Celebrating Women in Beer

Celebrating Women in Beer: A Chat with some of the Leading Ladies in London’s Beer Scene

While I love working in beer, I’d love it even more if more women felt comfortable enough to join the industry. Heavily male-dominated, it can often be intimidating to walk into a bar full of men, or feel slighted by a male bartender who assumes you’ll be drinking the lightest, fruitiest beer on the bar (if you’ll even be having a beer at all). (And yes, this all still happens in 2017).

In honor of International Women’s Day, and the International Women’s Day Brew happening worldwide on March 8, 2017, I decided to ask a few of my fellow women in the industry, or Crafty Beer Girls, as we’re affectionately known here in London, a little more about how they got into beer and what they love (or loathe) about the industry.

Take a little time and get to know these three fabulous females (who really know their shit when it comes to beer). (Note: we’ve got two more profiles to come, so keep checking back!)

Sharona Selby // International Beer Woman, Left Hand Brewing Company

How did you end up working in the beer industry?
When I first moved to the UK eight years ago, the craft beer scene was still in its early days and if you wanted a good selection of beer, you had to travel for it – to the Southampton Arms, the Cask in Pimlico, the White Horse, the Rake. As more bars and breweries began to open up, I spent a good amount of time exploring each of them. As a result, I grew with the beer scene, and got to see and love all the fits and starts. When Left Hand Brewing – the Colorado brewery that I work for – started exporting to the UK, my enthusiasm for the local beer culture made me a good fit; it was a natural transition.

What do you enjoy most about working in the beer industry? Least?
The best part of working in the beer industry is the sense of community. When everyone gathers in one place – whether it’s to celebrate a bar opening or a beer launch or at a festival – the energy in the room, the joy, it’s just wonderful. Infectious. I would say the most difficult part of working in beer – for me – are the hours. It’s a lot of late nights and I am definitely more of an early bird than a night owl. Why can’t we have more beer events at 8 a.m.?

What advice do you have for people, women especially, who are new to beer and may feel intimidated to get involved?
This may sound overly-simplistic, but basically: don’t be. We’re all learning as we go, and no matter what stage of the beer journey we’re in, we all began the same way: by diving in.

If you weren’t working in the beer industry, what would you be doing?
I’m actually doing it now – I copy-edit and proofread books for a London publisher. It’s an absolutely terrific balance of work – one job takes me out of the house, the other keeps me in.

What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of beer?
Books. I suppose that’s obvious as an editor – and as a human – but I can’t get enough. I also possess a damning weakness for Netflix, but it’s probably not okay to say ‘tv’ as a hobby so let’s pretend I didn’t.

If you could travel to any beery destination in the world, where would you pick and why?
New Zealand, for three reasons: one, the beer scene down there seems lively AF and catching any movement in a period of growth is so exciting and fun; two, I’ve loved the Kiwi beers I’ve had so far, and there can only be more where they came from; and three, when I need a break from beer, they’ve got wine! What’s not to like about a country that nails so many tasty bevs?

Mélissa Gueury // Manager, Mother Kelly’s Taproom

How did you end up working in the beer industry?
I was living in South Korea and I started working in a random beer bar. That’s it; I didn’t know anything when I started. I was really interested in beer after that experience, so I decided to move to London to learn more. And then I found Mother Kelly’s, just walking down the street. Literally.

 How do you feel about working in a traditionally male-dominated industry?
For a long time, there were more women working behind the bar at Mother Kelly’s than men, so I didn’t really notice it. But Korea was completely different. There it wasn’t about beer. Every work place is different when you’re a woman – nobody will take you seriously. So I prefer being in London.

What do you enjoy most about working in the beer industry? Least?
This is weird, but I love pouring beer from the tap. Seriously. I think there’s really something satisfying in making the head, in pouring the beer properly.

In the beer industry, I think what I like the least are those moments when I’m not being taken seriously – probably because I’m a woman, I don’t know. I went to the De Molen festival last year and I asked for a recommendation from the De Molen guys and he said “Oh, I have something sweet and pink.” And I thought, is that how you describe your beer? As sweet and pink for someone? It’s just bullshit. But, probably, if we have more women working in the industry, then yeah, at some point, like every other job, it’ll start to change.

What advice do you have for people, women especially, who are new to beer and may feel intimated to get involved?
I don’t understand women – people – feeling intimidated, just go do it. Why would you be intimidated by drinking a beer?

What’s one of your favorite beers or breweries and why?
I don’t have one favorite. One of the first beers I tried here was Schneider Weiss and I really liked it. But apart from that, there’s not one brewery that I really like.

My favorite moment is opening the laptop on a Monday morning and looking at the beer lists from our distributors and deciding which new beers and breweries I get to order in each week. That’s the best part.

If you weren’t working in the beer industry, what would you be doing?
I don’t know. I finished my studies at university and I wanted to do something else, but then I stopped. And then I started traveling, because I didn’t know what to do, and then I found beer.  I do see my future in beer – probably having my own bar, outside of the UK. But I don’t know where or when yet.

If you could travel to any beery destination in the world, where would you pick and why?
I haven’t been to Belgium yet. I also really want to go to Russia – I feel like it’s coming, we’re gonna have some Russian beer soon, so I want to stay ahead of the trend. That’s my plan.

