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Jan
5
Cat Wiest
From Bartender To Packaging Technician Through Pink Boots Siebel Scholarship
Women In Beer
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When I moved to a goat farm after the devastating Gatlinburg wildfires in late
2016, I never expected to fall in love… with craft beer. Ever since I started
working at a local brewery I have been enamored with beer and the brewing
process, so much that I started homebrewing and looking for scholarships in
brewing. Fast-forward a few years later and I have accepted a job in canning and
cellar work. This job came from a journey of volunteering, education, and most
importantly, beer.
I first started brewing at home like many others by making meads, beer and
anything else that I could ferment. I was captivated with the brewing process
instantly and felt in my gut that this is what I wanted to do for a living. I knew I
needed to go to school to learn more about brewing to build a solid foundation, as
most of my brewing came from a “feel” of brewing. As Charlie Papazian says in
The Complete Joy of Homebrewing, “It is about feeling your beer and letting your
beer feel you.” While this is a great skill set in craft brewing and a priceless
education, my scientific method behind beer was lacking. I heard that Siebel
Institute of Technology was the way to learn from many professional brewers, so it
was a course from them that I focused on. I needed to take the Siebel W1 course so
I could understand the technical part of brewing, to combine my hands-on learning
with mechanical learning, and most importantly to grow in my career.
I came upon the Pink Boots Society as I was searching for a scholarship at Siebel. I
Googled “scholarship for Siebel Institute of Technology” and the Pink Boots
Society website was the first thing to pop up. I went through the site and was so
excited that I stumbled upon this group of female beer professionals. I signed up
that very day, submitted a request for volunteering and started working on my
scholarship application for the Siebel Concise Course in Brewing Technology. I
felt that it would better my chances of getting a scholarship if I volunteered for this
organization, and I was right. I learned a lot in that first year about Pink Boots and
it helped kick start my volunteer work for the following years. I went on to
volunteer at the local Biere de Femme in Asheville, North Carolina and met many
women that I had only known through email. This experience as a whole taught me
that I could be a part of something big and work hard for something I believe in.
I ended up receiving the scholarship for the Siebel online course at the beginning
of 2019 and attended over the summer. It was a whirlwind of information and I
stayed glued to my computer.

The Siebel class really helped me see the bigger picture behind brewing and answered a lot of my technical questions about brewing on a commercial system. For those of you who have not looked into the course, it is basically an overview of everything in brewing, from water chemistry to cleaning kegs, in three months. If you are planning on taking the course, I would suggest taking an organic chemistry class before taking the Siebel online class. I was fortunate enough to take a craft beer chemistry class the year before and it
really helped me digest what the Siebel course was teaching me in the organic
chemistry lectures. There were many positives of this course. I really enjoyed it
because it was online and I could work on it on my schedule and not be tied to a
class time every week. I also enjoyed the weekly discussions with the class and
instructor about that week’s topic. The instructors were awesome and there to
answer whatever question you have. One drawback for me was that since I was
still bartending, I was not able to apply what I was learning in the physical right
away. But that is why I was taking the class: to get a working knowledge of
commercial brewing in order to get a foot in the door. So, I took extensive notes
and frequently talked to professional brewers I know about whatever subject I was
learning about that week. I ended up passing the class with an “A!”
The significant thing that I learned is that I could spend my whole life learning
about beer and still never know all there is to know. That is why I love this career
and industry so much.
The Siebel Concise course in Brewing Technology has changed my life. With this
education I have been able to land a job in a brew house doing canning and cellar
work. This opportunity also allows me to grow within the company so I can
eventually brew beer commercially. I would not have gotten this job without my
certificate and for that I am very thankful to Pink Boots Society. In my journey I
was supported by women who I did not even know, I found stories that I could
relate to, I found ideas for growing my career and my beer, and most importantly, I
felt like I had found family.

 

Taylor Paige King resides in Eastern North Carolina with her partner Jordy and her cat Sigi. She works at Mother Earth Brewing as a packing technician and is currently planning a brew for the Pink Boots Society collaboration brew day.  She volunteers with Pink Boots Society as a national and North Carolina scholarship liaison. She also attends Nash Community College full time and will complete her degree this May. In her spare time she enjoys home brewing, farming and reading. 

 

 

Dec
9
Cat Wiest
Membership Spotlight
Women In Beer
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Welcome back to Pink Boots Society’s Member Spotlight! Would you like to nominate a Pink Boots member who has inspired you? A member you think embodies the mission of Pink Boots Society and deserves a shout out? Send nominations to socialmedia@pinkbootssociety.org!

This month we are putting a spotlight on Jasmine Bamlet! She is the Event and Allied Member Development Manager for the North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild. She plans educational and social events for the membership, and creates opportunities for folks hoping to reach members to sponsor those events and help foot the bill.

She has been a Pink Boots Society member for several years and says “Pink Boots, like many other associations, finds its value in community. The scholarships offer amazing opportunities and the meetings are always great for networking, but the ability to connect and commiserate and uplift has always been the shiny penny for me in membership value”.

Her favorite thing about working in this industry comes down to the fact that it never really feels like work. “Sure, the paperwork can drag, but doing what I do in the industry that I do it in never feels like it’s work. It’s tough, don’t get me wrong – I spent 3 out of the last 6 weeks away from home – but at the end of the day, I truly believe in this industry and its ability to change our economic landscape and social environment for the better”.

In 2016, she received the Extra Effort Award from the North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild. “I was completely blindsided by it – the staff made up some line about needing me ASAP in the banquet hall, so I came rushing in from running kegs for the bar and then got pushed on stage to receive this award”. The next year she was able to give that award to the newest intern – a great way to close the circle.

“Since I work for the Guild, I am uniquely qualified to be a part of the North Carolina Pink Boots community as a whole versus just through a chapter connection. My work has me traveling, sometimes more than others, and it allows me to connect with all manner of amazing women in beer. I currently hold the title of North Carolina Chapter Liaison, which means I work with all of North Carolina’s five chapters to help build membership, coordinate events, and grow leadership. It’s not an easy task since 3 out of 5 of those chapters started within the last 12 months, but it’s one I’m passionate about and hope to give more attention to in the coming year”.

Right now, I’m finishing off an Imperial Stout from Reve Brewing. It’s good, but maybe I shouldn’t have had the whole 16.9 ounces to myself…Fun facts about Jasmine: I own a pug named Charlie and I’m a published poet.

 

Thank you Jasmine for your dedication to Pink Boots Society, and for all you do for our industry as a whole!

Dec
8
Cat Wiest
Outgoing Board Members 2019
News, Women In Beer
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Pink Boots Society Exists Thanks To Its Dedicated Volunteers!

 

Do you know the saying that it takes a village to raise a child? Well, it holds true for Pink Boots Society, it has taken a village of badass amazing dedicated women to have gotten her where she is today. Several of those women will be ending their time with us in 2019 and not only do I personally owe them a debt of gratitude, but I wanted to highlight them here. We asked them some questions so you could get to know them a little bit and see what they thought about their time with PBS as a volunteer. These women are the reason that the organization has been able to continue to grow, thrive, and sustain the amazing membership. Thank you ladies, for all the time you have given!

 

Mary Brettman

Let’s start with Mary Brettmann, who I would say saved our financial asses! 

How long have you been on the Board for Pink Boots Society? I was on the board for 2.5 years.

What was your role? I was the treasurer.

What has been your most memorable moment being on the board? Getting the chapter finance policy over the finish line is a highlight for me.  Seeing the board, individual members and management come together to make this policy happen was very powerful.

How has Pink Boots Society impacted your Life? I know that an empowered woman can accomplish anything 

What would you like to see from Pink Boots Society in the future? I would like PBS to be more open to sharing with other women in the beverage industry.  Everyone else is flexible, why not PBS?

What will you do with all you spare time? My clients are very happy now that I am focusing on them exclusively.

What will you miss about being on the board for Pink Boots Society? I will miss all the wonderful female energy.  We are part of an important cause and getting into the trenches with you was very fulfilling

Where do you see yourself in the next five years? I will continue to help any brewery who wants to be a better business person.  I am passionate about making sure that the artist is compensated for her contributions to the brewery.

 

Rochelle Francois

Then, there’s Rochelle Francois, who was voted on to the board in a role she had no idea how to handle, but did it with patience and grace. 

How long have you been on the Board for Pink Boots Society? 2 years

What was your role? Board Member – Brand and Marketing 

What has been your most memorable moment being on the board? 2019 Conference in Austin. Being around that many incredible women in the industry and seeing how much Pink Boots has grown. It was a really inspiring moment to know how many women the Pink Boots Society reaches. 

How has Pink Boots Society impacted your Life? It has greatly increased my confidence in the industry. To have a community of women to share ideas and really be there to help with any situation. It has also opened my eyes to how many great educational programs there are if I ever want to continue my education. 

What would you like to see from Pink Boots Society in the future? Pink Boots Society has grown so much in the past 2 years. I’m so excited to see everything in the works come to life. Its going to really develop into this powerhouse of a resource for women in the industry. I want it to keep evolving and assisting women. 

What will you do with all you spare time? Haha, I have a 5-month-old son. I don’t think I will ever have spare time again. 

Who has been your biggest role model/influencer? My mother, she molded me into the woman I am today. The most caring, hardworking, no-nonsense woman I know. I hope to be just like her. 

What will you miss about being on the board for Pink Boots Society? I will miss the board calls and retreat. I truly enjoyed the time we all spent together. Afterward, I always felt like we could take on anything. The other board members are some of the smartest women I know. I’m so happy to still be a part of this community of women. Everyone on the board inspired me so much. 

Do you have any advice for women in brewing industry? Own who you are and don’t apologize for it. That has really helped me in my career. I’m very open with my strengths and weaknesses. Never stop pursuing what you want. 

What is your proudest moment? Being a part of a board that took the Pink Boots Society to the next level. 

Where do you see yourself in the next five years? Continuing to challenge myself and learn all about this wonderful product called beer. 

 

Tanya Corriveau

Tanya Corriveau, she has always been our “go-to”. If you wanted something done, she would do it. She just made things happen. Without her, numerous National Meetings would not have taken place, and the10th Anniversary would not have been as smooth as it was. She’s the ninja behind the scenes that doesn’t like the spotlight, but gets shit done.

How long have you been on the Board for Pink Boots Society? 6 months ?! lol no idea how long I lasted…I guess longer if you count the two years assisting Candace lol

What was your role? Managing the Website and Membership system

What has been your most memorable moment being on the board? Putting on the 10th Anniversary Conference and Beer Festival

How has Pink Boots Society impacted your Life? It made me see how many roles women play in the beer industry and how this non profit can impact so many of those women’s lives

What would you like to see from Pink Boots Society in the future?  More online resources for it’s members

What will you do with all you spare time? Volunteer with ARWOB animal rescue and travel more

Who has been your biggest role model/influencer? My mother, who carelessly gives her time and love to those around her

What will you miss about being on the board for Pink Boots Society? People needing me for something

Do you have any advice for women in brewing industry? Apply for those scholarships, participate in your local chapters, be inventive and think outside the box, your PBS members got your back!

What is your proudest moment?  Putting on the 10th Anniversary Conference and Beer Festival

Where do you see yourself in the next five years? Old

 

Nichole Sykes

Last from the Board of Directors is Nichole Sykes. Nichole has grown tremendously with Pink Boots. She came on to help our every growing Chapter get organized, brining on processes, procedures, structure, communication, and consistency. 

How long have you been on the Board for Pink Boots Society? 2 years 

What was your role? Chapter Liaison 

What has been your most memorable moment being on the board? Putting on the 10th-anniversary conference and festival for sure!

How has Pink Boots Society impacted your Life? I never saw myself as a leader, and getting asked to join the board put me in a position I never saw for myself. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn a lot of new things about myself in the role. I loved getting to put my voice to work for our nearly 3000 members, a job that I never took lightly.

