Women and Beer: A 4,500-Year History Is Coming Full Circle
In Ancient Egypt, beer was made almost entirely by women. As we shifted to an industrial economy, men took over. Will the craft revolution reverse the trend?
It was just moments after I finished an IPA tour at the Great American Beer Festival with Julia Herz, the Craft Beer Program director for the Brewers Association. “Women drinking beer!” one guys said, pointing up to the “womenenjoyingbeer.com” booth. Two of his male friends gave a laughing grunt, and one took out his phone to capture the moment for re-telling.
The idea of women in the beer world is often parodied and, occasionally, openly mocked. But why?
The oldest known record of beer brewing comes from Ancient Egypt, where beer was made and sold almost
