The third bi-annual Women in Beer Festival is set to kick off across Edinburgh next week, showcasing the women who play key roles in the beer industry with pubs and bars across the city hosting events celebrating female brewers, as well as women who enjoy a good pint.
This year’s festival will feature women brewers from eight breweries and includes a self-guided pub crawl highlighting venues supporting women-led beer initiatives. Four special collaboration beers brewed by Women in Beer members will also be launched during the festival.
The event opens with a launch party on 23 October at Cold Town House, co-hosted by festival partner Cold Town Beer. Visitors will have the chance to meet brewers from Hand Brew Co. and Cold Town Beer and sample the first of the festival’s special brews, Hawaiian Topic, a coconut porter crafted by Cold Town’s head brewer, Hayley Ransome. Louise MacLean, Business Development Director at Cold Town said, “It’s an honour to showcase the talent, passion, and innovation of these women. We’re especially proud to be hosting the launch party, where we can celebrate their achievements and raise a glass to the future of the industry.”
The festival continues with more “Meet the Brewer” events on 24 and 25 October when brewers from Ideal Day Family Brewery and Kerroo Brewing will lead a tap takeover at the Jolly Judge, focusing on heritage and sustainability in craft beer while Dreadnought Leith feature brewers from Bluestone Brewing and Round Corner Brewing. There is also an industry event on 25 October, with training and a seminar hosted by Lallemand Brewing and Crisp Malt
On 26 October The Big Meet Up at Stockbridge Tap will provide tastings of the three remaining festival beers: Cult of Arduinna, a sour from Holy Goat Brewing; No Quarter, a non-alcoholic pale ale from Jump Ship; and Rising Waves, a DIPA from Round Corner Brewing and the following day the festival will close with a “Craft & Craft” event at False Widow, offering craft beer and a chance to meet brewers from Newbarns Brewery and Closet Brewing.
Throughout the festival, Edinburgh venues will support the event by featuring beers brewed or led by women. Venues such as Lost in Leith, Cloisters, Brewhemia, and others will pour beers from breweries like Closet Brewing, Loch Lomond, and Stewart Brewing.
Amélie Tassin, Founder of Women in Beer said, “Visibility is so important and I believe that the more we shout out about women in the Industry, the more we’ll help redress the gender balance. We want to create role models for women who wouldn’t have thought beer was for them. We do this by bringing our talented guests to our events and seminars and giving women the opportunity to connect. And this year’s addition of Chaser Venues will help us share the word even louder.”