The Pink Boots Society is excited to announce and introduce the eleven ladies that have been selected by the PBS Scholarship Selection Committee (SSC) to receive a scholarship for the New Mexico State University Brewing and Distilling in the Belgium and Netherlands course May 20 – June 3, 2020. 

Hailing from the United States, Canada, Peru and Spain, these eleven women come from a variety of backgrounds and hold a wide range of positions at breweries and distilleries. In addition to the knowledge gained from attending the course Jessica Baker, Carly Clark, Ximena Gloria, Jeraldin Kuerbiss, Hannah Lester, Madeleine McCarthy, Juleidy Pena, Natasha Peskar, Brittany Ribalkin, Cristina Saez and Holley Voegtle will benefit from making new connections with fellow Pink Boots Society members. 

Jess Baker, Bartender/Retail Staff at Trillium Brewing Company in Canton, MA says, “I’ve worked in the brewing industry on and off for most of my adult life, and made many friends though this work that have pushed me to be more thoughtful and creative with my time.” Interested in both distilling and brewing, she has impressed the ownership at Trillium over the past two years with her passion to learn about craft beer and they are hopeful that what she gains from this scholarship will further the advancement of women in the industry. “As a woman, I never felt confident that I could really be successful in the world of distilling, so it was difficult to even see that as a possible goal. However, with the community provided by the work of the Pink Boots Society, I’ve felt fiercely supported and encouraged to go for a dream that I have pushed aside.” 

Carly Clark has earned a degree in Fermentation Science and Technology, a degree which she feels is “the perfect combination of my two passions.” Currently working as a Quality Assurance Supervisor at Stone Brewing in Escondido, CA, she is eager to apply her strong educational foundation to the experiences from this course, “ask a lot of questions in order to learn the differences in brewing processes around the world” and apply that to “ways to better our recipes or processes in order to produce a higher quality product. One of the best ways to do this is to look at a system that is different from your own and learn from their mistakes and successes. This course would also give me a great introduction to new beer styles and help expand my sensory skills for taste panels.”

Ximena Gloria is pursuing a Chemical Engineering degree and as part of her studies, one class took a field trip to a brewery where she says, “I was amazed by the many variables that lead to the characteristics of the final product, not to mention the beauty of those shiny fermenters. I was hooked. So I just went for it and asked for an opportunity to learn from them, and shortly after joined the team as the first woman in a tech lab position.” That brewery is Corporacion Pueblo Libre – Hops Microbrewery in Lima, Peru where she is a Quality Control Lab Technician. Since starting the job Gloria’s responsibilities have increased, including teaching a Salts Modification and Water Management course. Ultimately she hopes to reduce the technological gap between industrial and craft breweries in her area and is eager to get a hands-on look at the brewing technologies and practices being utilized in Belgium and the Netherlands during this course.

Jeraldin Kuerbiss started her career in brewing as part of a production bottling team, working her way up to the kegging line, filter technician and then earned a promotion to Assistant Brewer for Ballast Point’s sour and barrel aging program. Just this summer she made the transition to distilling, taking a position with Cutwater Spirits, a new company that began as an offshoot of Ballast Point. Being a new distiller she has much to learn and one aspect of this course is of particular interest to her. “One key objective of the course is to design a distillation column still for whiskey.  This will help me understand the intricacies of distilling along with the equipment I will use daily. The knowledge I learned as a brewer will help me continue my education growth as a distiller. The transition from beer to spirits may be difficult, but I feel as though I am ready for the challenge.”

Hannah Lester is the Assistant Brewer/Taproom Manager at Rising Silo Brewery in Blacksburg, VA. She started there two years ago as a part time server, advancing to brewing their non-alcoholic products (kombucha, ginger ale, sodas and cold brew nitro coffee) as the brewery grew, and is now brewing beer. Although it is her first professional position in the industry, she has been homebrewing since 2013, a hobby she was introduced to by an uncle. Earlier this year she attended the UC Davis Brewing Short Course: Intensive Brewing Science for Practical Brewing where she found the information presented to be both “staggering and exhilarating.” Eager to continue her education through this course she says, “While the freedom to explore many different styles of brewing has become a strength in the U.S., I believe it’s equally important to learn about where, why and how distinct styles of beer originated.” 

Madeleine McCarthy, Brewer/Cellar Woman at Migration Brewing Company in Portland, OR has a great appreciation for Belgian beer styles, especially Witbiers and Strong Ales, and the way they allow yeast characteristics to take center stage. In addition to the brewing aspect of this course she is curious to learn much more about distilling.  “This course also offers the chance to learn about the distillation process, which I know very little about, but have always been very curious about. It would be very interesting to see how the two overlap, how they differ and how I can apply new and different techniques to the brew process. The art of fermentation is fascinating so learning a new facet of the process is so exciting to me. Being able to approach my boss with a traditional Belgian recipe and have the knowledge and experience to back up the recipe would be so empowering.”

