Women make better beer tasters than men? Australia says so!

[Elizabeth W.]

Has anyone else seen a story about Australia's Bluetongue Brewery, and their plan to hire more women because "women make better beer tasters than men?"

I would love to find some concrete scientific studies to back this up, or at the very least, would love some help tracing the origin of the idea. Some of the articles I've seen treat women-taste-beer better as a foregone conclusion, a stereotype or folklore. And some seem to hint at their being science behind it, without referencing a study.

I'm a beer writer, and a freelance writer more generally, and I would LOVE to get an article going about this. But I need a little help sorting out the science and the sources before I write anything.

Please help! Will trade recipes for guidance!

[tiffanya]

Here are some articles you may find useful. While none are specifically about beer, most discuss how gender and genetics impact the sense of taste and/or smell.


The Bitter Truth: Research indicates 25% of US population have genetic predisposition to dislike bitter compounds found in many fruits and vegetables
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+Bitter+Truth-a057011046

The Taste Gene: Psychobiologists Find Genetic Component in Children's Food Preference
http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2005/0508-the_taste_gene.htm
Science Daily, May 2005

Do men and women differ in their capacity to detct odors?
http://zebra.sc.edu/smell/ann/myth1.html

Bottle of the Sexes: Are women better tasters than men?
http://www.sauvignonrepublic.com/pdf/news_Bottle_of_the_Sexes_WineE...
Wine Enthusiast, Oct 2008

Women have superior taste: When it comes to tasting wine, the female palate reigns
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/151/story/670134.html

Girls have superior sense of taste to boys
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081216104035.htm
ScienceDaily, Dec 2008

Are your taste buds aging? Our sense of taste erodes as we grow older.
http://archive.supermarketguru.com/page.cfm/299

Flavor Savor
http://www.memphismagazine.com/gyrobase/Magazine/Content?oid=oid%3A...

Open UP and Say Ahhh... How the Sense of Taste Affects One's Health
http://www.researchsea.com/html/article.php/aid/3402/cid/3/research...