42 WWW.CHARLESTONWOMENPODCAST.COM | WWW.READCW.COM | WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/CHARLESTONWOMEN Charleston women are crafting change in the local beer scene, evolving it into a space that’s more welcoming, creative and collaborative than ever. Walking into a local brewery is an experience for your senses: cool music playing overhead, eclectic décor adorning the walls, welcoming faces tending the bar and of course, the star of the show: beer. But perhaps what you don’t see are the hearts and hands making it all happen; the people crafting your favorite locally brewed beer. Behind the scenes are women in charge of brewing, operations, recipe creation, event planning and ultimately, the communities that extend far beyond the pint glass. With unique stories and paths of how they became involved in the industry, each woman shares how beer lovingly became a part of who they are. We asked nine women from across the Lowcountry’s beer community to pull up a chair and recount their handcrafted experiences. Almost no one described the beer industry as a lifelong dream or even a part of their five-year plan. But each woman noted how their curiosity took over. A parttime job led to a career. A hobby became a business. Sara Senn, owner and operations manager at Snafu Brewing Company, related, “I found myself in the beer industry after losing my job during COVID. I’m naturally curious, so I’ve loved figuring out how the industry works and learning something new every day.” Michelle Lapp, operations manager of Two Blokes Brewing, echoes that sentiment. “I kind of just fell into the beer industry initially when I started bartending.” Across town, Kimberly Arnold, head brewer/brewhouse manager at Frothy Beard Brewing Company, told the exact same story. “I fell into beer. I got a job bartending at Frothy Beard Brewing Company and knew nothing about craft beer. I had no idea how much science went into making beer. I wanted to know everything and do everything!” This desire to learn seems to be a common thread amongst the Kim Arnold Jen Krizan Michelle Lapp Angelica Lopez behind the Beer BY KATIE FINCH THE WOMEN Women have an incredible ability to take something that feels chaotic, figure it out and keep everything moving forward. Sarah Senn, owner and operations manager at Snafu Brewing Company
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