One of Brisbane’s most prominent women in beer Kerry Claydon will be discussing Women in Beer at the Beer InCider Experience female panel this week at the Brisbane Showgrounds on Saturday 9 March.
Kerry is at the forefront of the informal social group, Chicks with Ales, made up of 550 women who meet monthly to taste, discuss and learn about beer, who are not necessarily in the industry. “The group was formed at the start of the craft beer revolution in Brisbane and was loosely based on a previous group in Sydney that had folded,” she said. “Age range is from 18-118 and we currently have over 730 members.”
But her role in beer first began when she landed a job as a microbiologist at XXXX Castlemaine Perkin’s Milton brewery after the Newman government made cuts to the public service. Kerry also worked at Carlton & United Breweries’ as its National Microbiologist and Advance Taster, as well as tackling the challenge of Head Brewer at Newstead Brewing Co.
Kerry’s passion for beer started where most individual’s taste for beer begins – university. “My passion for beer first starting during early university days when beer was the cheapest alcohol to consume,” she said. “Unfortunately, it was only commercial lager beer that was available, and I can understand why many people may not consider themselves beer drinkers if this has been their only experience. These days I favour the more flavoursome craft beers. Working in the brewery industry certainly expanded my palette. As with most women, my palette is actually quite good…I just lacked the knowledge of knowing what some of the delicate flavours were.”
The connoisseur loves the equalising properties of beer, in a social sense, but says beer is still largely a ‘man’s world’. “We aren’t quite there with the women being granted equal grounds as drinkers or beer professionals, but I like to think we are getting there.” She hopes that the panel discussion at this year’s Beer InCider Experience will aid in leveling out the playing field. “Never before has there been such a diverse array of beer flavours and styles as there is presently. I love encouraging women to taste more new age beer. Many ale style beers are fruity and more complex in taste compared to the watery, crisp, lingering bitterness of the lager style beers.”
In fact, females could be better equipped to enjoy the taste of beer, biologically. “Women actually have an amazing sensory palate. They can detect many more of the subtle and complex flavours in beer than their male counterparts. However, women aren’t always confident to take this leap of faith in this male dominated arena. Many women feel like they lack beer knowledge. And this is largely a true statement.”
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