What would you like to see from Pink Boots Society in the future? I want PBS to become a grant foundation!  I also hope that PBS can become the premier resource for ALL women in fermentation, not just beer. There are a lot of smart women in the fermentation game these days we could all learn from as craft beer continues to diversify and change in big ways. 

What will you do with all your spare time? Probably adopt another cat 🙂  

What will you miss about being on the board for Pink Boots Society? I will miss having 7 instant close friends! I love the new and strengthened relationships being on the board has brought me, especially with people I may never have gotten to know so closely if not brought together by joining the board.

Do you have any advice for women in brewing industry? Join PBS! The opportunity you have to get better at your job and meet new people who will become your friends help you get jobs, and be there to lift you up in invaluable. Well, I guess a $45 value! “No Woman is an island entire of itself; every Woman is a piece of the continent.” Surround yourself with other women looking to make noise and be the best that they can, you all need each other! 

Where do you see yourself in the next five years? A question I am currently working on, stay tuned friends! 

 

Cinthya Cisneros

Another volunteer whose term has come to an end is Cinthya Cisneros. She is one of the many women behind the scenes that you don’t hear about often but is super crucial to what PBS stands for and provides – Our Scholarship Committee Coordinator. She is the one responsible for managing the women who review ALL of the scholarships that come in. 

How long have you been a volunteer for Pink Boots Society? I have been a volunteer for 2 years.

What was your role? Scholarship Committee Coordinator

What has been your most memorable moment being a PBS volunteer? Ironically the most memorable moment was last year during our summer scholarships…. OH MY LANTA! We had so many applicants which meant a lot of work for me and my reviewers, BUT I ABSOLUTELY LOVED HOW MANY APPLICATIONS WE RECEIVED compared to the previous year . It has been amazing to see the increase in engagement with PBS, truly.

How has Pink Boots Society impacted your Life? It has connected me with BADASS Women that will permanently stay in my life forever.

What would you like to see from Pink Boots Society in the future? I would like to see a space where I can see where all these badass women have ventured off to or continue to do.

What will you do with all you spare time? Open up my Bakery/taproom… ABOUT TIME!

Who has been your biggest role model/influencer? I have been heavily influenced by Jen Sincero, Emma Lovewell and my Mom.

What will you miss about being on the board for Pink Boots Society? Seeing the background of all these badass women… I love reading their stories.

Do you have any advice for women in brewing industry? You are your own worst critic, no one else. Turn your dreams into goals… then no one can stop you.

What is your proudest moment?  HOSTING THE FIRST PBS Brew day in Stone Napa! Starting the new PBS Napa Chapter!

Where do you see yourself in the next five years? Hustling like a crazy woman (still) at my new venture, La Cheve Bakery & Brews.

 

The board and I want to take a moment to thank each and every one of these women for their passion, support, dedication, and time they have given to Pink Boots Society. Without them, we would not be where we are today – on our way into an amazing future. Cheers ladies, we owe you all the beers!!

Laura Ulrich

President, Pink Boots Society

 

 

 

 

Oct
21
Cat Wiest
Time To Plan Your Brew Day!
Women In Beer
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The 2020 Pink Boots Blend has been determined, and is ready to order! That means it’s time to start planning your 2020 Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day!

The eve of Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day at Pelican Brewing Company – Pacific City, OR

Don’t worry, you don’t need to have all the details sorted out just yet! But in order to make sure you get your Pink Boots Blend hops for brew day, it’s time to start thinking about the basics. The deadline to pre-order the Pink Boots Blend is December 15! From the sales of this blend, Yakima Chief will generously donate $3 per pound to Pink Boots Society. This is a huge fundraiser and enables us to expand the offerings of our scholarship program, as well as drive our mission: to assist, inspire, and encourage female beer industry professionals through education.

ORDER HOPS HERE

First things first, if you work in a brewery talk to your head brewer or production manager about getting a Pink Boots Collaboration Brew on the schedule for 2020. The brew day is based around March 8th – International Women’s Day, but you are not bound to this date! Here is the link to our Collaboration Brew Day registration form, and some frequently asked questions. If you are not a brewery employee, get in touch with your local Pink Boots chapter or fellow members and begin conversations about which breweries are hosting collaborations. Solicit your local watering holes to carry Pink Boots Brews, and ask breweries to get involved! Maybe you have a favorite brewery that does not have any Pink Boots members on staff – this is a great opportunity to get them involved! Any commercial brewery can order the Pink Boots Blend, and any brewery can create a Pink Boots Collaboration Brew! Personally, I have a dream that one day the month of April will be ubiquitous with Pink Boots Brews – every taproom and beer bar will proudly serve Pink Boots Collaboration beers and consumers will look forward to enjoying the many ways in which different teams of folks created unique ales and lagers with a common thread!

Now that the conversation has begun, the next step is to order your hops. The deadline to pre-order is December 15 – and that is a firm deadline! The blend will be comprised of the following: 2 parts Loral, 2 parts Idaho Gem, 1 part Azacca, and 1 part El Dorado. Fun fact about Idaho Gem: it’s so new, that this is the first year Yakima Chief Hops is even offering it! So what can we expect from this amalgamation of hops? Tropical fruit, mango, pineapple, cherry, and candied fruit with a touch of citrus, white pepper and pine.

Grace Weitz gave a great recap of the blend’s creation for Hop Culture Magazine, and you can keep an eye on our blog for another first account from the women who assembled the victorious blend.

But I’m not ready to plan my brew day!  No problem! The first step is securing the green light for production, and ordering those hops! You may sense a theme here… order those hops!

How much of the hop blend do I need?  That depends on the brew you want to create, and the size of your brew house. Check in with your head brewer or production manager. We suggest ordering on the higher end of what you think you’ll need to guarantee you have enough.

What is the alpha acid of the hop blend?  We will not know the exact AA% of the blend until after it has been pelletized. It’s possible to get a decent ballpark by patching together the alpha acid content of the hops that make up the blend, but remember, this was put together to be an aroma hop – think whirlpool and dry hop additions. A rough ballpark for this blend is about 13% AA and 2% oil – punchy!

