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Woman's home brew comp ban sparks frenzy

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12 Jan 2012

Blokes only: Rachel Beer’s home brew is ineligible for a Queenstown home-brew contest because she’s not male

The Queenstowner banned from a home-brew contest because she’s a woman has been inundated with media requests and brewery invites.

Booze giant Dominion Breweries and the female team leader at Dunedin’s Speight’s Brewery have both invited the aptly-named Rachel Beer to tour their respective plants.

Mountain Scene broke the story yesterday (Thursday) about how Beer tried to enter her tipple in the home brew competition at Saturday’s Lake Hayes A&P Show but was told it was “blokes-only”.

The plight of 36-year-old Beer (and, yes, that is her real name) has since featured on TV3’s primetime news, the cover of the country’s biggest newspaper The New Zealand Herald, and in Australian media. She’s also been invited to do an interview on breakfast television across the ditch.

“Who cares if I have or haven’t got balls?” she fumed.

“At the end of the day a home brew is a home brew.”

Support for Beer has come from the Society of Beer Advocates (SOBA).

Press secretary Martin Bulmer has emailed her to say: “We were a little shocked to read on Mountain Scene that you were barred from entering a homebrew competition.”

Bulmer says his society is keen to feature her beer in a website article about women in brewing.

SOBA is a New Zealand pressure group set up to campaign for “beer for all the right reasons”.

Beer, whose tipple is called ‘Beer’s Beer’, was told by the chief steward she could enter but wouldn’t be judged.

“There’s no point entering a beer if it’s not going to be judged whether it’s gold or mud,” she says.

Beer stresses she’s got nothing against the Lake Hayes show.

“I think it’s fantastic. But it’d be great if the rules could be changed to meet modern times.”

A Human Rights Commission spokesperson says: “On the face of it, the competition may be breaching the Human Rights Act but in the absence of a complaint and full details of the competition the Commission is unable to comment any further.”

Beer says she doesn’t intend complaining to the Human Rights Commission.

“It’s more just the principle of the matter. Perhaps they’ll consider a home-brew competition for females,” she says.

“But I would love to enter in the competition with the males, as there are some mighty talented home-brew gents out there who I’d love to compete with.”

Beer, who admits she was taught by a bloke, says she’s put down about half a dozen brews in the past three or four years.

“I gift quite a lot to friends. They might be lying when they say it’s great, but they always ask for more.”

Ironically, one of the two labels for her ales, lagers and pilseners is a picture of Lake Hayes.

Show president Mike Smith says he doesn’t want to comment on whether or not the “blokes only” rule is sexist.

“I didn’t even know there was a brewing competition.”

Smith suggests Beer put a proposal to his committee for a women’s or mixed sex section next year.

“I’m sure the show can make room for it in the next round.”

No rematch for mower race punch-up combatants

Your say

So if that's true, then there isn't a beer competition at all, but a Southern Man competition that includes brewing. Quite an important distinction.

MS, care to come clean?

15 Jan 2012 09:32AM kernow

Crap reporting

Looks like a classic case of crap reporting.
It turns out that the beer brewing is only part of a "Southern Man" competition with large number of categories, including baking, flower arranging and home-brewing, all aimed at inducing typical southern men to step out of their usual comfort zones.
Allowing a woman to enter would be like having a man enter the Speight's Perfect Woman competition.

14 Jan 2012 04:42PM rolf

EXPORT IT

GOOD ON YA RACH, THERES 30 IRISH MEN HERE IN ADELAIDE THAT WILL BE ONLY TO HAPPY TO BE THE JUDGES OF THIS, DONT WORRY ABOUT little old lake hayes CHEERS DEAN WALLACE

13 Jan 2012 09:30PM nZ DEAN

J, don't get me wrong, I'd love to get an explanation out of A and P show. But it seems pretty clear cut:

Rachel: "Can I enter my beer in the competition please?"

A&P: "Certainly. Just get a medical certificate that you've had a sex change and away you go!"

12 Jan 2012 11:17PM kernow

Well Done Ms Beer

I actually expect this sort of thing to happen at the A and P show considering last years lawn mower fight! Come on people, we are dealing with a bunch of sexist rednecks. Rachel good luck and if you put as much passion into making your beer as you did standing up for yourself, i am sure its awesome.

12 Jan 2012 10:33PM carl

dark ages

can't believe this. really? are men allowed to enter the baking comps?

12 Jan 2012 09:23PM heylee

Be resonable

Hey it's good that Rachel has pointed this out, But lets remember that the organisers are all volunteers and may over look things as they have other obligations to work, home, etc...
I'm sure that they will take it on board.
LETS JUST FIRST APPRECIATE WHAT THEY ARE DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY BEFORE WE RUSH IN AND JUDGE THEM !!

12 Jan 2012 08:50PM j

It's pretty funny

Can't think of any reason a woman couldn't enter. There must be some kind of mistake.
Probably the same organisers who wouldn't let me enter the Winter Festival Snow Queen competition

12 Jan 2012 05:59PM rolf

are we really in the 21st century?

This is unbelievable. I think the powers that be of the Lake Hayes A&P Show should have a good hard think about how the world works in 2012. No girls allowed in the beer brewing comp and punch-ups in the lawn mower races? Good grief - grow up, get your act together and do a better job, this is embarrassing.

Oh and Rachel - I think you should SELL your 'Beer's Beer' in a stand at the A & P Show - I think you'll find plenty of sympathetic and eager customers!

12 Jan 2012 03:22PM Scott_Kennedy

Bring Queenstown into the 1800's....

Good on ya Rach, but the Lake Hayes A and P Show should allow her in straight away without having to change the rules.

What century are we in an with a great last name like Beer, she's sure to win!

Everyone should post a comment here and perhaps this can help persuade Lake Hayes A&P Show to chage their mind. What an embarrasment for NZ the first country in the world to give women the right to vote in th 1800's. Come on NZ get behind Rachel's Beer. Cheers Andrew

Read more: http://www.3news.co.nz/Woman-banned-from-blokes-only-home-brew-comp/tabid/420/articleID/238984/Default.aspx#ixzz1jCgq7bAD

12 Jan 2012 02:36PM ATB

Come on boys!

Because the chances are the girls can do a better brew? Ya know it!

12 Jan 2012 01:49PM nicole

Terrible! You're more than welcome to enter the Bendigo Beer homebrew competition in Victoria, Australia. Our first competition winner was a woman - showing the guys up with an amazing American Brown Ale!

Keep up the good brewing :)

Cheers,

Justin McPhail

12 Jan 2012 12:15PM justinrhys

Good on ya Rach!

I think it's fabulous and I love Rachels suggestion of perhaps running a girls comp. But at the end of the day a beer is a beer, bloke or chick regardless. Judge it on its merits not the sex! I love the A & P SHow at Lake Hayes and would be there with bells on if I could. Can't wait to try Beer's Beer!

12 Jan 2012 11:46AM Cazna

Probably scared a girl would win...

With attitudes like this, I no longer feel bad for not going.

Lake Hayes A & P, sort your shit out - this is bloody outrageous!

12 Jan 2012 10:51AM kernow

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