Juleidy Pena had a substantial history of homebrewing before she joined Aeronaut Brewing in Somerville, MA a year and a half ago but the position was her first in production brewing. Since joining the brewery she has impressed the Director of Operations both with her technical skills and her passion for the craft. Down the road she sees the potential of crossing her interest in brewing and distilling but for now she says, “There’s so much knowledge to be acquired from this course that can be put directly into my day to day work like learning about the historical Belgian and Dutch beer styles by gaining extra tools to taste, evaluate and detect flaws in the beer, along with quality control and evaluation techniques to make assertive and informed calls about the beer production.” 

Natasha Peskar is the Head Brewer for Last Best Brewing & Distilling in Calgary, AB, Canada where, as the name implies, they have both brewing and distillation programs. “I understand the basics of distillation thanks to my chemistry background; however, I feel sorely inexperienced when it comes to practical use of the equipment in producing quality spirits with nuance. Also, I have been playing with an interesting idea to distill malt barley washes and then implement it back in the beer brewing process to amplify certain flavours and aromas of specialty malt. I think this portion of the course would be integral in giving me a better understanding to explore if my idea is executable and to produce higher quality spirits for our company,” she says.

Brittany Ribalkin, Brewer at Muskoka Brewery in Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada describes herself as a “quality-focused brewer with a passion for creating creating beers that are consistent, yet innovative.” With Muskoka looking to be relevant to the growing spirits industry Brittany feels, “this course would help me create better products and possibly carve a role for myself in the brewery by binding the worlds of brewing and distilling (two things I love). The goals I have for myself are not to only be a brewer; I want to be versatile. I already have a background in microbiology and experience in quality control, but education and experience in distillation would truly help me set myself apart.”

Cristina Saez is the Co-Founder and Head Brewer for Saez & Son in Valencia, Spain, a 3bbl, two-person company. As a new business owner she is particularly interested in the brewery operations and QA/QC components of this course. In addition to gaining knowledge for herself she says, “I would also like to transmit what I’ve learned to colleagues in the craft beer industry. I would love to give small courses on different brewing topics for the other Pink boots members in Spain, in Spanish, since there is a lack of education in brewing in our native language. I think there are many people that would like to enhance their knowledge in brewing science, however they are hindered by the language barrier since most educational material is in English.”

Holley Voegtle’s path to the world of distilling and brewing came via kombucha. She says, “I got fed up buying expensive kombucha. I knew that I could not only make it cheaper but better. I was correct, but my results were not consistent. At the same time, the opportunity of being an apprentice at a small craft distillery showed up.” Her aptitude for the craft quickly became apparent, allowing her to take over full time distiller duties, to which she added a part-time brewery lab position. Currently the Production Manager/Lead Distiller at You & Yours Distilling Co. in San Diego, CA she would like to someday bring those worlds together. “My long term goal is to one day open up my own brewery and distillery but there is much to learn until I get to that point. Being exposed to opportunities such as this one being offered, is part of the path I feel I must travel.”

In addition to attending the tour, each scholarship recipient will receive a pair of pink steel-toe rubber boots upon fulfilling the Pay It Forward requirement associated with the scholarship.

The fifteen-day Brewing and Distilling in the Belgium and Netherlands course through New Mexico State University is designed to give students in-context introductions to the brewing and distilling traditions of some of the world’s major production regions for beer, cider, and whiskey. Students will meet and experience the people, processes, and styles indigenous to the targeted locations by speaking to the people who are directly involved in local businesses, making connections with owners and operators, and participating in local practice. This scholarship is designed for brewers and brewery employees as well as other beer industry employees wishing to gain more knowledge of Belgian and Dutch beer styles and techniques.

The Pink Boots Society is excited to announce and introduce the three ladies that have been selected to receive a scholarship for a one-year membership to Crafting A Strategy. Each was chosen by a selection committee of experienced women beer professionals who hold positions as brewers, educators and writers.

Terra Barrett started home brewing a year ago and took her first, part-time industry job in March with Port Rexton Brewing Co. in Newfoundland, Canada where she works in the retail shop, interacting with customers and serving beer. Her home brewing club, Queer Beer NL, gives her an outlet to work on the brewing side of things as well as utilize her skills to create social media posts, monitor their web presence and design the club’s beer labels. 

Being new to the industry, Terra is looking forward to the resources this scholarship will provide to fill in the gaps in her knowledge of brewing and business practices as she works toward her goals of finding a full time position in the industry and being a part of opening a brewery with Queer Beer NL. She says, “with the explosion of craft breweries in our province over the past few years we would love to be able to join such an inclusive and inviting community.” The group is working on a business plan and starting to scout sites, with hopes to open in a few years. 

Michele Bulington is the owner/brewer at Crasian Brewing Company in Brookston, Indiana which she says is, “an area of Indiana that has very little to offer the craft beer consumer. Typically, when people walk into our tasting room it is the first time they have ever tried craft beer, so it is imperative that we make a good impression. This first impression not only affects our location but all the breweries in the area. And we are all working toward the same goal; to promote and support independent craft beer. It is not just about educating people, but changing mindsets, palettes and opening minds to a whole new beer drinking experience.”

