WOMEN were invited to a special event at Dorchester’s Brewhouse and Kitchen pub to mark the rising importance of female customers and brewers.

All 22 of the business’s brewpubs marked International Women’s Day by inviting women to join in with brewing a beer that was later put on sale, with a donation from each pint going to breast cancer research.

Brewhouse and Kitchen marketing manager Gail Bunn said: “Women have greater ability to distinguish between high numbers of aromas and flavours, which is key to success in craft brewing. Along with this, beer companies are more aware of the importance of female beer drinkers. and women now feel more comfortable to drink beer, attend pubs and contribute to the growth of the industry. We’re seeing this reflected in both our customers base and growth of women participating in our Brewing Academy, which fosters successful careers in brewing.

“On International Women’s Day, we wanted to celebrate women’s contributions to the industry, encourage new ladies to consider the trade by introducing them to the brewing process, but most of all to just make the wonderful world of craft beer more approachable to women, and to encourage women to enjoy the wealth of styles and flavours available.”