A man has successfully sued BrewDog for sex discrimination after a bartender refused to sell him a drink because of his gender.

In March 2018, Dr Thomas Bower asked to buy the beer company’s Pink IPA, which was offered a discounted price of £4 for customers who identify as female.

However, the 27-year-old said that after a “back and forth” with the bartender, he felt “forced” to identify as female so that he could purchase the drink.

Bower subsequently complained to the company who insisted he had not experienced sex discrimination because the price difference was part of a national campaign to raise awareness about the gender pay gap.

The drink was launched ahead of International Women's Day as part of BrewDog’s “Beer for Girls” campaign which aimed to “expose sexist marketing to women, particularly within the beer industry.”

Man spends life collecting over 9000 beer cans Show all 10 1 /10 Man spends life collecting over 9000 beer cans Man spends life collecting over 9000 beer cans Stella, John Smith's and Newcastle Brown Ale to name a few Tom Wren/SWNS Man spends life collecting over 9000 beer cans Varieties on Morrisons home brand lager and bitter Tom Wren/SWNS Man spends life collecting over 9000 beer cans Various cans of Tennent's Lager and ale, some featuring their "Lager Lovelies" range, which was discontinued in 1991 Tom Wren/SWNS Man spends life collecting over 9000 beer cans Marks & Spencer beers, Crown Lager and Tesco value lager Tom Wren/SWNS Man spends life collecting over 9000 beer cans Watneys Pale Ale, Younger's Tartan Ale and a variety of Holsten Pils cans to name a few Tom Wren/SWNS Man spends life collecting over 9000 beer cans Tennent's Caledonian Lager and Sam Smith's Alpine Lager Tom Wren/SWNS Man spends life collecting over 9000 beer cans Darwin Lager, Worthington's E ale and Harp Lager among others Tom Wren/SWNS Man spends life collecting over 9000 beer cans Carlsberg Special Brew, Ansells Bitter and Younger's Monk Ale among others Tom Wren/SWNS Man spends life collecting over 9000 beer cans Nick West has spent 40 years collecting over 9000 beer cans Tom Wren/SWNS Man spends life collecting over 9000 beer cans West was once voted "Britain's Dullest Man" in a newspaper pole and is a member of the Dull Men Club, who release a yearly calendar Tom Wren/SWNS

According to BrewDog, the Pink IPA was their “overt parody on the failed, tone-deaf campaigns that some brands have attempted in order to attract women.”

At the time of the complaint, BrewDog’s traditional Punk IPA continued to be sold to customers who identify as male for £5.

Not satisfied with the response, Bower decided to take Brewdog to court where he claimed for damages and an apology for “direct discrimination and breach of the Equality Act 2010”.

In a transcript of the court proceedings, District Judge Phillips said: “In my judgment, it is clear that in this case the claimant has been directly discriminated against by the defendant because of his sex.

"The fact that by identifying as female he was still able to purchase a Pink IPA makes no difference. I accept what Dr Bower says, namely that identifying as female was the only way he could purchase a Pink IPA at a cost of £4."

Mr Phillips added that Dr Bower would have felt "humiliated" and it was "not a pleasant experience for him", Wales Online reports.

In response, BrewDog said that its Pink IPA was “sold to those identifying as women and was offered at a reduced price of 20%, on the basis of this being the gender pay gap in the United Kingdom".

It added that as soon as Bower claimed he identified as female, he was able to purchase the Pink IPA.

Following the launch of its “Beer for Girls” campaign in 2018, a number of Twitter users claimed the brand had missed the mark.

“How does copying sexism subvert it?” one person wrote.

Another added: “I really don’t see how it tackles sexism or the gender pay gap. Doesn't this label and name just perpetuate sexism further?”

Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Sarah Warman, BrewDog global head of marketing, said at the time: “With Pink IPA, we are making a statement the only way we know how - with beer.