“Sex sells” may be a well-worn and, some might argue, debatable truth of the advertising world.
But the Moon Under Water Brewpub in Victoria intends to turn that belief on its head.
Chelsea Walker, co-owner of the craft brewer, is championing a new beer made by women in the industry.
“I kind of dedicate this to the women who are the bad-ass [women] in the craft beer industry. This is a move designed for the women who like what they like and I think it shows that women can be portrayed non-sexually in the alcohol industry,” Walker said Friday.
Hip as Funk, a beer billed as a fruity farmhouse India Pale Ale, intends to make some noise in a cluttered craft beer world by doing what others may not — avoid using sexualized images of women to sell the beer to male drinkers.
“It’s a beautiful beer designed to be appreciated and not sexualized,” Walker said. She notes that so many beers over the years have used buxom models and sexualized graphics and commercials to push suds into the market. “This beer is about me and being strong and powerful.”
Walker said the beer’s label is a self portrait of designer Bjauna Sorensen, who created the image as an homage to strong and beautiful women.
But Walker is quick to point out this is not just a woman’s beer, it’s for everyone. “I find it insulting when someone says it’s a woman’s beer,” she said.
Walker said she has had more than her share of not being taken seriously as a young female in the male-dominated craft beer industry.
She has also had enough of what she calls the condescension in the industry that pushes low-alcohol beers and pink-labelled beers to women.
That’s one reason this beer is so personal.
Walker said it’s more than just another summer tipple, it’s also her passion project — a bid to dash the idea that a woman’s place in the beer world is to lure the male drinker, and also a vehicle in which to pour her energy as she works through some personal adversity and assert herself in the male-dominated brewing industry.
“This beer is symbolic of my own personal struggle,” Walker said.
There’s also plenty of symbolism in Sunday’s release date, International Women’s Day, and there will be no “mansplaining” on the bottle. Walker defines that as condescending language or over-simplifying information on the label in order to explain it to women.
“Female craft beer drinkers know what they like and unapologetically drink it,” she said.
Hip as Funk will be available on tap at the Moon Under Water, and in private liquor stores across Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland Monday.
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10 NEW BEERS
Craft beer lovers will have the unprecedented opportunity to sample 10 new beers from some of B.C.’s best breweries on Wednesday at Wheelies Motorcycle Cafe in Rock Bay:
• Bomber Brewing (Vancouver) Out of this World ISA
• Category 12 Brewing (Saanichton) Transmutation Belgian Specialty Ale
• Four Winds Brewing (Delta)
La Maison Grisette
• Lighthouse Brewing (Esquimalt) Jackline Rhubarb Grisette
• Moon Under Water Brewpub (Victoria) Hip As Funk
• Phillips Brewing (Victoria)
Apteryx IPA
• Steamworks Brewing (Burnaby) White Angel IPA
• Swans Brewpub (Victoria)
Masterblaster Saison
• Townsite Brewing
(Powell River) Le Chatelier
• Yellow Dog Brewing
(Port Moody) Sit & Stay India Session Belgian Ale
BEER WEEK
Beer Week kicks off today and runs through March 15 with events around the city, including a beer and pizza night at Pizzeria Prima Strada on Bridge Street and beer school at Swans Brewpub on Pandora Avenue, which will delve into beer history. An event schedule is at victoriabeerweek.com
