have it now I'm not buying it! This is why I will spend a week researching tools before making a purchase while my wife will go buy the first whatever she's looking for that she sees. This is the same way for a lot of women. Now, the kind of woman who will can vegetables knowing they won't be used for months or years, that's the kinda woman who has the patience for homebrewing!

2. Homebrewing is nasty, messy and uncomfortable: Lets face it, the mash isn't that appetizing looking, even if it smells great. Yeast smell weird and fermenting beer looks like the toilet bowl after a round of alcohol induced vomiting! A lot of women can't get over that aspect of homebrewing. There are exceptions but in general most women are turned off by "nasty" looking/smelling parts of a process. This is why my wife doesn't clean the squirrels and deer I harvest, I do. Homebrewing is labor intensive: milling grain, boiling water, moving equipment around, transferring hot water and wort, standing over a hot kettle in the summer or freezing outside in the cold in the winter, not most female's idea of a good time.



To the women who have what it takes to enjoy homebrewing, we salute you!

Dude, seriously?! Pick your knuckles up and sit down!

The only valid argument you posited on why more women don't brew (IMHO) was the heavy lifting involved. Carrying a full carboy is daunting for many people, not just women. But even that is not a REAL deterrent. Historically women have been brewing at home FOREVER as a necessity. I am 50 and still brew 5-6 gallon batches on my own. My adult daughter started me brewing when she came home from college a few years back. Now I am also sharing the hobby with my older sister and brother.

 

[Rhumbline]

The OP hasn't expended much effort to find women brewers on this site. A cursory look would have answered his question.

Is it because you're upset about the "Will my parrot die?" thread being flushed? Or is this the latest troll.

I've got more Monty Python quotes and video links, and I'm not afraid to use them...

 

[Vivi]

Just found this site! 23 year old female. It does often surprise people when I tell them I make my own beer...

 

[Melana]

One of these threads pops up ever so often. Along with the 'where are the (insert demographic here)' brewers.

 

[Melana]

To the women who have what it takes to enjoy homebrewing, we salute you!

Salute us with what, exactly?

 

[Schmaffy]

The OP hasn't expended much effort to find women brewers on this site. A cursory look would have answered his question.

Dude - 5 pages of this and you think I'm a man?

 

[Seven]

The OP hasn't expended much effort to find women brewers on this site. A cursory look would have answered his question.

Is it because you're upset about the "Will my parrot die?" thread being flushed? Or is this the latest troll.

I've got more Monty Python quotes and video links, and I'm not afraid to use them...

I cursory looked and found the OP is a woman

 

[fearwig]

Here's a hint: if they use "SWMBO" in a post - not a woman.

Hahaha. "SWMBO" has a passive-aggressive undertone second only to "friendzone". I guess there are some, well, demographic reasons for the disparity--I mean I suspect men consume beer or craft beer disproportionately--but yeah, there are some cultural reasons brewing can be a boy's club. There are lots of exceptions, of course, but I think they are mostly attributable to the persistence and interest of the women who do get involved.

 

[bob1852]

Homebrew makes you fart and women don't fart. Ergo - women don't homebrew.

 

[fearwig]

It's more than the fact that more men enjoy craft beer than women. I think it come down to a couple other factors:

1. Patience. It takes a lot of patience in the homebrewing process. A lot of women are more of a "spontaneous shopper" mindset and if I can't have it now I'm not buying it! This is why I will spend a week researching tools:

Oh jesus. This answers OP's question. *slow clap*

 

[amie]

Now that's an interesting point. I've been involved in male-dominated fields my entire adult life. I was a professional sound engineer on the road for years, and you can't imagine some of the comments I would get. So, do I gravitate towards the same types of hobbies? For the women on here, do you have STEM backgrounds?

As a female sound engineer who mixes FOH and monitors (albeit in broadcast television, not on the road), I can absolutely imagine the comments you would get. In my 14 years in the biz, I've only ever had the pleasure of working with two female touring sound engineers. You are a rare breed, indeed! Cheers!

I'm not sure a STEM background directly contributed to my brewing hobby so much as peer introduction... A male co-worker is also a homebrewer and my husband talked about wanting to learn how to brew, so I got advice from said co-worker in order to buy my husband a decent brewing kit. It wasn't until our first brew day (a Valentine's day gift for DH) that I realized that this was a hobby that I would enjoy. Now I'm hooked, and I'm the one who's getting Valentine's day and birthday gifts related to brewing. Hubby likes to add the hops and take iphone pictures of the boiling wort, but I pretty much run our home brewery.

 

[Rhumbline]

Homebrew makes you fart and women don't fart...

"No, but they stand beside a lot of dogs that do"

And I spent too much time around women Marines who could match any man step for step, punch for punch, and drink for drink, to wade through five pages of d^ck waving about the weaker sex.

 

[Fenduh]

Homebrew makes you fart and women don't fart. Ergo - women don't homebrew.

I beg to differ... my wife dutch ovens ME.

 

[gmh1975]

Here is a link to blog written by one of the women in my classes. There are 3 women who started the program with the first group of classes.

http://www.ucsdbrewingprogram.com/category/ucsd-extension-brewing-certificate-program/

She wrote an entry about women and brewing

 

[SharonaZamboni]

There are several women on here (but still a pretty small minority to the guys). It just isn't always made clear who is what in regular conversation.

Even in irregular conversation...

Salute us with what, exactly?

You know where to find those salutes!

 

[bob1852]

So, Sharona and Melana fart...

 

[thadass]

So, Sharona and Melana fart...

Technically I think Melana "fahts"

 

[Melana]

Even in irregular conversation...
You know where to find those salutes!

Agreed!