The Pink Boots Society is proud to announce that Alejandra Abeijon of Cataluña, Spain is the recipient of the 2018 Brewery Start-Up Camp – Craft Beer Education Camp scholarship, a partnership with San Diego State University College of Extended Studies and Karl Strauss Brewing Co.

Chosen by the PBS Scholarship Selection Committee (SSC), five very experienced women beer professionals who hold positions as brewers, educators and writers, they chose Alejandra to receive this scholarship because she “is stoked on the idea of disseminating the information she learns throughout her beer community in Spain and is infectiously excited about the potential of growth for the beer scene there.”

Alejandra holds a degree in chemistry, is interning as an assistant brewer at Cerveses La Pirata and pursuing her Master’s Degree in Fermented Beverages with a specialization in brewing science and technology. She believes excellent brewers are those that learn every day and says, “I know this course will be one more step in this continuous professional learning, it will help me to expand my knowledge, it will provide me with new competences and consequently it will improve my brewing skills by giving me a broader view of the whole craft beer industry, from manufacturing to distribution and sale.” Acknowledging that the craft beer sector in Spain is relatively young, she feels this will be a unique opportunity to learn from experts in the more mature American craft beer industry.

The nine-day on-site intensive Brewery Start-Up Camp – Craft Beer Education Camp is designed for brewery owners, brewery managers, bar/pub managers, sales representatives and those studying for Ciceroneⓒ or BJCP exams. The program will look at everything needed to launch a brewery with over 55 hours of intensive instruction covering finance, marketing, draught systems, tasting room management and distribution. Courses taught by craft beer industry experts will take place at San Diego State University and local breweries. After the intensive study attendees will also have a day to explore all that beautiful San Diego has to offer.

In addition to attending the course, Alejandra will receive a pair of pink steel-toe rubber boots when she fulfills the Pay It Forward requirement associated with the scholarship.

Hey Everyone,

We are stoked for the Pink Boots Society 10th Anniversary Conference and Beer Festival (#PinkBoots10), taking place in San Diego June 2nd and 3rd. Megan Parisi, Head Brewer at the Samuel Adams Nanobrewery in Boston, MA, gives the keynote conference speech, then an intensive day of getting professional insights on Beer and the Business of Brewing from some of the leading women in our industry: Abby Heilbrun, Ska Brewing; Amy Newall-Large, Avery Brewing; Bess Dougherty, Grateful Gnome Brewery; Candace Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney; Gwen Conley, Cutwater Spirits; Ingrid Alvarez Cherney, Chicks for Beer; Joyce Turner, Mammoth Brewing Company/Mammoth Distributing; Julie Konileski, Boulder Beer; Karen Barnett, Small Bar; Kate Wallace, New Belgium Brewing Company; Kelly Lohrmeyer, Yakima Chief/Hopunion; Laura Lodge, Customized Craft Beer Programs; Mikaelaa Crist, @craftybeermaven; Nena Parks, White Labs; Nickie Pena, White Labs; Renee Johnson, Fort George Brewery; Rebecca Boyles, Beer Revolution; Susie Baggs, Brown Bag Beverage; Teri Fahrendorf, Great Western Malt, Founder, Pink Boots Society; Ting Su, Eagle Rock Bewery; Troy Bednick, Civil Life Brewing Company.

If you are in town Thursday evening June 1, stop by ChuckAlek Biergarten for the Welcome Reception.

As for the June 3 Beer Festival, Noon-4pm, Ingram Plaza at Liberty Station, what can we say other than it will be EPIC!  Thirty-eight (38!) breweries, 70+ beers, unlimited 2oz pours, DJ, food trucks, cool peeps….Participating breweries include: Stone, Ballast Point, AleSmith, Allagash, Anaheim, Anchor, Avery, Belching Beaver, Benchmark, Browerij West, ChuckAlek, Eagle Rock, Eppig, Fall, Karl Straus, Laughing Monk, Maui, Modern Times, Monkey Paw, North Park, Pizza Port, The Rare Barrel, Rock Bottom, Seabright, Second Chance, Samuel Adams, San Diego, Sierra Nevada, Ska, Societe, South Park, Three Weavers, Topa Topa, Track 7, and some surprises. Many of the beers served will be limited editions and one offs, including a few #BBB2017 brews. Expect IPAs, gruits, Belgians, Pale Ales that are true to style but also riffs on a given style. 100% of the proceeds go to Pink Boots Scholarship Fund. Cheers to that! (Photo Credit: Mike Johnson, festpics.com)

For full deets and tickets, visit our dedicated website: http://10thanniversary.pinkbootssociety.org/.

