Women were the first craft brewers, says author

Nolle Phillips loves drinking beer and says menare oftensurprised that she knows whatshe wants.

The myth that beer is a naturally masculine drink is onethe Douglas CollegeEnglish professor tries to bust in her new bookCraft Beer Culture and Modern Medievalism: Brewing Dissent.

The first thingmodern craft beer marketing gets wrong is thatmonks in monasteries were the first brewers, she says.

It's women who began the craft beer tradition, she writes,selling home-made drink in small batches in theircommunities, something that's been almost been completely forgotten.

"Early in the Middle Ages it was mostly done by women. It was mostly standardized and regulated by women on a local basis," Phillips told Stephen Quinn, host of The Early Edition. "Into the later Middle Ages as it [became] more widely disseminated ... and regulated more profitable, and women [got] pushed out."

Diversity in brewing industry

Phillips admits that women are still a minority in the craft beer industry. Although she sees more brewers on the ground being willing to increase gender and racial diversityin the industry, she said she would like to see a quicker transition driven from the top.

She saidPersephone Brewing, basedin Gibsons, B.C., appointeda female CEO last year, which wasa positive move.

Gender differences in beer taste?

In her book, Phillips interviewed Driftwood Brewery in Victoria, B.C., which offers an ESB standing for "extra special bitter" brand of craft beer that honours Hildegard von Bingen, a 12th century GermanBenedictineabbess who wrote about using hops as preservatives in beer.

Phillips said the notion of gender differences in taste that women only like sweet beer and men only like strong beer, for instance is "ridiculous." She also doubts whether women are drinking less craft beer since the introduction of canned low-calorie beverages.

"If we make certain groups feel like a drink isn't for them, then that's not what they'll buy. And I think women have generally felt unwelcome to some degree in beer environments."

To hear the complete interview with Nolle Phillips on The Early Edition, tap the audio link below: