Hotelier Middle East: Raising a glass to women who enjoy beer

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Belgium-based master hops sommelier Sofie Vanrafelghem is spearheading Apero Global, an international salute to breaking down stereotypes and global clichés around women. Hops loving women in 13 countries will connect through YouTube and Periscope on the night. The Dubai event will take place on The Ritz-Carlton DIFC’s podium terrace on Tuesday March 8, at 7pm, guided by local female-led companies, CitiSpi and The Tasting Class. The night will start with a welcome beverage of Stella Artois or Stella Cidre, followed by an educational tasting of five unique and premium Belgian hop styles. “There is a misconception that women only drink sugary cocktails and pink bubbles but there are plenty of women who appreciate fine hops and full-flavoured beverages,” said The Tasting Class founder Lindsay Trivers. “Dispelling these types of themes is exactly what International Women’s Day is all about. As a leader in women’s rights in the Middle East, Dubai is uniquely placed to continue to accelerate gender parity in the region. This event is designed to support that leadership position while also bringing together women in a fun and interactive environment,” she added. Tasting hops will include a Belgian wheat (Hoegaarden), a three grain (Tripel Karmeleit), a dark Belgian (Leffe Brune), and old Flemish sour brown (Leifmans Goudenband) and a wheat/fruit hop (Früli Strawberry). This article was first published on Hotelier Middle East.

The Wines we tasted