People Rate Beer More Highly If They Think It’s Made By A Man, Study Says

There’s an idea that craft beer is dominated by men, mostly with beards, beanies, and an affinity for plaid flannel. It’s a stereotype that’s partially grounded in fact: as of last year, men made up about 69 percent of craft beer drinkers, and though that breakdown is changing, women still make up less than a third of brewery workers nationwide. The past few years might have also seen pushback against the concept of the “girly drink,” but the idea persists somehow that men know beer and women sip cocktails.

Which all might be why, according to a new study from Stanford University, people tend to think men make better beer. Researchers asked almost 300 participants to rate a beer based on its label. In one condition, the label said the brewer’s name was Sarah, and it briefly mentioned her brewing career; in another, the label was the same, save for a name and pronoun swap. The participants rated the beer higher when it seemed to be made by David, than if it were brewed by Sarah.


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