A homebrewer since 2012, Michele earned a Business of Craft Brewing certificate from Portland State University that included the creation of her business plan and in the fall of 2017 she opened Crasian with her husband, Tom. As a new business Michele knows there is still plenty to learn in order to be successful. She says, “Numbers are easy for me to understand; marketing practices are much more elusive. This course speaks to my heart because connecting with my customers is a top priority. The Business Model of this course will help me take my plan and elevate it to the next level. This entire course will help me craft a business that will craft a culture and ultimately a destination.” 

Leah Witkoske-West started in the brewing industry two years ago in a cellar operator position at Lock 27 Brewing in Dayton, Ohio. Since then she has moved up to cellar manager and is now an assistant brewer. The expanding brewing facility is consistently hiring new staff and she says, “I will be responsible for training new hires and hope to pass on meaningful skills. This opportunity will allow me to become a better leader and provide the knowledge base required to take on a head brewer position in the future. I am eager to take on any challenge in order to further my own education and apply it in everyday brewery life and educate my coworkers.”

As many brewers have done in the past, Leah’s learning has been hands-on. Hoping one day to run her own brewery she is eager to continue her education and use what she gains from this scholarship personally as well as share it with other women in the industry. She summed her application up by quoting Adelaide Hoodless who said “Educate a boy, and you educate an individual. Educate a girl, and you educate a community.” 

Crafting A Strategy (CAS) is a global online learning platform that will be available to the scholarship recipients for one year. Used in universities and breweries all over the world, CAS has over 150 digital content pieces specific to the business needs of brewing entrepreneurs. These include podcasts, webinars, case studies, white papers, instructional videos, blogs, and a professional forum. Scholarship recipients will also receive a weekly CAS newsletter with industry analysis, advice, and links to new content and forums.

In addition to attending the course, each of the ladies will each receive a pair of pink steel-toe rubber boots when they fulfill the Pay It Forward requirement associated with the scholarship.

The Pink Boots Society is proud to announce that Jenna Blair of Lagunitas Brewing Company and Anna Vellante of Redemption Rock Brewing Co. are the recipients of the 2019 Barth-Haas Hops Academy scholarship. Each was chosen by a selection committee of experienced women beer professionals who hold positions as brewers, educators and writers.

Jenna’s education, a degree in Molecular, Cell and Development Biology and Siebel Institute International Certificate in Brewing and experience in the labs of multiple breweries contributed to her being awarded this scholarship. The selection committee commented that, “As a relatively technical scholarship, Jenna is a very qualified applicant and we feel will reap a great benefit. Her extensive experience and knowledge in brewing, brewing chemistry and quality assurance will allow her to use the education learned from the course to apply to her current role.”

That current role is as a Quality Technician with Lagunitas, where Jenna not only tests their products but also does wastewater testing and runs company-wide sensory panels. She is looking forward to applying what she learns saying, “I 100% believe that not only would this class benefit our lab but it could fuel research that I would love to begin and that would be supported by my company. This would certainly allow me to share hop analysis techniques with many other local and smaller craft breweries. I have also read through the advertising for the Hops Academy and they mention increasing efficiency and reducing waste. I think that everyone in our thriving industry should be focusing on how we can reduce waste, not only our own monetary gain but also in hopes of making beer production more sustainable as we work towards better usage of our raw materials.” 

Anna comes to the brewing industry with a degree in Global Sustainability with a focus on sustainable agriculture and says that while, “I am still green in the craft beer industry, my drive to pursue a life-long career in the industry formed very quickly. After considering many different possible career paths in the industry, I have come to an intersection of my passions: craft beer and sustainable agriculture.” 

At Redemption Rock Brewing Co. Anna’s role encompasses customer-facing time in the taproom and at festivals/events as well as work with the leadership team on the goal to obtain their B Corp Certification, which measures a company’s entire social and environmental performance, by 2020. This course will be her first introduction to hop farming and “not only add to my personal career development goals, it will provide me with the knowledge I need to gauge my own place of work’s sustainability practices. With a gained understanding of hop production I will be able to measure how closely our supply chain matches our environmental sustainability goals.”

The Barth-Haas Hops Academy is a two-day onsite course in Yakima, WA during hop harvest season consisting of presentations by hop and brewing experts and top researchers and growers that will cover topics including new trends in hop breeding, hop chemistry, hop quality and brewing techniques as well as new hop varieties, products, usage and analytical and sensory evaluation techniques to gauge hop and beer quality. The course also includes tours of the Haas hop farm and production facility where attendees will experience the hop fields and witness all components of hop production from whole hops to CO2 extract, as well as a guided tour of Haas Innovations Research Brewery.

In addition to attending the course, Jenna and Anna will each receive a pair of pink steel-toe rubber boots when they fulfill the Pay It Forward requirement associated with the scholarship.

The Pink Boots Society is excited to announce and introduce the seven ladies that have been selected to receive a scholarship to the 2019 Yakima Chief Hops Hop & Brew School ®. Each was chosen by a selection committee of experienced women beer professionals who hold positions as brewers, educators and writers.

