‘Sexist’ craft beer names and images to be banned

Images of scantily clad women and saucy names used to promote craft beers are to be banned from bottles and pumps.

Names such as Dizzy Blonde have become popular in the marketing of independent beers, which are enjoying a sales boom. It is part of a wider recognition that craft beers are to be enjoyed by women just as much as men.

A first sign of change can be seen on pump clips used to market Elsie Mo, made by the Castle Rock Brewery in Nottingham. The original versions were inspired by historical images of US aircraft nose art and were in the pin-up style. 

One showed a woman kicking her legs in the air to reveal suspenders and underwear. The new version features Elsie Mo as a heroic pilot figure. The brewery’s managing director Colin Wilde said it was ‘time to acknowledge that the sexualised presentation of Elsie Mo is not accepted by a culture that strives for, and celebrates, equality’.

Other beers that might be penalised include Robinsons’ Dizzy Blonde, whose label has a picture of a leggy woman in a mini-dress and high heels. Bude Brewery’s Adult Wrestling is also in the firing line with their Strawberry Blonde Ale that portays a woman on top of a man in bed, while Grafton Brewery’s Winter’s Dream pictures a naked woman from behind in the snow.

The label on the Belgian fruit beer Cantillon Rosé de Gambrinus, showing a naked woman sitting on a man’s knee, has been criticised and in October an Irish brewery came under fire for its tagline ‘Dublin Blonde goes down easy’.

Elsie Mo beer was previously branded by a sexy pin-up but is now instead a pilot

In the wake of the #MeToo movement and the backlash against sexual harassment and abuse, the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) is drawing up a new code of practice to outlaw marketing which is considered sexist and offensive.

The campaign against these beer labels and promotions is being led by Jaega Wise, recently elected as the south east director for SIBA. Miss Wise said: ‘The issue of sexist and discriminatory beer marketing has been raised at board level.

‘Members may wish to consider their current branding and make plans to change any which might be considered inappropriate by consumers.’

The Campaign for Real Ale’s national executive said it ‘abhorred’ sexism and would take action against members being ‘disrespectful’ because of a person’s gender.