"Real women don't drink light beer" - New Glarus (Wis.) Brewing bumper sticker. Women are beer drinkers, too

You wouldn't know it from the beer advertising you see on television, but women drink 25% of beer sold in the United States, and that percentage is rising. "Brewers have been reluctant to market to women for fear of alienating their core audience: men," says Benj Steinman of Beer Marketer's Insights. "But beer consumption among women is growing and they like light beer."

Well, we know some women who agree with a) and disagree with b), and they stepped forward in July of 2002 to share some of their beer knowledge.

- Lisa Morrison, who has received national attention for the Beer Appreciation for Women course she teaches at Portland Brewing, leads a tasting class. She's tasting a variety of styles of beer from around the United States, and offers suggestions of local beers to sample along with her.

- Cornelia Corey, Wynkoop Brewing's 2001 Beerdrinker of the Year, answers questions. She's visited 235 breweries in 22 states and seven countries and been to 30 beer festivals.

- Lucy Saunders -- who writes about beer and food, in newspapers, magazines and books; and maintains beercook.com -- discusses grilling with beer. Recipes and plenty of tips included.

- Daria Labinsky -- twice first runnerup for Beer Writer of the Year -- leads a roundtable including all these women.