Dea Latis women switch from wine to beer in January

The Dea Latis women are aiming to dispel the widely-held views that beer is calorific, gassy and gives drinkers a ‘beer belly’.

Dea Latis is a cross-industry group aiming to ‘bring beer to women’. It is named after the Celtic goddess of beer and water and has around 50 members, including brewers, beer tasters, quality managers, trainers, writers, bloggers and marketeers.

Dea Latis member Annabel Smith said: “For many women, beer’s supposedly high calorie content is the main reason why they don’t drink it. In fact, beer is lower in alcohol content and therefore in calories, than wine – so for anyone who wants to reduce their alcohol content during January, but can’t face complete abstinence, beer’s a great option.”

A 175ml glass of white wine at 12% ABV contains 131 calories whereas a half pint of standard beer at 3.8% ABV contains only 85 calories. Beer has a lower alcohol by volume – typically between 4-5% ABV – compared to wine, at between 12-14% ABV.

Choosing beers: Dea Latis’s tips

• Keep an eye on the ABV – the higher it is, the more calories it will have
• Beers on the traditional handpulls tend to be less fizzy
• Don’t be afraid to ask for a taster glass as many pubs will oblige
• Try drinking beer from different glasses – in fact, it’s great in a wine glass
• If you’re eating as well, remember that darker beers tend to go better with strong flavours (pies and beef)and lighter beers with more delicate flavours (fish and chicken). For spicy foods and curries, lagers have the carbon dioxide ‘bite’ to cut through the strong flavours.