Chrissy Covington-Goulart wears multiple hats at Legend Brewing Company in Portsmouth, VA that encompass her two decades worth of experience in the restaurant industry as well as the last two years in which she has been transitioning into working at breweries. She says, “I love food, so I learned how to cook. I love beer, so I learned how to brew. One of my favorite things about both is learning how to get the most out of an individual ingredient and the way flavors compliment and play with one another to create something new that can be very simple and beautiful or full and complex and sometimes confusing.”

While relatively new to both the brewing world and the Pink Boots Society, Chrissy is passionate and motivated to leave her mark in the business. “As a new brewer, I do feel that the opportunity to take this course would potentially be invaluable to my career. Not only would the experience allow me to learn from some highly awarded brewers across the nation, it would also allow me the opportunity to meet with my peers within the business and network and expand my horizons within the craft beer community.”

The craft beer industry has been part of Amelia Franklin’s life since long before she could legally consume its products. When she was nine years old her father opened a 10bbl microbrewery in Maryland (still in operation!) and she says, “I remember the smells, the sounds, styles, and beer culture. But it wasn’t until I was 23 that I joined the industry myself.” The road she traveled in between had her earning a degree in Geology, exploring her interest in agriculture as a farm hand in the U.S. and abroad as well as working at a large farmers market.

Ameila joined Laughing Monk Brewing in San Francisco, CA  three years ago as the Director of Sales. At the time she was the first sales department hire and today she is managing a team of seven. “My career is still in its early stages,” she says, “but in a leadership role, I am learning the underbelly of the business. In the future, I imagine participating in the hop industry, perhaps starting a destination farm and microbrewery and welcoming women from around the world to stage or intern, in order to develop skills and foster their brewing potential.”

Lynlee Garside is Assistant Brewer at Boise Brewing in Boise, ID and previously worked at a homebrew supply and craft beer bottle shop. Beyond knowing how to homebrew and keg or bottle beer, she was also a resource for customers’ questions about the products they sold and how to make beer at home. On the bottle shop side of things she was responsible for buying beer for the bottle shop side of the business, bringing in product that would excite their customer base.

Since moving into her current Assistant Brewer position she has added to her existing knowledge of what hops to use and at what point during the brewing process. However, she says, “With the market ever changing and growing, there is so much more to learn. This course seems like the perfect opportunity to learn from the people who work with them everyday!” Lynlee is looking forward to advancing her career by being able to have a more valuable voice with the head brewer and contributing to making decisions on what hops to use for certain beers and when their addition would have the most impact.

Lydia Moranski of Artisanal Brewing Ventures in Charlotte, NC says, “My hope for this scholarship is simple. I want to visit the Yakima Valley to tour a hop facility and be able to see and understand first hand the entire growth process, as well as potentially see how innovation and research is done. I want to soak in as much knowledge as is presented to us. To meet a group of amazing ladies who have a similar aspiration as myself. Then bring the knowledge and experience back and share it with not only my brewery, my chapter, and community. But, anyone who will listen.”

A homebrewer since 2013 and brewer for Artisanal since last year, Lydia has seen the rise of hop-heavy beers but also sees that their future may be limited. She feels that the more she can understand hops, especially how to maximize the impact of hops without being wasteful, the better brewer she can be. She says, “A few months ago Stan Hieronymus was on the BeerSmith Home Brewing Podcast talking about many times anything over two pounds per barrel get lost in our flavor receptors. Now think about all the beers you have seen with way more than that.”

Luci Mino is the sole Boston Chapter scholarship recipient and has been with Notch Brewing in Salem, MA for two years. She came to Notch as a beertender from another brewery which she is appreciative to for giving her, “the freedom to grow and explore the flavor profiles and backgrounds behind a lovely array of beers.” Initially hired on as a bartender for Notch, she has also worked in the kitchen and these days she is spending more time in the back of the house as a cellar person learning as much as she can about the brewing process.

Beer is an agricultural product at its base and speaks to the love of horticulture and botany that has been with Luci since she was in her early teens. Starting out gardening for people in her hometown and working at the farmers market, her early interest has transitioned to an intense intrigue in the growing of hops. She says, “I want to understand the condition factors and techniques that give us such a diversity in the hop pallet we have access to when brewing.” Luci is excited about the hands-on environment this course will take place in and bringing what she learns back to share with customers, PBS peers/mentors and co-workers.

Lexi Russell is one of the beertending faces of Duck Foot Brewing Company in San Diego, CA whose job is to “know the ins and outs of different styles and processes and be able to answer questions regarding beer.” In addition to the customer-facing aspect of her job she ensures that the beer is properly handled and served to the customers. She is also working to learn as much about commercial brewing as possible by helping out in the brewery.  

