The Pink Boots Society is proud to announce that Ashley Nulph, tasting room server at The Rare Barrel, is the recipient of the Oregon State University Origins of Beer Flavors and Styles scholarship.
Chosen by the PBS Scholarship Selection Committee (SSC), five very experienced women beer professionals who hold positions as brewers, educators and writers, they chose Ashley to receive this scholarship as she, “has not had the opportunity before to attend a course that would go into the details of beer flavors and styles.” They admire her passion and determination to balance it all – being “a strong mommy following her passion” and carving out precious time to gain knowledge in various aspects of beer and brewing.
A little over a year ago Ashley made a career change, from utilizing her master’s degree in education teaching high school Mandarin and Spanish, to becoming a beertender. She quickly joined the Pink Boots Society and last spring was able to participate in three different Big Boots Brews. She says “Beer inspired me to be a student again – to learn about biology, chemistry and engineering processes – but learning by myself has many limitations.” She is looking forward to both the education she will gain in brewing and tasting and “the opportunity to widen my community with beer professionals I can go to with questions and concerns or for support. As an added bonus, I’d meet more women in the industry who have different backgrounds and share these new experiences with them.”
The Oregon State University Professional and Continuing Education Origins of Beer Flavors and Styles course is a two-day onsite course that will examine the origins of beer flavor from raw materials and brewing techniques, how beer flavor and aroma are developed within brewing, raw ingredients and then ultimately transformed by yeast during fermentation through multiple beer tastings and discussions. Attendees will also learn the sensory methodology and aroma standards used by professionals in the brewing industry to analyze beer quality and to identify beer flavor defects and their causes during the brewing process.
In addition to attending the course, Ashley will receive a pair of pink steel-toe rubber boots when she fulfills the Pay It Forward requirement associated with the scholarship.
