July Voice of the Board

Voice of the Board: Pull Up a Chair

One of the things I love most about craft beer is that some of the best ideas don't begin in committee rooms, they begin in breweries.

Mine began on a brew day.

A few years ago, Bold Republic Brewing hosted a Texas Craft Brewers Guild Pro-Am. The concept is simple: pair a brewer with a legislator, brew a beer together, and build relationships. We were paired with Senator Pete Flores. While graining out the mash tun together, our conversation turned to something every brewery produces: spent grain.

At Bold Republic, we've always donated our spent grain to local ranchers. Every batch leaves behind a byproduct that still has tremendous value. Instead of ending up in a landfill, it becomes nutritious feed for livestock. It's a simple partnership between brewers and ranchers that benefits everyone.

As we talked, a question came to mind: What if breweries that donated their spent grain received excise tax relief? What if we rewarded a practice that already strengthened agriculture, sustainability, and small business?

That simple conversation became an idea we affectionately called Beers for Steers.

At the time, I had no idea that one conversation would eventually lead me into the halls of the Texas Capitol.

As Legislative Co-Chair for the Texas Craft Brewers Guild, I found myself carrying that idea forward. I met with legislators, testified before committees, and spent countless hours discussing the proposal with brewers, ranchers, lawmakers, and stakeholders.

More often than not, I was the only woman in the room.

I can still picture those conference tables—legislators, lobbyists, attorneys, brewery owners, agricultural leaders, industry veterans...and me.

There were moments when I questioned whether I belonged there at all. I reread my notes before meetings, wondering if my questions were good enough or if my ideas would be taken seriously. Like so many women, I felt the quiet pressure to prove I had earned my seat at the table.

But every time those doubts crept in, I reminded myself of something bigger. The idea wasn't about me. It was about helping breweries. Helping ranchers. Solving a problem. So I spoke anyway.

That willingness to keep showing up changed everything.

Representative Brad Buckley immediately saw the value of the legislation. He understood this wasn't simply a brewing issue—it was an agriculture issue, a sustainability issue, and a Texas small business issue. He fought for the bill, championed it through the legislative process, and helped transform an idea born in a brewery into meaningful legislation. Senator Pete Flores continued to support the effort, just as he had from that very first conversation on our Pro-Am brew day.

Watching the idea grow was one of the proudest moments of my career.

Then something unexpected happened.

The idea grew beyond Texas.

As national organizations like the Brewers Association embraced the concept, Beers for Steers evolved into Brews to Barns. I genuinely celebrated that because good ideas should spread. They should become bigger than any one brewery, one guild, or one person.

But growth should never come at the expense of history.

As the story was retold, the origin slowly disappeared. The brewery conversations. The legislative meetings. The testimony. The years of advocacy. And, once again, the woman behind the original idea.

I'll be honest…that hurt.

Not because I needed applause. Not because I wanted ownership. But because representation and inclusion matter.

When women's ideas become detached from their names, we unintentionally erase part of our industry's history. We make it harder for the next woman to see herself as an inventor, an advocate, a policy leader, or a changemaker. The goal isn't credit for credit's sake. The goal is making sure the next generation knows women have always been helping shape this industry.

That's exactly why organizations like Pink Boots Society matter.

Pink Boots Society doesn't simply teach women how to brew better beer. It teaches us to believe our voices belong in the room.

It provides education, mentorship, community, confidence, and the courage to raise our hands when opportunities present themselves. It reminds us that leadership isn't reserved for someone else, it belongs to those willing to serve.

Pink Boots empowered me to think beyond my brewhouse.

It gave me the confidence to walk into legislative offices, testify before lawmakers, ask difficult questions, and advocate for an entire industry. It reinforced something I now believe with all my heart:

You don't have to wait for permission to make a difference.

You don't have to be the loudest person in the room.

You don't have to have the longest résumé.

You simply have to care enough to act.

My hope is that every woman reading this realizes she is capable of far more than she imagines today. Maybe your "Beers for Steers" won't be legislation. Maybe it will be a scholarship, an innovative beer, a sustainability initiative, a mentorship program, a business you've been afraid to start, or an idea that changes our industry in a way none of us can yet imagine.

Whatever it is, don't keep it to yourself. Share it. Fight for it. Keep showing up, even when you're the only woman at the table.

And if you are the only woman in the room, remember this: you're not there by accident. You're there because your perspective matters.

Someone is watching you and wondering if she belongs there someday too.

Leave the chair pulled out for her.

Because empowering women isn't just about opening doors.

It's about making sure history remembers who walked through them first.

Cheers,

Adriane