Outside of the brewery Lexi is studying for her Cicerone Level 2 exam and constantly has a coffee table covered by beer books, study materials and worksheets to aide in her self education. By attending the Hop & Brew School she says, “I hope to advance my career by networking and gaining the knowledge that this course will provide. A deeper understanding of hops and brewing processes will help me get to where I want to be in the brewing industry – in production. This course will provide me with the knowledge I need to take the next step in the brewhouse and become more hands on in making beer. My long-term life goal is to open a brewery of my own, and I have a lot to learn before that can happen.”

Ashley Schafer, Territory Sales Manager for Sufferfest Beer Company/Sierra Nevada, came to craft beer after serving seven years in the Air Force. Her first dip into the waters was as a part time beer buyer and “the opportunity opened my eyes and made it clear to me where my passion was.” She had always been into beer but never thought of it as a career choice until then.

Since committing to a career in beer Ashley has held many positions in the industry including being a tap room server, a position that pulled her out of her generally shy, reserved demeanor and allowed her to flourish in an environment where she was able to speak to people about something she loved. Building on her newly discovered outgoing side she added to her knowledge base by spending some time in a production environment and now enjoys getting people excited about beer working on the sales side. She is looking forward to continue learning during this course and be more knowledgeable in her conversations with buyers about her brand’s choices in hop selection and what goes into that.

Yakima Chief Hops Hop & Brew School ® is a two-day onsite course in Yakima, WA that will cover topics including new trends in hop breeding, hop chemistry and brewing techniques. Guest speakers include award-winning brewers from across the United States speaking on hop usage, recipe formulation and brewing methods. Local hop farmers will also be in attendance to address the numerous growing aspects of hops from yields and aroma characteristics to new, up and coming proprietary varieties. The course includes a ranch tour, where attendees will experience the hop fields and witness hop picking, drying and baling, as well as a guided tour of Yakima Chief Hops headquarters, where they will observe the receiving and warehousing of the hops.

The Pink Boots Society is proud to announce the two recipients of the American Society of Brewing Chemist 2019 Meeting scholarship. Each was chosen by a selection committee of experienced women beer professionals who hold positions as brewers, educators and writers.

Amanda Oberbroeckling of Odd13 Brewing in Lafayette, CO is the national recipient and was selected to receive this scholarship by the committee due to her strong essay, in which expressed her goals of connecting with others in the brewing industry to help grow their programs and growing within her own company.

Three years ago Amanda accepted the Lab Technician position where she was charged her with creating and running the quality control lab. Since then she has added running the brewery’s sensory program to her responsibilities. She says, “Our brewery prides itself on having a very large, very robust quality program and lab for our production size, and it has become my goal to be a leader and an example for smaller breweries, to show them that knowledge, techniques, equipment, and mentorship are possible, regardless of their size.” To that end she has spent considerable time visiting and speaking with other brewery labs across the country and has found, “there is a growing need for further education for brewing quality control and lab employees, and while the group of individuals in this sector of the industry is rather small, it is beginning to grow at a rapid pace as smaller breweries put increasingly more emphasis on their quality control programs.”

The ASBC conference is something that had been on Amanda’s radar since she began building Odd13’s lab. She says, “My goal in attending the ASBC conference is to learn about the progress being made in the most relevant research projects throughout the industry, and to contribute my own experiences and ideas with others in the industry. As the only lab employee in our brewery, our quality control program has become both my job and my passion project, and I hope to continue to grow in my career by becoming the lab manager. Participating in the ASBC conference would allow me to take the next step in my career by allowing me the opportunity to bring new information and ideas to my brewery’s ownership, and to network with others who are in the same position that I am, to gain friends and mentors that can help me on my career path.”

Erika Anderson of Beer & Wine Hobby in Woburn is the Boston Chapter recipient and was selected to receive this scholarship due in part to the letter of recommendation from the owner of Beer & Wine Hobby. In the 18 months she has worked there he has been impressed by her personal growth as well as her ability to put her knowledge to work advising their clients, to the extent that she has even begun creating a following of her own.

When Erika joined Beer & Wine Hobby she was in the process of earning her Business of Craft Beer Certificate from the University of Vermont. Between that formal education and educating herself with homebrewing books she has solidified herself as a homebrewer with a solid grasp on the basics but wants to continue to push herself to learn more. She says, “Attending more seminars, classes, and craft beer focused events will help me to gain more hands on knowledge.”

Erika looks forward to sharing the knowledge she gains with her customers and empowering her female customers in particular. She is actively working to bring more women into homebrewing and has recently decided to teach a women-only homebrew class to give women a safe space to feel comfortable and confident in learning a stereotypical “mens hobby.” She says, “The more I think about the homebrew culture the more I feel that it’s lacking. I’d like to change that and be the inspiration. I want women to know that they can brew beer too, whether at home or in a commercial space. We have to support each other if we’re to ever make a difference.”

