BEER AND WINE LINKS 03.05.18
1) Sexism in Beer: Introduction
2) Sexism in Beer: The Experiences of Women
3) Sexism in Beer: A Brewer’s Perspective
4) Sexism in Beer: What You Can Do
5) The Reddit discussion.
6) Brewery apologises after consent joke causes uproar.
7) A message from Greg Koch.
8) Women, You’re Not The Problem — Our Sexist Workplace Culture Is.
Pardon the amount of links, enough that I will refer to them by number. I want to make it easier for you to read each of the four parts of Beervana’s excellent collection of stories related to sexism in beer (1-4). No. 5 links to the discussion that followed at Reddit. I am certain there were others, but this one nicely illustrates that people “get it” at different levels, including not at all. And while Stone’s Twitter misstep (6-7) is pretty much a poster child for not getting it, the result (putting a woman in charge of the Twitter account) represents genuine progress.
The last link is to a story about a workplace outside of beer, because beer and brewing don’t occur in a void. They are part of a particular culture.
When men in the workplace, intentional or not, call women “girls,” create hyper-sexualized environments, begrudge us for wanting equal pay, dismiss our desire for conflict resolution as immature, punish us for having children, interrupt or co-opt our ideas, they are telling us: You matter less. The basic truth, that we are simply not as valuable as men, is drilled into us at every turn possible.”
And beer has a long history of this, which Judith Bennett outlines beautifully in Ale, Beer, and Brewsters in England. Women once brewed and sold most of the ale drunk in England. In 1300, brewsters were able to work because trade was accessible to them; as low-status, low-skilled, poor paying work it attracted little male participation. As brewing became more profitable it passed into male hands.
What has kept women from ever taking the lead or even sharing it? In the history of brewsters, the answer lies, as we have seen, not in biology, not in organized male malice, and not in social necessity, but instead in the historical interplay of many patriarchal institutions, and cultureal presumptions.”
#BeeryLongreads 2018.
What better to look forward to reading on a holiday weekend (Memorial Day) Saturday than a collection of beery longreads?
New England IPA’s Secret Ingredient Is Instagram.
‘Glitter Beers’ Are Here to Make (or Ruin) Your Day.
Sometimes 2+2 does equal 4.
MORE BEER; JUST THE LINKS
– Nicci Peet is creating Photography.
– Where next for trail-blazing Brewster?
– A Homebrewing Festival in the Arctic Circle.
– Brewing Terroir: Unearthing the distinct regional flavor of hops.
– Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA: Can vs. Bottle.
– Australian brewer files application to trademark colour of beer.
WINE
Have We Taken the “Less Is More” Wine Aesthetic Too Far?
Even I, who sometimes wears a T-shirt that says “Less is More” when judging beer, recognize that less can be less in the wrong hands.
FROM TWITTER
In my fantasy life as Lord of Copy Editors, writers who put scenes in the present tense will receive a ritual shaking by the lapels and the amputation of their favorite quote!
— Daniel Fromson (@dfroms) February 28, 2018
I’m torn on whether or not Stone explicitly putting a women in charge of twitter is empowering or if it’s another example of men seeking to hide from finding themselves in situations where they have to actually think and apologize for what they say. I’m not doubting their intentions, but I’m wondering if there’s a better response.
A fair point, Sam. But I suspect many men only saw the initial tweet, not what followed, including the apology. This way less damage is done.
I don’t doubt there are other long-term changes that Stone or others could do after an incident like this, but I think short-term decisions that specifically put women and other under-represented folks in positions of influence are perfectly fine — that’s what’s needed in most workplaces.