women in beer. Nicole Steinhilber, QA/QC and fermentation manager for Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co., conveyed, “This inherent impetus to continue to learn and dig deeper into concepts that I already had an understanding of is what keeps the passion alive for me. There is always something more to learn, vast amounts of untapped research to pursue and reframing of perspective to be had.” For others, they followed their heart, or perhaps their taste buds. Brit Slechter, co-owner/head brewer at Wyrd Sisters Brewing, commented, “I was drawn into the beer industry simply by my love of beer.” Jen Krizan, brewery representative at Indigo Reef Brewing Company, initially got into beer as gig work. “I’ve always enjoyed drinking and exploring different beers and breweries, so when I was looking for a side hustle it felt like a natural fit. Eventually the side hustle turned into my full-time job, and I’m loving it.” For Angelica Lopez, assistant brewer at Rusty Bull Brewing Co., it all began in her home. “I started brewing at home as a hobby about 12 years ago and loved how much freedom there is in beer. It is the perfect blend of art and science!” Speaking of seeds planted at home, Tessa Miller, owner of Community Crafthouse and Crafthouse North, noted how impactful her father was when starting her own career in beer. “Growing up, my dad worked for a beer distributor, so it was never a new thing for me.” For each of these women, the story lends itself to how beer found them, and not the other way around. In fact, women have always brewed beer. They were among history’s earliest brewers. Krizan added, “Women have played a huge role in shaping the beer community, both historically and in the modern craft beer industry. In fact, women are widely credited with being the original brewers. In many ways, the entire industry traces its roots back to women.” Lopez continued the conversation. “We’re not just bartenders or salesgirls. We are present in all areas of beer, from malting grain, growing hops, cultivating yeast strains, production, packaging, quality control, sensory education, etc.” Sarah Wilkes, executive director of events at Holy City Brewing, elaborated on how women are adding immense value with their unique way of thinking. “As women, I think we bring a different perspective to the table that helps strengthen the industry. It’s a very community and family-based industry, and I feel that women tend to have more forethought for those aspects, and beer is about bringing people together.” These conversaNicole Steinhilber Sara Senn Sarah Wilkes Brit Slechter Tessa Miller This idea of lifting each other up has made our local beer scene stronger, more welcoming and more inclusive. Michelle Lapp, operations manager at Two Blokes Brewing 43 WWW.CHARLESTONWOMENPODCAST.COM | WWW.READCW.COM | WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/CHARLESTONWOMEN
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