The American Society of Brewing Chemist 2019 Meeting is a two and a half day conference filled with engaging discussions, interactive technical workshops and cutting-edge research presentations from speakers within and outside of the industry sharing their perspective on challenges and opportunities for the brewing community. From yeast genetics to hop aroma and technical barrel aging, this year’s ASBC Meeting program is filled to the brim with outstanding topics and great speakers. The keynote hop genetics presentation will be “Big Shoes to Fill” by hop researcher Peter Darby of Wye College, Kent. UK. Workshops include: Discussion of Barrel-age Practices and Stability in Package, Methods of Analysis Dive-in, From Bytes to BeeR: Leveraging the Statistical Programming Language R in Brewing Data Science, Hop Selection: An Imperfect Science, Understanding Biotransformation and the Impact on Flavor/Aroma of Beer and Unveiling the Magic and Mystery behind Malting and Brewing with Novel and Alternative Grains.

The Pink Boots Society is proud to announce the two recipients of the 2019 White Labs Yeast Essentials 2.0 scholarship, each chosen by a selection committee of experienced women beer professionals who hold positions as brewers, educators and writers.

Amanda Mikolay of Urban Chestnut Brewing Company in St. Louis, MO is the national recipient and was selected to receive this scholarship by the committee because, “of all the applicants, she might have the MOST to learn from this course, which in this case is a good thing. Other applicants might simply refine their knowledge, but we predict she would grow by leaps and bounds with this education and continue to confidently pursue new opportunities.”

Amanda’s start in the world of beer was as a bartender in 2013, moving to her current employer in 2015 where she had a “hobby” of setting up blind taste tests with her co-workers. Although she had no formal brewing or lab education when a sensory internship opened up she applied and perhaps due in part to the QA/QC director noticing her “hobby,” she was offered the position. That began a year of learning during which she created a sensory program and afterward she moved into the full time role of Sensory Coordinator. A year later she has been promoted to Lab Specialist and is in charge of daily cellar reports, collecting samples and performing comprehensive tests.

The advancements Amanda has made so far have been due to her hard work, self study and an enthusiasm for sensory and lab techniques however she has been lacking formal training. When she saw this scholarship she applied knowing that, “The fundamentals of microbiological techniques would help immensely as I do not have an extensive background in microbiology. Any additional information regarding the analytical aspects of fermentation would excel my proficiency within the quality assurance lab. I would personally like to see myself get better with yeast propagation and development.”

In addition to furthering her own career she is excited about being able to share what she learns with her local chapter. She says, “Out of all of my talents, talking seems to be the strongest. I have given several off-flavor classes for various local breweries as well as a few informative lectures detailing my position as a women in a male dominated field. I believe that sharing is truly the best way we can help each other succeed.

Lauren Hickey of Lookout Farm Brewing & Cider Co. in Natick is the Boston Chapter recipient and was selected to receive this scholarship due to her “extensive laboratory experience and scientific background that will allow her to take full advantage of this opportunity in what is a new industry to her.”

Just last fall Lauren left the pharmaceutical industry after, “growing increasingly frustrated and jaded with the cut-throat, ultra-corporate culture.” Before she even qualified to be a member of the Pink Boots Society she connected with the Boston chapter who was able to assist her in landing her first job in the industry this January with a part-time QA/QC position at Lookout Farm.

While Lauren’s B.S. in Biology, thesis work and years of QC microbiology lab experience have given her proficiency with microbial culturing and testing techniques, she says, “I have limited experience with the techniques and theory specific to yeast and brewing.” Gaining hands-on knowledge in that area, an area that up to this point she has only read about, through this scholarship would build upon what she has learned so far at Lookout Farm. She will also be able to directly apply what she learns to her QA/QC role and hopefully further her career in brewing quality and yeast management.

The White Labs Yeast Essentials 2.0 is a two-day workshop at the White Labs Asheville facility that will cover details on setting up a lab and quality control programs along with general lab techniques to improve brewing operations. It will explore fermentation control points, how to maintain optimal yeast performance and develop desired flavor compounds, off-flavor detection, sensory of different yeast strains and troubleshooting problem fermentations.

The Pink Boots Society is proud to announce the two recipients of the 2019 Road to Cicerone® Courses Educational Series scholarship. Each was chosen by a selection committee of experienced women beer professionals who hold positions as brewers, educators and writers.

Cherokee Robbins of Alvarium Beer Co. in New Britain, CT is the national recipient and was selected to receive this scholarship by the committee because, “she depicts great knowledge already about craft beer and displays a yearning for more, aspiring to use this scholarship in order to advance her career. The foundation is there and she definitely sounds ready to move forward with an industry recognized qualification.”

Cherokee’s passion for craft beer started six years ago when she transitioned from the restaurant industry to working as a bartender. One of the first things that struck her was, “the intricacies when it comes to hand-producing craft beer.” Inspired by what she was learning she made time outside of her job to educate herself on various brands and styles so she could hold well-informed conversations with patrons. Her drive and interest was recognized by management and she was promoted to beer bar manager where she not only sought out different styles and rare beers to add to their line up but made it a point to educate the waitstaff and bartenders about the products.

Last October she continued her path into the brewing industry by taking a Sales Representative position with Alvarium where she is a brand ambassador and seller of their products to consumers and retailers. She is looking forward to gaining, “a better comprehension and thorough background about the brewing business itself, in addition to the assembly of these products we create for our consumers” from the content of the courses and further sharing what she has learned with the Connecticut chapter.  

