Hey Bartender

Girl Beer

Recently, I discussed how scientists at the University of Copenhagen had studied a group of school children to determine if there were differences in the sense of taste between men and women. Among the many findings of their study was that girls are far better at recognizing tastes than boys. Girls have the ability to sense ALL concentrations of both sour and sweet tastes and, in general, have a finer sense of taste than boys.

The study also showed that girls don't like flavors that are too strong. By contrast, boys seem to like the more extreme flavors. Boys also seem to love things that are very sweet, girls do not. Most importantly, the study showed that the ability to recognize tastes increases gradually with age, and the greatest changes manifest themselves during the teenage years. However, since girls are ahead of the curve from the beginning, they remain so throughout their lifetime.

Last week, a friend suggested that I take a look at Girl Beer (aka Beermosa) from Boneyard Beer, located in Bend, OR. Their philosophy is pretty simple: Make great beer! Rumor has it that they do just that. The name Boneyard comes from the fact that the brewery uses lots of second-hand brewing equipment to create its first-rate beers.

For those who aren't familiar with Bend, OR, it is widely known as the premier outdoor playground of the United States. It is also home to an extraordinary number of craft beers. This town of about 82,000 people is the home of at least 9 world-class craft breweries, all within walking distance of one another. Those in the know are familiar with the Bend Ale Trail, which gives locals as well as visitors the opportunity to get a glimpse into the uniqueness of the craft brewing culture in this part of the world.

All indications are that Boneyard, one of the newer stops on the Bend Ale Trail, makes great beer. In addition to Girl Beer, their list includes Bone-A-Fide Pale Ale, Black 13, and RPM IPA. There is also a seasonal list which includes Diablo Rojo, Armored Fist, Wit Shack Wit, and Hop Venom IPA. Sadly, none of these beers are available in my local area, which is not cool because the reviews on the beers from this up and coming brewery are very positive.

Girl Beer gets its name from a song by the Hazards. It's a wheat ale re-fermented with a blend of dark sweet and tart Oregon cherries. Boneyard's brewers use special German malt to give the beer some tartness that balances remarkably well with the cherries. In a glass it's a rich golden amber liquid with a foamy head that has good retention and lacing. The nose is dominated by wheat while the palate gives way to cherries and wheat. It's mildly sweet, light and well-carbonated. Overall, it's very drinkable and perfect for those hot summer days that are yet to come.

Boneyard brewed Girl Beer with the ladies in mind. As the Denmark study showed, women don't like extreme flavors and they do not like things that are super sweet. Women do have the ability to sense all concentrations of both sour and sweet tastes, so beer that is cleverly balanced malt and both sweet and tart cherries would definitely be more appealing to women than an over-the-top-super-hoppy IPA. It's great to see that a brewery is finally taking steps to tailor some of their products for my female friends who enjoy beer. Maybe this a first step toward beer domination for Boneyard Beer.

So, there you have it, Girl Beer and Boneyard Beer -- unkegged!! I get so jealous whenever I hear about all the cool stuff going on in places like Bend, OR. As a beer drinker, I envy the culture for beer making and beer drinking that has developed there. In my dreams, I see beer makers everywhere taking a page out of the Oregon playbook and applying it to their thinking. Beer drinkers everywhere would benefit greatly from this and chances are that the beer makers would too. As always, whether drinking Girl Beer or boy beer at home or with friends, please do so responsibly. Until next time...prosit!!!