March 8th marks International Women’s Day, a global day that celebrates female leaders and the social, economic, cultural and political achievements made in moving women’s equality forward in hopes of achieving gender parity.
In Utah, female brewers from around the state will come together for Pink Boots Brew Day to create a collaborative brew – “On Wednesdays We Wear Pink Boots” Cold IPA—in hopes of drawing attention to the disparity of women in the craft brewing segment of Utah’s, and the industry’s, workforce.
This collaborative brew day will celebrate the second annual Pink Boots Brew Day in Utah—organized by the Utah chapter of the Pink Boots Society which was started by Julie Schuler of Strap Tank Brewery three years ago.
The Pink Boots Society was created to assist, inspire and encourage women beer industry professionals to advance their careers through education—particularly offering scholarships for continuing education in brewing courses.
For the March 8 brew day, the Utah chapter of Pink Boots has selected a Pink Boots exclusive hop blend for their Women’s Day Cold IPA—with the added benefit of a percentage of nationwide sales of the hop blend going back to the Pink Boots Society.
Utah’s collaborative brew—which will take several weeks to ferment—will be kegged and then poured across the state of Utah at local restaurants and the participating breweries with a portion of sales also being donated back to the Pink Boots Society.
Brewers from Kiitos, Wasatch/Squatters, Epic, Uinta, Strap Tank, Red Rock, Proper, Fisher and Talisman will join Jacquie Wright King, the current president of the Utah Brewers Guild and also girl boss brewer from Roosters Brewing for a day of brewing in Ogden at Roosters new production and canning facility.
“Women only account for 2% of head brewers nationwide,” King explains. “We obviously are a very, very small portion of this industry, so events like this help women and girls everywhere realize that it is attainable to work in beer!”
In fact, when King first started brewing, there were times when she was the only female brewer in the state and it’s one of the reasons she is spearheading Utah’s collaborative brew day for the second year in a row. “As females, we see where there are opportunities and where something is needed and we figure out how to make it happen,” she says.
Last year, the chapter brewed “Mash the Patriarchy” and approximately 20 women participated throughout the day. King hopes to see those numbers double this year as they bring “On Wednesdays We Wear Pink Boots” Cold IPA to life and present an opportunity for more women in Utah’s beer industry to connect with each other and celebrate their contributions to craft beer.
Heather King: Writer and lover of delicious food and drink in Utah and around the world. Anonymous food critic and writer for The Salt Lake Tribune, The Utah Review, Devour Utah, Utah Stories and more. Runs #LadiesWhoLunchSLC.
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