Emma Arnold of Lamplighter Brewing Co. in Cambridge is the Boston Chapter recipient and was selected to receive this scholarship due in part to the fact that “she had already been studying for the Cicerone® exam and has formed a study group at her brewery to help further education for others” as well as her participation with the chapter despite being a new member.

Emma is the Director of Marketing at Lamplighter Brewing, about which she says, “I am surrounded by talented women working in a range of positions: taproom staff, production staff, sales, and management. I was encouraged by my supervisor to join Pink Boots in October 2018, and since then have been an active member.” That supportive environment has facilitated the formation of a study group for Emma and five co-workers to collaborate, share resources and stay focused as they each prepare for the Certified Cicerone® exam this fall.

Before taking the position at Lamplighter Emma, who previously worked in the green building industry, had limited knowledge of the brewing industry. She started adding to it when she took a part-time bar back job, further expanded it when she moved into a full time bartender position and is eager to continue learning, particularly when it comes to brewing process, ingredients, beer styles and history. About her current role she says she, “guides production planning, writes beer descriptions and tasting notes, and leads on content creation for social media and product promotion. The Cicerone® syllabus is a great framework for me to continue to self-educate. As I move into higher-level marketing and brand guidance, I aim to challenge myself to be even more of a beer expert. Continued study and research is integral to this goal.”

The Road to Cicerone® Courses Educational Series is a new scholarship offering for the Pink Boots Society and includes a suite of study books and exams. The coursebooks will enhance the student’s knowledge of brewing techniques, raw ingredients, how to properly keep and store beer, beer styles of specific regions, and the language to clearly discuss beer. Each self-paced coursebook should take 12 hours to complete and includes a specialist exam to validate the knowledge learned, assisting the student on her journey to Master Cicerone®. The specialist exam will enhance Certified Beer Server credentials by earning a course pin when the student passes or may be used to take unlimited times to quiz oneself for the Certified Cicerone®, Advanced Cicerone®, or Master Cicerone® exams.

The Pink Boots Society is proud to announce the two recipients of the University of California, Davis Extension Intensive Brewing Science for Practical Brewing scholarship, each chosen by a selection committee of experienced women beer professionals who hold positions as brewers, educators and writers.

Jessica (Jess) Li of Young Master Brewery in Hong Kong is the national recipient and was selected to receive this scholarship due to what she has already achieved – “to come from winning her homebrew competitions to having her own startup to her current position.This all without any professional training.” In addition the committee felt, “This course seems as though in some ways it would be a lifeline for her. The chance to proudly proclaim that she is just as worthy as anyone else, regardless of her gender and/or ethnicity.”  

As the Experimental Beer Program Manager at Young Master Brewery Jess leads the creation, development and execution of the limited edition and experimental beer program that includes mixed fermentation and barrel aged beers. Prior to coming on board with Young Master Brewery her brewing experience encompassed homebrewing and a two year stint opening a pica-brewery with her brewing partner while working full time using her formal education to teach English. Of the pica-brewery, Jess said, “This was a two-person ran business that was a side/weekend only project to see if we could brew commercially. This was a very expensive personal market research but was a fun business project. The business closed down due to the lack of time we could commit to but the knowledge learnt was incredibly valuable.”

Jess has worked diligently to educate herself on all aspects of brewing but is excited to obtain formal brewing education, not only for the knowledge itself but also to provide validity to those in the brewing community that underestimate her abilities. She says, “I am respected within my team but I have no face or voice within the industry. I have become very passionate about changing this, as I feel like I am more than capable to intellectually speak and discuss in public. I do hold myself back and I am working on confidence but I believe this course will give me the boost I need to feel like this is my profession.”

Elizabeth O’Neill of Turtle Swamp Brewing Company in Jamaica Plain is the Boston Chapter recipient. The committee cited her “ability to articulate and relate her experiences” to the opportunity in choosing her and felt she would benefit the most from receiving the scholarship. They also noted her commitment to and involvement with the Boston chapter as well as dedication to the industry.

Homebrewing has been a part of Elizabeth’s life for nearly as long as she can remember. Her dad was a homebrewer, including her in the process in the family kitchen, and instilling in her from an early age, “a deep love for the magic of making beer.” She brewed a pale ale for her First Communion with her family at a brew-your-own facility and got a job while still in high school with a local brewery helping on the administrative side of the business.

After college she began homebrewing on her own and moved into her current position as the Taproom Manager at Turtle Swamp. Elizabeth says, “Despite my love for the magic of making beer, I have never had the confidence or, I thought, the experience to apply for any professional work in production. While I have held and thoroughly enjoyed my jobs, I have never stopped holding on to my secret dream – to share my passion for the magic of beer with the world by brewing professionally.”