I’m not a brewer, how can I get involved? Are you connected to your local chapter? All Pink Boots members have access to our membership directory. It’s likely there is a chapter or at least other members in your area that you can get involved with. If that’s not the case, hit up breweries in your area to buy the blend and host a brew day! Or buy the blend, and make a donation from a brew that uses it, or just buy the blend! The spirit of collaboration gets people involved in all aspects of the industry, and that’s what this is all about.

Last year the deadline was extended, so I think I’ll wait a little longer on planning.  We strongly encourage you to start planning now! Yes, in years past the deadline has been pushed back, but that is no longer an option moving forward. December 15th is a very firm deadline, and will dictate how much of the blend is created. Once the blend is pelletized, that’s all we get, and Yakima Chief needs to know how much to make, so please order by December 15!

Check out this incredible set of  Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day guidelines! And remember, if you have any additional questions or concerns on how to plan a successful brew day, we are here to assist and support you!

ORDER HOPS HERE

Cat Wiest is on the Research/Development team at Pelican Brewing Company on the Oregon Coast. She serves on the Pink Boots Society Board of Directors, and she loves Collaboration Brew Day! She’s a beach bum, a cat lady, and enjoys nachos and exotic cocktails.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dec
4
Cat Wiest
Living and Brewing in South America
Women In Beer
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My name is Megan Garrity, also known here in Lima as Greenga. It’s been almost 11 years since I got on a plane and traveled to Lima, Peru.  What had begun as a three week work trip turned into more than a decade of adventures! My coined nickname eventually grew into a new way of life as a Business Owner, Gypsy Brewer, BJCP Judge, Pink Booter, VP of the Peruvian Craft Beer Union, and who knows what next!  I’m excited to share my story, Craft Beer in Peru, and some of the amazing experiences and people I have met in my travels all over Latin America, representing Peruvian craft beer and as a BJCP Judge.

When I arrived in 2008 there were no craft breweries or craft options. In 2010 I came across my first experience with a Peruvian craft beer, an Inti Golden from Sierra Andina.  Yes, something that wasn’t an industrial Lager! Soon after I had an American Amber from Barbarian. With that, a light bulb clicked on. These guys were able to brew here, and that meant I could too!  I started googling and found a home brew class to get a refresher and access to materials. I could finally brew a beer I wanted to drink! When I started out I had not planned on taking the leap to becoming a professional brewer, but Greenga Brewing was officially launched in May of 2016.

Making the decision to go professional was scary.  Without easy access to further brewing education, I started to volunteer to brew with my friends in the industry.  I worked at a craft beer bar, and listened to consumers., I took BJCP to learn more about off flavors, their causes, and how to prevent them.  On the business side, we ran into problem after problem. Our original name was rejected, an investor fell through, and suppliers didn’t have a consistent supply of raw materials.  But my nickname Greenga fit perfectly, thus Greenga was born. Barbarian offered their brewery for gypsy brewing. As for sourcing consistent ingredients – I’ve flown from the US with several suitcases full of hops over the years!  Brewing in Latin America forces you to think outside of the box and come up with creative solutions since we don’t have easy access to raw materials. I wouldn’t trade it for anything! It’s fun to be a part of this movement where we are basically responsible for forming the craft beer scene while making sure it grows.

Craft beer in Peru is brand new; we like to say “esta en pañales” (it’s in diapers).  The difference from 2010 when I had my first craft until today, the end of 2018, is exciting to see.  We are in a huge growth spurt! Our craft customer four years ago would request one of two things, the lightest beer most similar to a Pilsen (local industrial lager), or the one with the highest ABV.  All the professional brewers and homebrewers have worked hard to educate our customers, bars, restaurants, and even bloggers so they better understand what they are drinking. Craft beer can now be found all over the country (not just in metropolitan centers), and we are becoming an important part of the gastronomy that Peru is well known for.  Today you can find 40+ professional breweries producing more than 1000lt monthly, 100+ members in the Homebrew Club, and more than 100 bars and restaurants that solely sell craft beer. We have been able to start brewing outside the standard of Blonde/Pale Ale, Red Ale, and IPA. We get to do some fun things and our customers are excited and receptive (although we may still be a few years away from them accepting sour beers)!  The market has grown enough that we just held our 3rd Peru competition with 240 entries!

My main goal when I studied to be a BJCP Judge was to improve as a brewer, I had no idea how much the world would open up!  I met brewers from all over the world, one in particular from the U.S. who asked me if I was in the Pink Boots Society. Since I don’t live in the US, I didn’t know who/what Pink Boots was or represented.  As soon at that first competition was over I immediately read everything about Pink Boots and signed up as a member. It was inspiring to find this community, and I wanted to bring this feeling to the amazing women I know here in Peru as well as across Latin America.  In 2018 PBS-Peru was launched and we have some very talented members. It’s impossible to list all their amazing skills and accomplishments but it’s safe to say women are a driving force in the growth of Craft in Peru.

In traveling as a judge, I have met and become great friends with incredible and talented women from all over.  I was able to brew with “Ceva das Minas”, the women’s brew group from Porto Allegre in November. The presence and support for women in the brew industry in Brazil is inspiring.  I also met and brewed with the founding members of Las Birreras, from Argentina, who have most recently brewed a collaboration beer with the proceeds going to end violence against women.  In July we held our 2nd women’s collaboration in Quito, Ecuador, and as a result the Brewsters EC was formed.  There are also the incredible women in Costa Rica who consistently collaborate and brew together.   We have a lot to offer, and from what I have seen the presence of women in beer will only continue to grow here.

Peru has presented me with the opportunity to enter into the brewing industry in a way I would have never experienced anywhere else.  I am excited to see where our industry will grow from here as well as the rest of Latin America. It hasn’t been the easiest path; living in another country, in another culture, and in general being away from everything familiar.  I wouldn’t change anything, and I’m looking forward to the future!

Megan is the founder and head brewer of Greenga Brewing (est 2016) located in Lima, peru.  She has travelled as a certified bjcp judge to the most prestigious beer competions in Latin America  She is the VP of the Union Cerveceros Artesanales Peru and has lead the effort to establish a Pink Boots Peru chapter, bringing together the top female Brewers in the nation.  Finally, she serves as the representative of the Communcation for Bloque Cervecero Latino America.

