Women Brew Here

Shameless self-promotion alert: I’m about to preview my own event. But I assure you, blurred lines of journalism aside, it’s worth writing about.

Tomorrow, beer-loving women across the planet will get together at breweries and homebrew shops to participate in the world’s first collaborative brew day for ladies. In honor of International Women’s Day, brewsters (as brewers of the fairer sex are called) and their friends will spend the day brewing their take on the same recipe – a 4% ABV session beer named Unite Pale Ale.

Here in Philly, Beer for Babes, my New Jersey-based craft beer appreciation group for women, is hosting a brew that’s open to all women from 1-3 pm at Nodding Head. Meredith Rebar, who runs Home Brewed Events, is donating her time to lead the brew and instruct the newbies, while Nancy Rigberg, owner of Home Sweet Homebrew, is donating supplies. Proceeds will go to fund scholarships for female brewers, and participants get to pick up a 22—ounce bottle when it’s finished.

Some brewsters in England dreamed up the idea, which is being organized by the Pink Boots Society, the only global organization for women in the beer industry. So far, 60 breweries in the continental U.S., Alaska, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Israel are signed up to take part.

For those who’d like to join in at Nodding Head, tickets can be bought here for $10.