Natasha Wolf //  Events & Communications Manager, Weird Beard Brew Co

How did you end up working in the beer industry?
I don’t know many women who have had lifelong dreams to work in beer, which is sort of sad, and working in this industry is certainly not something I would have guessed myself doing. Now I am here, I am fully committed to it. I cannot see myself being elsewhere. The actual story is fairly convoluted; I needed a clean break from pure science, lab-work and what was becoming a very sterile life in Germany. I moved back to London; I needed to be making money whilst feeling inspired again so I got myself a bar job to pay the bills and juggled night-time university to learn something new. From then to where I am now at Weird Beard, I’ve learnt crazy amounts about beer over the years and my work continues to be enriching.

How do you feel about working in a traditionally male-dominated industry?
That’s a question I really want a better answer for. A small part of me is quite reactionary to the fact the industry is traditionally male-dominated, because in a commercial sense and specifically in terms of years, yes it has been male-dominated. But in terms of the first brewers in the Ancient World as well as in British history, there were a lot of women involved in the early days of beer. So, I have this strong opinion that the women deserve equal recognition and place in the industry. Sometimes I want to voice that opinion, especially to support those women who don’t have the confidence to work in beer because of the male tradition or to prevent women being objectified in the industry. That being said, I’m not often angered about the situation; there are plenty frustrating encounters with people questioning my career choices but it doesn’t stop me making them. I’m not sure what made me so but I go to work, and I don’t feel at odds with being a female, doing what I do. I want more women to feel that way.

What do you enjoy most about working in the beer industry? Least?
“The most” is very hard to answer; there is heaps that I enjoy. The science of beer is fascinating. The beer industry is multi-faceted and the interactions one has within it can be so varied: geeking out over recipes/brews, employing creative license in developing or marketing a beer, having beer as “a social lubricant” and implementing beer in different scenarios to bring people together. Also, the people one meets in the beer world are generally fantastic. I’ve met some of my favourite people in this industry, who I genuinely love, respect and am massively inspired by.

“The least” is easy, the underlying stigma that sometimes rears its ugly head. It’s not crazily often but when it does happen, it’s lame, boring and really sucks the fun out of everything – be it sexism or be it that working in beer “can’t be a real job”.

What advice do you have for people, women especially, who are new to beer and may feel intimidated to get involved?
It’s important to break down any obstacles early on to not get affected by them when work gets tough, because no work is always easy. So, if you’re not sure if you know enough about beer, go out, taste and learn. If you’re concerned about the physical side of the industry, look to training and have confidence in implementing processes which make brewing efficiently achievable by you. If you’re concerned that women/yourself may struggle to earn their place in this industry, connect with those women who are all breaking into the beer scene. It’s really motivational knowing there are so many other women in the industry for support and inspiration. But don’t forget about the men who are encouraging and supportive of having a gender-neutral industry, too.

What’s one of your favourite beers or breweries and why?
A tricky question so I’ll go with my favourite Weird Beard one as that ticks a number of boxes. I love Something Something Dark Side. It’s an innovative, complex and brilliant beer, a mash-up of a DIPA and imperial stout and one of Bryan’s creations. Its flavour profile encapsulates all the things I love of the best stouts: richness, licorice, roasted coffee bitter notes; and all the things I love of bold DIPAs: hop-forward, unassuming and lingering bitterness. I still remember the moment of first drinking it in 2013, it was on cask at my very first Pig’s Ear Fest, sitting in the upper nave-and-aisles of Hackney’s Round Chapel and I loved every moment of it. It’s a beautifully fond memory matched with a beautiful beer.

If you weren’t working in the beer industry, what would you be doing?
Now that I am in the industry, I feel I am finally able to put as many of my skills passions and interests to use. I’m not sure what else I would enjoy so wholeheartedly. Perhaps going back to studying Archaeology and Anthropology; looking at people and cultures. I’m fascinated by the links between science, art/culture and behaviour.

What’s your dream beer that no one’s currently brewing? Or a dream beer that you haven’t gotten a chance to try yet?
I really love avocados and I have jokingly asked Bryan when Weird Beard will brew an avocado beer for me. I don’t think that will fly though. We’re currently working on a pretty cool beer recipe together that had been a dream of ours, but we’re not disclosing anything about that just yet.

What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of beer?
It doesn’t sound very imaginative but I’m a massive bookworm. I’ve always enjoyed reading and I like books themselves. I particularly like searching for special editions or collections, and I like trawling antiquarian bookshops or the bookshelves in second-hand shops for select copies. Aside from books, there’s also music and although I don’t get to go to as many gigs and festivals as I want to, I really enjoy them. Last year I went to Download and it was really awesome. Following on from that, I love traveling; seeing different places, experiencing different cultures and learning different languages. I’m lucky to have been exposed to several languages growing up which makes it easy to embrace and immerse yourself into foreign cultures.

If you could travel to any beery destination in the world, where would you pick and why?
I’m very keen to go to Japan. The Japanese are always on top of trends and I know the modern day/craft beer industry there has been burgeoning for sometime. I’ve had a fair few beers from Hitachino, Coedo, Shiga Kogen and Minoh which have impressed me, particularly the last two. Plus, aside from the beer, the country looks stunning, the culture is extremely rich and diverse, and I imagine I’d absolutely love my time there.

As if these three ladies aren’t inspiring enough, we’ve got two more to hear from in the coming days, so check back for an update shortly.

And, if you’re ever feeling intimidated, reach out! I’m always up for a chat and a beer.

Girl power!
Cheers,
Nat

Sources: Email interviews with Sharona & Natasha; In-person interview with Melissa on Tuesday, Feb 28th.

Image sources: Header image from the Crafty Beer Girls Twitter profile; Individual images provided by Sharona, Melissa, & Natasha.