What are some awesome breweries/distilleries run by women?
June 14, 2014 9:18 PM Subscribe
What are some awesome breweries/distilleries run by women?
I sampled some Cliffton Dry cider today and learned that the company is owned by a woman. It got me wondering what other breweries, cideries, distilleries, and so forth are owned or co-owned or run by women. I can only think of a couple others (Uncouth Vermouth and the Noble Experiment, both super local to NY). Can you tell me any that you know of, so I can go and try their booze?
I sampled some Cliffton Dry cider today and learned that the company is owned by a woman. It got me wondering what other breweries, cideries, distilleries, and so forth are owned or co-owned or run by women. I can only think of a couple others (Uncouth Vermouth and the Noble Experiment, both super local to NY). Can you tell me any that you know of, so I can go and try their booze?
Alley Kat in Alberta is owned and operated by a husband and wife team.
posted by bewilderbeast at 10:12 PM on June 14, 2014
posted by bewilderbeast at 10:12 PM on June 14, 2014
Minoh Beer in Osaka is run by three sisters, and they make award-winning beers (like their W-IPA, Yuzu Weizen, and Imperial Stout to name just a few).
Harvest Moon Brewery near Tokyo Disneyland in Maihama is also run by a woman.
Sadly, you're unlikely to find their beer in North America.
posted by armage at 10:29 PM on June 14, 2014 [2 favorites]
Harvest Moon Brewery near Tokyo Disneyland in Maihama is also run by a woman.
Sadly, you're unlikely to find their beer in North America.
posted by armage at 10:29 PM on June 14, 2014 [2 favorites]
Alchemist beer in Vermont is run by a couple.
posted by youcancallmeal at 10:29 PM on June 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by youcancallmeal at 10:29 PM on June 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
Mallersdorf Abbey is a Franciscan convent in Bavaria. Schwester Doris Engelhard is the brewmaster, and I am looking forward to a fine bottle of her zoigl this evening.
posted by Tunierikson at 10:31 PM on June 14, 2014
posted by Tunierikson at 10:31 PM on June 14, 2014
Montanya Rum in Crested Butte, CO. Oak-aged rum. Fantastic.
posted by notsnot at 11:05 PM on June 14, 2014
posted by notsnot at 11:05 PM on June 14, 2014
Revolution Brewing in Chicago is run by Josh Deth and his wife Krista (and some silent partners); the actual brewery was the location used in the indie film Drinking Buddies (which is much less about drinking than the title suggests), in which Olivia Wilde plays a sales manager. She based her role on Kate Thomas, who is "Brand Champion" for Half Acre Brewery, also in Chicago but not used for filming.
You're probably looking for female brewmasters, though, on that score I'm ... tapped out. [/sunglasses] Meaning hydrophonic beat me. But in general small craft brewing or brewpub operations are going to be run by a small team or a family and while most often they seem to have been founded by two men, some have women among the founders, like the Vintage Brewing Company in Madison, WI (three co-founders, one of them female).
posted by dhartung at 12:12 AM on June 15, 2014
You're probably looking for female brewmasters, though, on that score I'm ... tapped out. [/sunglasses] Meaning hydrophonic beat me. But in general small craft brewing or brewpub operations are going to be run by a small team or a family and while most often they seem to have been founded by two men, some have women among the founders, like the Vintage Brewing Company in Madison, WI (three co-founders, one of them female).
posted by dhartung at 12:12 AM on June 15, 2014
The book "Whiskey Women: The Untold Story of How Women Saved Bourbon, Scotch, and Irish Whiskey" is full of interviews with women who currently work in that industry - as well as providing a history of key figures like Bessie Williamson - the female manager of Islay's Laphroaig Distillery who was instrumental in persuading Americans to choose malts over blends.
posted by rongorongo at 12:43 AM on June 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by rongorongo at 12:43 AM on June 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
Lost Coast Brewery based in Eureka, CA (my home away from home when I was in college).
posted by The Gooch at 12:51 AM on June 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by The Gooch at 12:51 AM on June 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
Minhas Micro Brewery in Calgary is owned by a brother and sister.
posted by angiep at 2:06 AM on June 15, 2014
posted by angiep at 2:06 AM on June 15, 2014
Seconding Minoh. Fantastic beers.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 2:17 AM on June 15, 2014
posted by Joseph Gurl at 2:17 AM on June 15, 2014
Mo Heck's uncle's wheat farm supplies the Project V Distillery in Woodinville, WA that she founded and runs with her husband Al.
Their website is hosed, but the linked Vimeo movie captures the tone of Project V very well.
posted by Kakkerlak at 2:36 AM on June 15, 2014
Their website is hosed, but the linked Vimeo movie captures the tone of Project V very well.
posted by Kakkerlak at 2:36 AM on June 15, 2014
Hey, neat !
Minoh Bloom Belgian Ale is #1 on the tap list at 7 Days Brew near the train station in Nagoya... I photographed the menu for reference when I stopped there for a miso-sauce pizza last night.
Now I have to go back, you know, for MetaFilter.
posted by Kakkerlak at 2:43 AM on June 15, 2014
Minoh Bloom Belgian Ale is #1 on the tap list at 7 Days Brew near the train station in Nagoya... I photographed the menu for reference when I stopped there for a miso-sauce pizza last night.
