Pink beer aimed at lady tipplers

Three student food technologists have come up with an innovative way to get more women to drink beer - they have made it pink.

The Durban University of Technology (DUT) students have created a strawberry-flavoured beer called Pink Fantasy.

Their invention forms part of DUT's Biotechnology and Food Technology 2011 Food Product Launch, which took place on Wednesday.

Simone Beeharie, 20, Mishal Pillay, 20 and Sarisha Devnath, 19, are among 12 teams from the university who are creating original products.

The three, all second-year students, said they designed the drink to be more appealing to women.

"Beer is mainly drunk by men, so we decided to make something for women that has a less bitter flavour. Our beer has a strawberry aroma and is pink. It is more feminine," said Devnath.

The trio started the project in September, using a home brewing system. They said the feedback from both genders had been encouraging.

"All positive results so far, but men are still a bit apprehensive because it is pink," laughed Pillay.

Some of the other projects include a black liquorice ice cream which is melt-proof, a rooibos energy drink, a nonalcoholic amarula malt drink, a nutritional light stout, the first alcoholic ripple ice cream and gluten-free bread.

The trio are hoping to have their product on the market soon.

"We would like to sell it and see how far we can go with it after the launch," said Beeharie.

They didn't see a problem with their alcoholic invention. Their parents were aware of the beer and supported them.

Devnath said they were not concerned their beer promoted the drinking of liquor among women.

"We just wanted to create gender equity in alcohol," she quipped.