Oct
21
Anne Sprecher
The 2019 Hops Blend is Here!
Membership Meeting, News
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Time to get stoked! At the 2018 GABF fall members meeting hops rub everyone participated in creating the hops blend for the 2019 Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day. Membership voted on their favorite; now the experts at Yakima Chief Hops are creating and packaging this exclusive blend. Just like last year, Yakima Chief Hops will donate $3 from every pound sold to Pink Boots Society. Don’t delay! Order your hops by December 3rd. Hooray for great partners!

Cheers to Natasha Peiskar, Head Brewer at Last Best Brewing & Distilling in Calgary, Canada, who, with the help of Barbara McDonald (Dean & Co. Brewing, La Junta, Colorado) and Sam Olson (Fourpenny House, La Mesa, California), created the winning blend. This year it will be:

  • 3 parts Loral
  • 2 parts Glacier
  • 1 part Mosaic
  • 1 part Simcoe
  • 1 part Sabro

Aroma notes: Stone Fruit, Tropical, Dank, allowing you to go a lot of different directions with your style choice.

Want to participate in the 2019 Collaboration Brew Day? All the information you need can be found on the Pink Boots website.

Read On to Learn How Natasha Created the Winning Blend!

Pink Boots Society: Natasha, for those who weren’t at the hops rub, what transpired?

Natasha Peiskar: In the beginning,  everyone individually assessed the hop plugs provided by YCH. Each person in attendance had 5 coins with which to vote for the individual hops that they liked. I am not entirely sure, but we assessed at least 15 varietals.

From there we were invited to start creating blends with the top 6 voted hop varietals: Glacier, Cashmere, Mosaic, Loral, Sabro and Simcoe. Those who participated in blending put forth their creation for final voting in which each member was given one coin to vote in the final blend.

PB: You created the blend with the help of Barbara and Sam. Were you paired up, did you know each other?

NP: Actually the pairing up just happened naturally. As everyone was going through the hops assessment, conversations broke out and fast friendships were formed. I’m definitely thankful for Barb and Sam’s feedback in order to create the final blend we put forth for voting.

We started out with the individual hop plugs and I was looking for varieties with great stone fruit (apricot, peach), tropical (pineapple, passionfruit), bright citrus and then a little dank to balance it all out; secondarily, I was really interested in the new varieties that were on the table and wanted to work those in. Once the varieties were voted in I got to working on a blend. My first 2 blends were tossers, just a real hot mess of too much going on.

Instead of the blend being bright and balanced the aromas were dull and muddled. Nothing really shone through, it just seemed like the varietals were competing against each other instead of being complementary. Just as I got to one I thought I liked, Sam noted that she got green pepper (and then that’s all I could smell). This is where Barb was really helpful. She and I worked to tweak that last blend by upping the Loral and Glacier and decreasing the Mosaic to get to our final blend.

PB: Did you have a beer style in mind for this blend?

NP: As far as a beer style goes, that wasn’t something I was really targeting. I was looking for a very versatile blend that would work well in a hoppy blonde, but still hold its own in a DDH style or even a dry hopped sour.

About Natasha Peiskar:

Natasha is the Head Brewer at Last Best Brewing & Distilling in Calgary, Canada. She previously worked at Tool Shed Brewing and Bomber Brewing. Prior to brewing she was the Brand Manager for National Beer Hall (as part of Concorde Group) in Alberta, managing the beer lists for four (4) restaurants (60-72 taps/location), beer education, events, brand and general PR. She also spent a year as the Alberta rep for Copper & Theory, representing brands including Upright, Ninkasi, Gigantic, and Breakside.

Natasha achieved her Advanced Cicerone status in 2018. She is only the 8th person in Canada to do so. (Congrats, Natasha!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aug
5
Anne Sprecher
Follow Your Dream. Find Your Tribe.
Women In Beer
0
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By Maggie Skinner, Chapter Leader Pink Boots Wisconsin

Going back three or so years ago, I was working in the corporate world selling parts for telescopic conveyors for a Milwaukee company. I was really into beer and loved learning all I could about it. One snowy day, I sat down with a local brewer who was in need of a sales
representative and convinced him I was the person he needed to sell his beer. Without any prior beer sales experience, I took the job working for Brenner Brewing. I cut my salary in half, left my corporate insurance, and sought a better future for myself and my son. When I first started working for Brenner Brewing, joining Pink Boots Society was one of the first things I did. I was so in love (and still am) with the idea of women supporting each other in such a male dominated industry.

About nine months into working as a brewery rep, the brewery’s future became unclear. A single mom, I needed some stability. I took a
position with Johnson Brothers; a distributor with a small beer portfolio. After six months there, I was recruited by Wisconsin Distributors (WDI) for my current sales position. WDI is the largest AB-InBev distributor in Wisconsin but had just acquired a craft-only Milwaukee territory.

I’ve been with WDI for a year now and it’s really changed my perception of business and beer. When I started working for them, I was very starry eyed about selling such a large portfolio of craft beer to the Milwaukee market. And while I still love my portfolio and WDI does a good job of acquiring brands and expanding what we have to offer our accounts. I just understand the business more and more every day. We have a small Milwaukee team and I’m the only woman on it. I would say it was a struggle for my immediate boss to have a woman on board. Lots of emails that started ‘Gentlemen…” but things have changed and for the better with an understanding of how each other work. I think my biggest struggle is being wrapped up in craft beer all day and then realizing your Madison and Appleton teams sell Budweiser. There is an acceptance that has grown while working for WDI of Anheuser Busch and their products.

Wisconsin is still gaining understanding that women can brew beer, sell beer and in general have an understanding of beer. Milwaukee’s beer history is built by breweries started by men and I look forward to creating new moments in Milwaukee’s beer history with all the women I know in beer. I took on the role of Chapter Leader less than six months after becoming a member. I jumped in and thought I knew what I was doing. Silly me! Over the last two years, we’ve been part of Pink Boots Brew day, held a meeting every quarter (usually in a different part of the State- It’s a BIG state!), increased membership, participated in the Wisconsin Science Fest, and in general grown in the beer community. This year, Pink Boots Wisconsin will be a presence at the Great Taste of the Midwest, and we’ll elect a new Chapter Leader. I’ll happily move on to the finance committee and continue to be a participating member.

