WRIC in Richmond Virginia recently published an article about the dominant force that women have become in their exploding beer scene, and this weekend we'll celebrate International Women's Collaboration Brew Day as female brewers from all over the world will be brewing the same recipe - Unite Pale Ale. (Follow the event on Facebook or visit the website.)
On a personal note, the expert who guided me through my first batch of homebrew was a woman (Thank you, Alison!). At Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine, 40 percent of our full-time staff are women, not to mention our phenomenal female interns, staff-writers, and contributors. So, we thought we'd compile a list of nine of the most influential and inspiring women in our industry. We know there are many, many more, but here are a few you should get to know.
9 Women to Know in Craft Beer
Ali Benetka, Head Brewer at Renegade Brewing
One of many female brewing pros who work at Renegade Brewing in Denver, Benetka is a Siebel Institute alum and also did a stint at Finch's Beer Company in Chicago.
Mariah Calagione, Vice President, Marketing at Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales
The Marketing brains behind Delaware's famous brewery, Calagione has been overseeing the Dogfish Head brand since 1997. Under her leadership, Dogfish Head has become one the most recognizable brands in craft beer.
Tonya Cornett - R&D Brewmaster at 10 Barrel Brewing Company
In 2008, Corbett won the Best Brewmaster award at the World Beer Cup, and she certainly hasn't been resting on her laurels. After a stint at Bend Brewing Company, Cornett is now R&D Brewmaster at 10 Barrel Brewing Company. Follow her on Twitter.
Nicole Erny - Master Cicerone
The first female and youngest person (at the time) to ever to become a Master Cicerone, Erny was the only person in 2011 to pass the 14-hour exam. She now manages the Certified Cicerone Exam. Follow her on Twitter.
Meg Gill, President and Co-Founder, Golden Road Brewing
Chosen by Forbes Magazine as one their 2014 30 under 30 in Food and Wine, Gill is the youngest female brewery owner in the United States. A former swimmer at Yale University, Gill helped lead Los Angeles-based Golden Road to revenues of more than $10 Million in 2013.
Jill Redding, Editor-In-Chief, Zymurgy Magazine and The New Brewer
Redding has been at the editorial helm of these two magazines for more than a decade, helping tens of thousands of brewers hone their craft.
Lauren Salazar - Wood Cellar Manager, Blender, Sensory Specialist at New Belgium Brewing
Salazar is the Sensory Specialist and a Quality team member at New Belgium Brewing Company, where she has been employed for more than a decade. Also in charge of NBB's Barrel Aging program, Salazar has been instrumental in the rapid development of the sour beer program at the Fort Collins-based brewery. Salazar holds a Certificate from UC Davis for Applied Sensory Science and Consumer Testing and received her Bachelor in Social Work from the University of Georgia.
Erica Shea -Co-owner of Brooklyn Brew Shop
Erica and her husband Stephen wanted to start brewing in their Brooklyn apartment, but they found that space was too great a constraint, not to mention that they had a hard time finding a homebrew shop in New York City. So, they started their own homebrew kit business aimed at producing 1-gallon batches - and it's working. Their kits are now available in thousands of locations in the United States, Canada, Norway, Singapore and Switzerland. Watch their story.
Abby Titcomb - Brewer at Three Floyd's Brewery
Titcomb is the Brewer at Three Floyd's in Munster, Indiana, but she started at the brewery building boxes in 2010 before attending Siebel and moving to the brew side of the house in 2011. Check out the write up she recently received in the 2013 People Issue from Chicago Reader.