Sisters are brewing it for themselves
By: JimOldfield
February 14th, 2012
A women-only brewing group has launched its latest offering in Manchester as the girls proved beer-making is not just for men.
The 10-strong band who make up Project Venus delivered Venus Gold – a 3.8 per cent light session ale – to a thirsty group at Post Street Beer House on Wednesday night.
Project Venus, which is made up of female brewers from across the UK and Ireland, aims to promote women in the brewing industry.
Brewing is believed to have been a women’s role in pre-Industrial times when beer was traditionally made in the home. Women were only nudged out of the role when first monasteries, and then brewery companies, began to brew on an industrial scale.
Venus Gold, which was brewed at the Prospect Brewery near Wigan – the home of Venus member and Prospect head-brewer Patsy Slevin – is the fourth ale the group have brewed.
It is also the first to be unveiled in the north of England after previous brews Venus Jade, Venus Rouge and Venus Black were first supped in the south. And women were also proving that drinking beer is not just for men in Lancashire on Wednesday when the Pendle Beer Festival launched with a ladies night.
The CAMRA event at Colne Muni kicked-off with an exclusive women-only session where women had first pick of the festival’s ales… a day before any men were let in!
East Lancashire CAMRA, which organised this weekend’s event, has a 20 per cent female membership
