A Women’s Place is in the Brewery (if she wants it to be…)
Even the title “Brewmaster” alludes to the fact that in modern times the business of brewing is a male dominated world. It is men in the barley fields, hop farms and breweries, all the way to the beer delivery guy. There’s a dude just about everywhere you look!
In an ironic twist of history, with today’s women progressing in the work force, government and the hallowed halls of academia, the field of brewing has been digressing from its traditional beginnings as a women dominated craft. Until the recent craft beer revolution, that is…
The growing “craft” of craft brewing has re-opened the doors of opportunity for many women; from jobs in sales and marketing all the way to the brewhouse. The “Brewster” is no longer a retired title of the past. I recently ran across a website by Teri Fahrendorfer who calls herself “The Road Brewer,” which keeps a tab on women brewers in each state. She calls this the “Pink-Boots Society,” reminding us that brewing is a wet and steamy business and has its dangers. Award winning female brewers like Carol Stoudt of Stoudt’s brewing fame and Hildegard Van-Ostaden of Belgium’s fantastic Urthel brewery, prove that women can not only do the job, but do it exceptionally well.
Most people do not realize that throughout history and only until the most recent centuries, brewing was a woman’s craft. I remember listening to an interview of an anthropologist who was trying to find evidence, — somewhere, anywhere – of a civilization where men did the brewing. He had been having zero success. Then, he had heard of a tribe somewhere (I believe it was in the Andes) that made a beer with a name which translated to “Grandfathers’s beer.” The anthropologist could barely contain his excitement of the obvious fact that he now had found a civilization where men did the brewing.
He traveled many hard miles through the rain forest just to visit this tribe and to learn the recipe and traditions of Grandfather’s beer. Much to his dismay, upon his arrival he found that the beer was, in fact, brewed by the tribal women using the cremated ashes of the male tribal elders. Hence the name…
Being the father of two exceptional young women, these kinds of stories give me such a warm and reassuring feeling knowing that my girls have the freedom to pursue their passions, whatever they may be. This is one of the many things that are so great about this “Western-Society” in which we live. (Even with its seeming imperfections; at least I don’t have to worry about my girls being hauled off and stoned to death in the middle of some soccer field because of dreaming the dream…)
Maybe I’ll pick-up a couple of pairs of pink boots for Valentine’s Day…
P.S. Happy Valentine’s Day Brittany and Sara! Always pursue your dreams (even if brewing isn’t one of them). Love, Dad