About the Author: Maggie Skinner works for Wisconsin Distributors as a sales representative. She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with her 13 year old son, Ian. Maggie started the Milwaukee chapter of Girls Pint Out in 2015 and is the Pink Boots Society Wisconsin Chapter leader. Some of her favorite things include spending time with family and friends, baking, being out on the water as much as possible, baseball, football, basketball, and of course, beer.

Apr
4
Anne Sprecher
Cold Stuffed with Hops: Beer Stories from Germany
Women In Beer
0
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By Lauren Lerch

This post originally appeared in craftybeergirls.com, a blog to which Lauren contributes. This is one of several insightful posts Lauren wrote based on her Beer, Brats and Beyond scholarship travels.

Miltenberg, GermanyMiltenberg, Germany

My recent trip to Germany with the Pink Boots Society has blessed me with a plethora of information about which to write a seemingly endless stream of Bavarian-influenced blog posts. As I’ve been writing about the adventures of Zoigl, the breathtaking beauty of The Hops of Hallertau, and the delectable Bamberger Zwiebel, dozens of memories have been popping into my head. In a fit of reminiscence, I’ve recounted some of my most fond moments. May you find them just as silly and memorable as I did.

Cold Stuffed with Hops

“Cold Stuffed With Hops” – Urban Chestnut – Wolnzach, Germany

It was a promising, sunny morning in Wolnzach when our small coach rolled into the parking lot of our first stop of the day. Many of us were just waking up from our coach naps as we unhurriedly stepped and stretched our way out into the morning air. Goats and chickens greeted us through a nearby fence. Actually, they wanted nothing to do with us, but we loved them just the same, and for no reason other than their cuteness.

We had arrived early, or maybe our tour guide was late, but whatever the mixture of circumstances, we had time to relax and soak in some vitamin D over Zwickelbier in the biergarten. From my observation, part of the German rite is drinking beer at any time of day and nobody judges you for it. We took full advantage that AM as we reflected on the previous day’s happenings, the pronunciation of “Willi Becher” glassware, and life in general.

Zwickel Bier

Somewhere between the near end of my first beer and the ponderings of my second, we were ushered into the brewery to begin our tour of Urban Chestnut. After hearing their origin story and wandering the brewery and cellar, we were given the opportunity to taste a few beers. Our tour guide, Simon, was kind enough to speak English for us during the tour. But sometimes phrases get a bit lost in the translation. When describing the way hops were added to a particular beer, Simon said it was, “cold stuffed with hops”. It only took a bit of imagination to realize he was talking about the process of dry hopping – adding hops to beer that has already begun fermenting. We shared a good laugh, and I don’t think any of us will ever think of the process the same again!

Hotel & Brewer Sign

 

The Unexpected Caricature – Zum Riesen – Miltenberg, Germany

Tour-mate Katie, tour guide Tom, and I were the first to arrive at our meeting place in Miltenberg, Germany. The rest of the group was en-route to the small town straight out of a Disney fairytale, and would arrive one by one or in smaller groups throughout the day. The three of us dragged our suitcases from the train station to the hotel, their weight intensified by the burden of jetlag. We got checked in, made comments about the strangeness of the bed linens and toilet buttons, and then were off to explore the town.

Katie and I found lunch and our first beers of the ten day trip at Kalt-Loch Bräustüble. One half liter turned into two, and then talk of finding a third elsewhere made me thankful I had worked on my tolerance before leaving home. We climbed up the hill to a castle, attempted to find an elusive biergarten along the Main River, and eventually ended up at Zum Riesen. We found an empty wooden table and chatted over kellerbier, noting the time we were supposed to return to the hotel to meet the rest of the group. It wasn’t long before the neighboring table of elderly men began questioning us, and asking if we were “sheep”. The town had a few large herds of foreign people being shepherded around by tour guides with microphones. The laughter that ensued was amplified by the fact that we not only got their joke, but that we understood it despite the language barrier.

One man named Oskar joined us at our table while we discussed our interests. He mentioned that he had been born in the house we sat in, and Elvis Presley had frequented the pub in the late 1950s while he was stationed near Miltenberg. His eyes grew big and he smiled wide as he told us that one time, his mother had almost booted Elvis from the pub for not having proper identification. He slapped the table and let out a hearty laugh.

The time for us to join our other tour-mates was nearing, but Oskar insisted that he draw my caricature. Katie set up a screen of menus around Oskars artwork in progress as he sketched my cartoon-self with a beer in one hand and a drumstick in the other. When he was done, the menus were removed and the masterpiece was revealed. Hah! If you had asked me 24 hours earlier what my first evening in Germany would be like, having my caricature drawn by an old Miltenburg resident in a pub that he was born in would not have been my first guess!

Caricature

How To Kiss A Nun – Klosterbrauerei Mallersdorf – Mallersdorf, Germany

The morning was soft and grey when we arrived at Klosterbrauerei Mallersdorf. We were scheduled to meet Sister Doris, a famous female brewer we all looked up to. She had helped pave the way for women brewers, and continued to prove that females were equally as capable as men for the task, even in her old age. Sister Doris walked us through the brewery, occasionally putting the tour on pause to sell bottles of beer to go to those that stopped by. I slowly inspected the brewery, taking note of the different machines and imagining how they operated. The experience reminded me of walking around my grandparents house when I was a child. Everything seemed so old, but all was clean and in good operating condition. I stared extra long at the things I didn’t understand, and left with the resolve that I’d understand when I was older.