Now I have to go back, you know, for MetaFilter.
posted by Kakkerlak at 2:43 AM on June 15, 2014
Loch Lomond Brewery
and i think Stewart Brewing gets in as well.
posted by stuartmm at 3:43 AM on June 15, 2014
and i think Stewart Brewing gets in as well.
posted by stuartmm at 3:43 AM on June 15, 2014
Might be hard to find out of Australia, but Two Birds makes some damn fine beer.
Related (annoying multi page formatted) article.
posted by arha at 4:23 AM on June 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
Related (annoying multi page formatted) article.
posted by arha at 4:23 AM on June 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
Throwback Brewery in Hampton, New Hampshire, is brewed and run by a pair of awesome women.
posted by amelioration at 5:12 AM on June 15, 2014
posted by amelioration at 5:12 AM on June 15, 2014
If you're ever in the UK you could put together an epic crawl of fine woman-led breweries. Sara Barton in Linconshire was Brewer of the Year in 2012; there's a good list of others at CAMRA.
posted by Erasmouse at 5:21 AM on June 15, 2014
posted by Erasmouse at 5:21 AM on June 15, 2014
Nthing Minoh. Mrs. Ghidorah surprised me for my birthday with six bottles of their stout, and another six of their seasonal dark lager, and is setting up a one night trip to Osaka to go to their Beer Belly bar. Best birthday ever. Great beer.
posted by Ghidorah at 6:05 AM on June 15, 2014
posted by Ghidorah at 6:05 AM on June 15, 2014
Megan Parisi is set to soon be the head brewer at Wormtown in Mass. after getting Bluejacket going here in DC. The Wormtown website doesn't reflect the change as of yet.
posted by exogenous at 6:25 AM on June 15, 2014
posted by exogenous at 6:25 AM on June 15, 2014
Fat Tire was co-founded by a woman, and she is still the CEO, although the brewery is now employee owned.
posted by Wavelet at 6:57 AM on June 15, 2014
posted by Wavelet at 6:57 AM on June 15, 2014
Der Blokken Brewery in Bremerton, Washington. They make some awesome brews, in our little (pop 30,000) town.
posted by dbmcd at 9:02 AM on June 15, 2014
posted by dbmcd at 9:02 AM on June 15, 2014
Cheryl Lins is the one-woman-band behind Delaware Phoenix Distilleries. I was drinking her Eells Tavern whisky last night, and it is spectacular. A vintner friend calls her absinthe the best in North America.
posted by minervous at 9:10 AM on June 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by minervous at 9:10 AM on June 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
Friend of a friend Amanda Bates is brewmaster for the Pleasant House microbrewery in Three Oaks, MI.
posted by oceanjesse at 9:33 AM on June 15, 2014
posted by oceanjesse at 9:33 AM on June 15, 2014
Finnriver Cidery co-ower Crystie Kisler is a wonderful lady.
posted by humboldt32 at 10:40 AM on June 15, 2014
posted by humboldt32 at 10:40 AM on June 15, 2014
One of the co-owners oh Philadelphia Brewing Company is a woman.
posted by sepviva at 1:25 PM on June 15, 2014
posted by sepviva at 1:25 PM on June 15, 2014
Check out the Pink Boots Society to find some industry women.
posted by amanda at 1:31 PM on June 15, 2014
posted by amanda at 1:31 PM on June 15, 2014
Response by poster: Thanks, everyone! Looking forward to trying out these places when I can.
posted by mlle valentine at 8:09 PM on June 15, 2014
posted by mlle valentine at 8:09 PM on June 15, 2014
Not owner, but Temperance Beer Company, a woman is the head brewer
posted by corpse at 8:02 AM on June 16, 2014
posted by corpse at 8:02 AM on June 16, 2014
Apocalypse Brew Works in Louisville, KY. Leah knows great beer!
posted by ohohcyte at 8:32 AM on June 16, 2014
posted by ohohcyte at 8:32 AM on June 16, 2014
In New Mexico, there are a couple of places run by women...
Santa Fe Ciderworks just opened this year in Santa Fe, NM. One of the co-owners also brews beer for 2nd Street Brewery and makes mead for the Falcon Meadery.
North of Santa Fe, near Embudo, is the Blue Heron Brewery.
And Nexus Brewery in Albuquerque just hired a woman brewer, but is owned by a man.
posted by backwords at 9:15 AM on June 16, 2014
Santa Fe Ciderworks just opened this year in Santa Fe, NM. One of the co-owners also brews beer for 2nd Street Brewery and makes mead for the Falcon Meadery.
North of Santa Fe, near Embudo, is the Blue Heron Brewery.
And Nexus Brewery in Albuquerque just hired a woman brewer, but is owned by a man.
posted by backwords at 9:15 AM on June 16, 2014
Bantam Cider in the Boston-area is co-owned by two women.
Pretty Things is a husband and wife team (though he is the head brewer).
posted by dormouse at 9:28 AM on June 16, 2014
Pretty Things is a husband and wife team (though he is the head brewer).
posted by dormouse at 9:28 AM on June 16, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by emkelley at 9:27 PM on June 14, 2014 [1 favorite]