MINE’S a half pint of Firey Liz please. Just saying these words to the barman feels strange. My usual tipple is a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc but now I’m about to try some good old-fashioned beer.

Until now my experience of real ale has consisted of a few tentative sips from my father’s pint during my childhood. I don’t know anything about mild, stout or porter.

Real ale is just flat, luke-warm drink for men of a certain age with bushy beards and a penchant for pipes and slippers isn’t it?

Well not any more it seems. For the number of women drinking it has doubled in the past few years from 16 to 32 per cent according to latest research by CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale).

Almost one in three women have supped what campaigners regard as Britain’s national drink.

Teresa Thorn from Parkstone, has been drinking the stuff since she was 18.

“There are so many different varieties of flavours and tastes that there is always one to suit your mood,” she says sipping a glass of Brother Rabbit.

Fellow ale drinker Grace Ellis, also of Parkstone, who is nursing a half pint of a rich, dark liquor called Porter’s Pudding, agrees: “You can get so many different flavours now that there is nearly always one to suit every taste – stout with toffee, beer flavoured with coffee or liquorice – there is even a Christmas pudding flavour.

“Lots of women like the fruit beers too.”

My glass of Firey Liz is a revelation. It’s light, refreshing, thirst-quenching and what’s more it’s not bad for me either – in moderation of course.

For although some women baulk at beer because of the calorie content (a pint is around 200 calories) according to latest research not only is beer full of B vitamins and anti-oxidants, it may also help to prevent osteoporosis too.

“It’s just a shame it doesn’t make up one of your five a day!” laughs Teresa. “But it’s better for you because there are no additives or chemicals either– it is a natural living product.”

Eli Balloni, who runs the Moon In The Square pub in Bournemouth and has been in the industry for 10 years, says he has noticed an increase in the number of female ale drinkers.

“I think it’s because there are so many different varieties now to tempt them and the quality has improved.

“At the moment we are just coming to the end of an ale promotion and are offering three third-pint glasses of different ales for the price of one pint which gives customers a chance to try different varieties.”

Andy Brown, chairman of the East Dorset branch of CAMRA, which has around 900 members, says it’s good news for the industry that more women are drinking beer.

“Pubs in Britain are closing at a rate of six a week at the moment. The main cause is the supermarkets selling cheap alcohol. Pubs can’t compete with that buying power.

“The smoking ban hasn’t helped either and with the government increasing duty and breweries putting up their prices, it’s a perfect storm and pubs are really feeling the pinch.”

But he added that tickets to this year’s Poole Beer Festival, which starts today, sell out faster every year.

“It’s generally cheaper and although essentially it’s just malt, hops, water and yeast you can have so many different combinations and flavours that there’s something for everyone.”

• The 13th annual two-day Poole Beer Festival starts today at the St Aldhelm’s Centre in Poole Road in Branksome.

For more information visit eastdorsetcamra.org.