Sister Doris & Lauren

Sister Doris was jovial and loved to crack jokes. Our group often laughed at two separate times – the first was those that understood German, and the second was after Tom, our tour guide, translated the wisecrack into English. One such occasion was when we were discussing the bottles and labels they used. Each bottle has a neck label that extends nearly to the top of the bottle lip, at which sits a picture of Sister Doris herself holding some of her delicious beer. She went on to explain that we must drink directly from the bottle, and after a short pause, she grew a long smile and continued with the German translation of, “…because it’s the only way to ‘schmooze’ with a sister!”. She lead the group in laughter with a roaring guffaw as her cheeks turned red. We followed suit and concluded with a hefty swig from the bottle, our lips still slightly pursed from a good chuckle.

Sister Doris Brew

 

About the Author:

Lauren Lerch

Certified Cicerone®

It’s been a long road of waiting tables, pushing retail, and laboring in warehouses, but I finally feel I’ve found a purpose instead of a job. The buzz isn’t just from the beer, either. When everyone around you is happy to be doing what they’re doing – buying beer, making beer, drinking beer – the smiles rub off on you, and then you’re sucked into the business. Of course it can’t all be puppies and sunshine, but that’s what the beer is for, right?

I grew up as an East Coast native sandwiched between New York and Philadelphia. My early adult life was fueled by pizza, Yuengling, marching band percussion and Dunkin Donuts iced coffee. Before finding my place in the beer industry, I wanted to be a nurse (5 years old), a professional breakdancer (10 years old) and a high school music teacher (20 years old). After three years of college, I just wanted to be a traveler. I lived in Oregon, spent a year in Australia and a summer working in Glacier National Park, MT. Landing in Salt Lake City, UT with hopes of riding the seasonal work wave, I landed a not-so-seasonal job at Whiskey Street as a server. It was the first job that exposed me to something more than a casual alcohol menu. Craving more and more booze knowledge, a co-worker turned me onto the Cicerone Certification Program. I dug in an didn’t look back.

Favorites:
Wet Hop Beer
Garden Fresh Caprese Pasta
Jarlsberg Cheese
Traveling
Sharing Beer With Strangers
East Coast Pizza
Sky Appreciation
Camping

You can contact Lauren at  laurenlerch@gmail.com . Or friend her on facebook.

 

About the Crafty Beer Girls:

The Crafty Beer Girls are Utah based missionaries of beer, here to entertain, educate, and encourage the love of the brew. With the help of Red Rock Brewing Company in Salt Lake City, these fine “sisters” will cover the fresh and the new, along with the history of beer and the industry surrounding it. They hope to make a believer out of you!

Mar
4
Anne Sprecher
The Journey to FemAle Brew Fest
Women In Beer
0
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By Frances Antonio-Martineau

FEMALE BREW FEST® is a craft beer festival featuring female beer experts and brewsters in the brewing industry. Our 2nd annual FemAle Brew Fest takes place March 24th in Fort Lauderdale. The festival offers an opportunity for attendees to interact with the beer experts and learn about the different types of beers brewed by them. The goal for FemAle is not to only highlight these amazing women, but to also use it as a platform to let their stories be heard. The festival is also a way to showcase local female business owners, female led bands and our resident female DJ all while celebrating the growing number of women that make and enjoy craft beer. A portion of the proceeds from FemAle is donated to the PBS.

In our inaugural year and the first time doing an event of this magnitude, I didn’t know what to expect. Would anyone come to a female-focused beer event? How many women are really involved in the business and would they be willing to come down to Fort Lauderdale and showcase some of the beers they help create? As I began to do research and work with my internal marketing team (a.k.a. my husband) to send out press releases about “South Florida’s first ever beer festival celebrating women in the Industry” my questions were answered not just by the 18 breweries that signed up to participate but also be the myriad of news outlets like Craftbeer.com | FOOD & WINE | WOB | Deco Drive | Telemundo 51 | SouthFlorida.com that wrote, covered and reposted information about the festival.

Experience Based Insights

Attempting to produce an event of this size was not easy and our first year was definitely challenging, but all the women I’ve met and things I have learned on this journey has been worth every minute of it. I’d like to take a moment to share some of the things that I learned along the way of planning FemAle.

  • Set a budget and keep it. It’s an amazing thing to be able to produce something that you are so passionate about BUT it is a very scary thing not having any financial backing and not knowing how people will receive your event.

  • Stay organized and create a timeline. There are alot of moving parts that go into running a festival and if possible, build a team to help you stay organized and on track.

  • Personalize it. For example, I cover hotel accomodation for the brewsters and take them out on a beer tour of Fort Lauderdale-based breweries on the Friday before the festival so that we can all get to know each other, share stories, exchange numbers and develop friendships. This festival is as much about supporting and promoting incredible women as it is about drinking some amazing beer, but incredibly rewarding as a beer drinker and women empowerment advocate.
  • Get the word out .I’ve never been one to be in the spotlight, its a work in progress. Producing this event has helped me get out of my shell and comfort zone. Don’t be afraid of sounding like a broken record. Talk to everyone and anyone about your event. You never know who you will meet. And don’t forget to share on social media.

  • Build the right partnerships. Monetary sponsorships are great, but In-Kind sponsorships/partnerships can also be a good leg up. All of my sponsorships last year were In-Kind. I was able to get discounted rates on the venue/services, small bites provided for the VIP area, exposure from partners sharing the event to their list of followers, and giveaways for attendees.

  • Most importantly, do something that you are passionate about. All of the feedback has not been positive about FemAle. Some people were quick to judge the event due to the name and focus. But it is important not to let those things deter you from what you believe in. As an entrepreneur and longtime craft beer drinker, I am always on the lookout for avenues to promote and showcase women. Through my love of beer and passion to be able to empower other women, FemAle was “born”.

What’s New for 2018

Going into our 2nd year, the festival has outgrown its original location in FATVillage and will be moving to Huizenga Plaza – a 1.8 acre park with an amphitheater located in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale. We’re now up to almost 30 breweries and will be featuring some brewery collaborations including some special releases, including the Boss Bird Hazy Session IPA (got to help with this one) brewed at Swamp Head Brewery for a PBS Collaboration Brew Day and a special brew collaboration from the ladies of Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing and other female brewers in their county. We’ve also started to get some coverage from some our favorite media outlets and excited to see what the 2018 festival will bring.

