Home-Brew Contest Bans Woman Named Beer

(NewsCore) - Despite being named Beer, and making her own brew, a New Zealand woman has been prohibited from entering a home-brew beer contest because she's not a man.

Rachel Beer, who makes a brew named "Beer's Beer," was shocked to be told a home-brew competition at an A&P show -- an event which combines agricultural and entertainment events -- on Saturday was a male-only competition, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Beer was told by the chief steward of the event, held at Lake Hayes in the central South Island near Queenstown, that she could enter her tipple, but it 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," the 36-year-old said, adding that it was time the organizers of the event changed the rules to "meet modern times."

Show president Mike Smith said he was not aware there was a brewing contest at the annual event, and suggested Beer put forward a proposal for a women's or mixed section next year.

The President of the Brewers' Guild of New Zealand, Ralph Bungard, said the rule was ridiculous because traditionally it was a woman's job to brew the beer, just as it was to bake the bread. "It was a very female profession," he said.

Read more: New Zealand Herald