The stepping stone that took her from dreaming to applying for this scholarship came while she was attending the Pink Boots Society Conference in Austin this past January. Surrounded by women who came from a variety of backgrounds and made their way into the craft beer industry she became inspired, recalling, “In mid-January Texas, over steaming barbeque, cold pints, and late-night conversation with female brewers from around the world, I realized I could be one of these women – What was stopping me? What barriers had I created that these women had jumped over and kicked down?”

The University of California, Davis Extension Intensive Brewing Science for Practical Brewing course is a five day on-site course that offers an intensive introduction to the sciences of brewing, engineering and brewing practice. Attendees will learn the technological and biochemical aspects of the entire brewing process from world renowned instructors Dr. Michael Lewis, Michael Long and Rebecca Bleibaum. Topics of the interactive lecture sessions cover all aspects of brewing from raw materials to fermentation to quality control and sensory evaluation.

The Pink Boots Society is proud to announce that Audrey Reid, owner of Imbibe Solutions in Virginia, is the recipient of the Oregon State University Beer Quality & Analysis course scholarship.

Audrey was chosen by the PBS Scholarship Selection Committee (SSC), five very experienced women beer professionals who hold positions as brewers, educators and writers. They selected Audrey to receive this scholarship due to her ability to clearly explain in her application essay how the course will benefit her as well as how the knowledge she gains will allow her to better serve those around her.

Audrey has created a unique position for herself by opening a laboratory that conducts quality control for a number of East Coast breweries. When she opened three years ago she had two clients. 18 months after opening she was in the fortunate position of having enough clients to move into a lab that was 5x the size of her original one. Today she can proudly say that she has worked with over 50 clients, the majority of which are breweries.

Being one’s own boss is the goal for many people but for Audrey that also means that “I perform every job necessary to run the business, including: in-lab and on-site analytical testing, sample pick up, accounting, inventory, outreach, sensory training, consulting, marketing, purchasing, web design, and dreaming of big ideas.” In addition to adding to her base of knowledge by completing the course she says that she is looking forward to “talking with experts about quality analysis and hopefully obtaining contacts to reach out to when I am truly stuck.”

Audrey has supplemented her B.S. in Chemistry and Master of Liberal Arts in Gastronomy with knowledge on beer analysis through books, lectures, papers, webinars, podcasts and people who have been in the industry for many years. While this has served her well be she says, “I want a more formal, beer-science focused education. I acknowledge that some of this course may be redundant for me because of my current job, but having looked through the syllabus I haven’t found an area where there isn’t something I could learn.”

OSU’s Beer Quality and Analysis Series teaches the fundamentals of basic beer analysis and microbiological techniques and their roles in the brewing process based on the official ASBC Methods of Analysis used in QA/QC labs worldwide, providing attendees the knowledge and tools to analyze and evaluate beer to influence quality control in a production brewing setting.

The Pink Boots Society is proud to announce the two recipients of the Cicerone BeerSavvy® scholarship, each chosen by a selection committee of experienced women beer professionals who hold positions as brewers, educators and writers.

Alexandra (Alex) Sheeler of Amor Artis Brewing in South Carolina is the national recipient and was selected to receive this scholarship due to the clear way she expressed in her essay how the scholarship would benefit her, her employer and her customers.  

Alex comes to the brewing world with a degree in Advertising & Public Relations and experience in marketing. Her role as the marketing manager for Amor Artis began a year ago and during that time she has increased their reach on Facebook and Instagram. In the coming year she says, “I will be expanding my role to include blog post and press release writing when our new website launches.”

Well-versed in the marketing aspects of the position, she readily admits that that she has much to learn in terms of beer knowledge. In addition to educating herself, she looks forward to applying what she learns from the course to her shifts in the taproom. An educated beer server is an asset to any brewery but it is particularly important to Amor Artis as they are the only brewery in the small town of Fort Mill where many of the patrons are just starting to explore and learn about craft beer.

Alexandra (Alex) Asacker of Notch Brewing in Salem is the Boston Chapter recipient. The committee cited the recommendation from her employer and the content of her essay as reasons why her application rose to the top. In her essay she clearly stated her goals and how she will benefit from the scholarship, as well as her commitment to sharing the knowledge she receives with other PBS members, her colleagues and clients.

Alex has been a bartender with Notch Brewing since Summer 2018, having previously been a sales associate with a wine, beer and spirits store. “As a bartender I thrive when engaging with the public. I feel confident speaking generally about our brewery’s beer selection, but I would love to be able to educate our clients on a deeper level.”

“Though not new to the beverage industry I have recently decided to focus my time and energy on beer,” she says. That includes becoming a member of the Pink Boots Society where she says, “I have found that though I am learning a great deal, my inexperience leaves me missing some key information. The Cicerone Beer Savvy Program will provide me with a wealth of knowledge, including these essential foundational elements that will bolster my future education.”

The Cicerone BeerSavvy® Course is comprehensive self-paced online beer training course designed to enhance knowledge of brewing techniques, beer styles, understanding flavors and off-flavors, food pairings and the language to clearly discuss beer. The course is beneficial for many people who work in the beer industry including those who are educating others about beer.