Read All About It (media matters):

Gold Coast’s Fort Lauderdale Daily | The Fem Collective’s Frances Antonio-Martineau Will Once Again Bring The FemAle Brew Fest To Fort Lauderdale

Craftbeer.com | 9 Themed Festivals Worthy of a Beercation

Tavour Blog | FemAle Beer Fest: You Can’t Spell Female Without Ale

Miami New Times | Miami 2018 Winter and Spring Beer Festival Guide

About the Author

I would like to thank the ladies of the PBS for your continued support and for giving me the opportunity to share this post. Shortly after FemAle last year, I became a member of the Pink Boots Society and I’m honored to be a part of such an amazing organization. Everyone that I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with has been so supportive and willing to help in any way that they can. And on February 23rd, I had the opportunity to participate in my first Collaboration Brew Day at Swamp Head Brewery and will be attending another Collaboration Brew Day on March 8th. I look forward to continuing to build friendships and learning from all you and to further that I’d like to extend an invite to all of the PBS members to check out FemAle 2018. Message me if you’d like a complimentary ticket to attend the event. In return, I would ask for you to provide a donation to PBS when registering for your ticket. Hope to see you all at FemAle 2018!


“Risk is never easy… but just like trying a new beer you never know how good its going to be until you take a sip.” ~Frances Antonio-Martineau, FemAle founder

Feb
4
Anne Sprecher
Bière de Femme®& Tips for Creating Your Own Festival
Fundraising, Women In Beer
0
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By Caroline Parnin, Co-chapter Leader of the Raleigh, NC Pink Boots Chapter; East Coast Technical Manager, Lallemand Brewing/Siebel Institute of Technology

Origins:

Bière de Femme is a festival designed to showcase the women of NC beer, while also raising money for women to pursue their beer career dreams through education. During our May 2016 meeting I challenged the members of the Raleigh, North Carolina chapter with a specific question: Rather than working hard on many small events and spreading ourselves thin, what were some events/projects that could combine our efforts to raise significant amounts of money? In November 2016 chapter members Jordan Boinest and Anita Riley brought forward a festival idea at a meeting and Bière de Femme was born. We decided at that November meeting that we would donate 100% of our proceeds to Pink Boots Society. Our 1st Bière de Femme Festival took place four months later, on March 11, 2017 in Shelby, NC .

In our planning stage we set goals for what we wanted to achieve and they included:

  • Raise money for Scholarships
  • Showcase the badass women in NC beer (with each brewery serving a beer made by women employees specifically for the festival)
  • Provide a tasting and educational experience like no other around (this includes guest learning experiences like a test sensory skills both, a history of women in beer educational wall and also local guild representation, educational programs and ingredient manufacturers providing fun learning experiences on site)

Last year we raised almost $11,000! We hope to hit $18,000 this year. On a side note, co-chapter leader Anita Riley wrote Brewing Ambition: Recipes & Stories From the Women of North Carolina Craft Beer. In addition to being a great read full of homebrew recipes, it’s a great gift. All proceeds go to Pink Boots.

Bière de Femme 2018

The 2nd annual Bière de Femme happens March 3, 2018 in Raleigh, NC. Organization is definitely a task that has brought our team together!  We utilized some great programs for communication, delegated tasks, and kept very open lines of communication throughout the process to be successful. The app Asana for delegation/communication helps us see who is working on what, and progress made. We created a to-do list/timeline and have tried to follow it as best we can. We have bi-weekly check-ins with everyone available.

Each chapter member brings a certain skill set that is extremely helpful in organization – for example Anita Riley (our other Raleigh Chapter Leader) is a writer- so she is our media communications manager.  Katie Smith (Asheville Chapter Co-Leader) is a social media whiz- she handles our posts and also organizes our volunteers. Natalie Anderson (Raleigh Chapter member) who runs a brewery has managed people her entire adult life. She helped us organize the task list and heads brewery communications for the event. Each person’s ownership of certain responsibilities allows us to not stretch ourselves too thin and ensures we move forward.

Helpful Tips for Producing An Event:

If I could offer a few helpful tips to plan successful fundraising events to other PBS chapters they would be the following:

  • Don’t try to do it alone, work as a team or the tasks will be impossible. Delegate tasks to your chapter members; each has skills or contacts that will prove very useful.  Life happens, so have a backup plan in place if someone has to step away from their duties.
  • Contact the board for help, there are many resources available if you need them.
  • Create a timeline with tasks and deadlines and stick to it
  • Delegate tasks – using the app Asana has been our savior for this
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for sponsorship money. You never know unless you ask  In-kind sponsorships are great too, we have received them for glassware/t-shirts/media promotion.
  • Designate one person in charge of money, so things done get confusing.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I must say I am honored to be a part of such a dynamic group of women breaking molds and providing support to one another. North Carolina has come a long way in 4 years with the progression of women in our beloved industry. I hope you’ll be able to join us at Bière de Femme this year!

Cheers to women in beer!

About Caroline Parnin: 

In the spring of 2007 I took a RV cross country road trip with some girlfriends that changed the course my life forever. Instead of LSATs and law school I decided I would pursue my dream of making beer for a living.

I immediately began volunteering at a local brewery in Raleigh on their bottling line on an as needed basis.  They paid me in hi/low fill beer. After a couple years of volunteering, I took an (unpaid) assistant brewer position at a new brewpub in town. Three years later I was sidelined by a kickball accident.

During my recovery I decided that in order to move forward in the industry I would get a formal brewing education. After registering for the full Advanced Brewing Theory course through Siebel Institute of Technology in 2014, I reached out to PBS to see what financial aid resources were available. Founder Teri Fahrendorf replied to my email for help quickly, with some pointers and a wish of good luck. Unfortunately, PBS simply did not have funds to help with that size of a scholarship.

I’ll never forget Teri’s encouragement and support; it was very welcomed. I was the only women working on the production side of a brewery that I knew of in my city. I did not know many women in the industry at all, and I was only one of two women in the Seibel program. As they say, all’s well that ends well. Soon I will become Product Manager for sensory kits and also will take on a larger marketing/business development rolle within Lallemand Brewing/Siebel Institute of Technology.