Business of Craft Beer Education Camp Scholarship Recipient Announced

The Pink Boots Society is proud to announce that Sarah Swafford of 21st Amendment Brewery in CA is the recipient of the 2017 Business of Craft Beer Education Camp – Connoisseur Camp scholarship, a partnership with San Diego State University College of Extended Studies and Karl Strauss Brewing Co.

Chosen by the PBS Scholarship Selection Committee (SSC), five very experienced women beer professionals who hold positions as brewers, educators and writers, they chose Sarah to receive this scholarship because she is “working hard to gather an impressive education to set herself above the game and committed to lead projects to empower women within the brewing industry as an active member of PBS.”

Sarah works for 21st Amendment Brewery as an Area Sales Manager covering San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa and is studying to take the Certified Ciceroneⓒ exam later this year. Last summer she took Intensive Brewing Science for Practical Brewing through UC Davis Extension, paying for the course out of pocket, saying “it was worth every penny.” She feels the Craft Beer Connoisseur Camp is the perfect opportunity to further her career path, one which includes passing all levels of the Ciceroneⓒ exam, overseeing the development of an Education Department at 21st Amendment and moving into a bigger role with the Pink Boots Bay Area Chapter.

The week long on-site intensive Business of Craft Beer Education Camp – Connoisseur Camp is designed for brewery owners, brewery managers, bar/pub managers, sales representatives and those studying for Ciceroneⓒ or BJCP exams. The program will dive deep into the history of beer and beer styles with over 55 hours of intensive instruction including tastings, sensory panels and field trips to local iconic San Diego breweries. Participants will also learn about draft systems, tour program management and learn about off-flavor during hands-on sensory panels. After the intensive study, attendees will also have a day to explore all that beautiful San Diego has to offer.

In addition to attending the course, Sarah will receive a pair of pink steel-toe rubber boots when she fulfills the Pay It Forward requirement associated with the scholarship.

Business of Distribution Scholarship Recipient Announced

The Pink Boots Society is proud to announce that Jamie Herrera of El Puente Global Craft in San Diego, CA is the recipient of the 2015 Business of Distribution scholarship, a partnership with San Diego State University College of Extended Studies and Karl Strauss Brewing Co.

Chosen by the PBS Scholarship Selection Committee (SSC), five very experienced women beer professionals who hold positions as brewers, educators and writers, they chose Jamie to receive this scholarship because “her education and aspirations align well with the course and her eagerness is apparent.”

Jamie holds a master’s degree in international management and policy with a focus on supply chain operations and trade which she is combining with her love of craft beer and Latin American business training and experience as she plans her international beer marketing and distribution business, El Puente Global Craft. She is currently looking at “already beer-consuming Latin America” and “assessing possibilities in emerging markets in other areas that currently have a less saturated craft beer market but are promising for a potentially growing consumer market” to “identify countries whose higher educated populations have spent time in the US, enjoy US craft beers (particularly from San Diego), and return to their country with a desire for better quality or more diverse options for beer.” She is looking forward to what this course, and other education she is pursuing, can contribute to making her business successful.

The one day Business of Distribution course, instructed by Chad Heath, the Senior Director of Southern California Sales for Stone Brewing Co., will teach attendees how to evaluate all wholesalers in a market as well as how to best manage them once one has been selected. Participants will also learn how to maximize the three tier system, what impact using a wholesaler will have on the bottom line and what will be expected of breweries. All aspects of supplier to wholesaler relationships will be covered, including how to effectively and efficiently work with a wholesaler. In addition to the course Karl Strauss Brewing Co. will provide a dinner for two.

In addition to attending the course, Jamie will receive a pair of pink steel-toe rubber boots when she fulfills the Pay It Forward requirement associated with the scholarship.