[This article originally appeared in Stackedd Magazine.]
If the idea of a cocktail bar jam-packed with buttoned-up ladies gossiping over fruity cosmopolitans doesn’t exactly conjure excitement, read on. How about a group of trailblazing women networking over hoppy craft beers? Sound better? A far cry from the male dominated industry it once was, more and more women are getting involved with craft beer—as beer enthusiasts, brewers, beertenders, and through the varied behind-the-scenes roles that contribute to producing tasty brews. Through educational classes, social events, and festivals, organizations like Girls’ Pint Out are introducing more women to craft beer, and in turn, changing the way brewery culture is perceived and breaking down gender barriers.
Since its inception in 2010, the non-profit organization Girls’ Pint Out has built a supportive community of women who love craft beer and who make up an active, contributing part of the greater craft beer community. Girls’ Pint Out currently has over 70 chapters in over 35 states, including a bustling Seattle group that began just last year. Lindsey Scully, Chapter President and Events Coordinator of Seattle Girls’ Pint Out, is a mover and shaker who has been immersed in the craft beer scene for many years—she is a Certified Beer Server, a beertender at Stoup Brewing, and the Washington Editor of The New School. As women’s roles in the beer industry continue to evolve, Lindsey is excited to introduce Girls’ Pint Out to Seattle beer nerds and curious novices alike. I recently caught up with Lindsey to get the inside scoop on women and beer.
Photo (c) Danielle Zahaba
First of all, why beer?
I believe beer knows no gender. Women can like a resinous, hop-forward IPA just as much as a guy can like a sweet, raspberry-laden, wheat beer. However, since beer and brewing has been viewed as a male beverage and hobby for such a long time, Girls’ Pint Out started as a way to get more ladies into craft beer. By offering classes like Introduction to Homebrewing or Whiskey and Beer Pairing, we offer an intimate setting to help demystify beer, beer styles, and the brewing process for women. We make each event as inviting as possible so ladies feel comfortable asking questions and getting involved.
How and why did you get involved with Girls’ Pint Out? What do you find rewarding about it?
Honestly, I was looking for a way to meet more ladies who liked beer. Seattle has a fantastic craft beer scene, including numerous beer festivals (almost once a month), breweries (about 80 in Seattle), and beer bars, and I was always attending these events with my boyfriend or guy friends. When I randomly heard about the Inland NW Girls’ Pint Out chapter, I contacted them, and they told me there wasn’t a Seattle chapter. I loved the idea and wanted to start a chapter on this side of the state—thus, in August 2014, Seattle Girls’ Pint Out was born.
I find it extremely rewarding to meet new ladies who heard of Seattle Girls’ Pint Out and thought it would be a fun way to get into beer. I love having someone who claims they hate hoppy, bitter beers try my triple IPA and say they like it. I think there’s a beer out there for everyone, so it’s just a process of trying a lot of different styles to find out what you personally like. I’ve also really enjoyed making so many new friends through Seattle Girls’ Pint Out—there are a lot of awesome women in the greater Seattle area!
How big is the Seattle chapter of Girls’ Pint Out? What in particular about the events keep women coming back?
I think the fact that we try to create unique quarterly events is what makes new ladies come and hang out. We’ve done a Whiskey and Beer Pairing that was very popular and […] we are planning a December bottle share and beer-themed gift exchange. We hold a monthly Ladies Pint Night where women are welcome to come join us for a pint and conversation, and it’s a great way to crush the dreaded “Seattle Freeze.” We also host a monthly co-ed book club called Pints & Pages every first Monday of the month at Ballard Beer Company (open to everyone 21+). We started it since Seattle is such a great literary city that also produces fantastic beer.
Every event, whether it’s our monthly Pint Night or a special event, varies in attendance. I’ve had some events with only 2 people and some events with over 20. Since Girls’ Pint Out does not require a membership or dues, we have a constant flow of new people who come to events to see what we’re about, and a good majority of them come back—which speaks volumes about our group. We post all of our events on our Facebook page so people can see what is coming up, or they can subscribe to our monthly newsletter by sending an email to Seattle@GirlspintOut.org and asking to be added.
What are your three favorite beers right now? Do you have a favorite Seattle brewery? With so many great local breweries, how do you choose where to meet for Girls’ Pint Out events?
I absolutely love the Overhang Imperial Porter by Two Beers Brewing—the blend of roasted coffee and chocolate notes is incredible. They should package the aroma and sell it as perfume or candles. Holy Mountain’s Clarette raspberry sour is phenomenal—it’s tart, puckery quality is so quaffable. Stoup Brewing’s Citra IPA is my go-to beer. I’m biased since I do work there, but the citrus aroma is incredible and it is often the beer I recommend if people ask for something refreshing.
Choosing a favorite brewery is really hard since there are still so many I haven’t been able to visit. I will tell you what breweries I recommend people check out: Holy Mountain for their sours and saisons; Yakima’s Bale Breaker for their hop-forward beers like Bottomcutter DIPA; and Fremont Brewing for their Session IPA and their Barrel-Aged Dark Star (a necessity). The nice thing about Washington breweries is that there are so many options. If you don’t like hoppy beers, go visit Machine House in Georgetown for some cask ales or Engine House No. 9 for their sours.
Sometimes I ask for women’s input on Facebook about what neighborhood we should check out for the monthly Ladies Pint Night. I try to make sure we don’t repeat the same neighborhood as the previous month. With so many brewery and beer bar options, I like to spread the love and get people to try out a new venue or neighborhood. I look for a place that can accommodate between 5-20 people and I usually ask for a pint discount if possible—I find that attendees are more likely to try new beers if there’s a discount involved.
What advice can you give women who are interested in learning more about beer or getting involved in the industry?
I invite everyone to come to our events to learn more about craft beer and the beer industry! Our monthly Pint Nights are ladies only, but we occasionally have co-ed events too. There are also beer-focused websites to keep up-to-date on local beer industry news and events, such The New School, Washington Beer Blog, Craft Beer Monger, and Seattle Beer News to name a few. If you are a woman who is already in the craft beer industry, make sure you become a member of Pink Boots Society—it is a great organization for women in brewing.
For those looking to get into the local craft beer industry, I recommend getting to know the people who hold the specific roles you are looking to get into. For example, if you want to get into brewing, go introduce yourself to local brewers and chat with them, or inquire about positions at a homebrew shop. If you are looking to become a beertender, visit local breweries and bring in a resume. Networking is huge when it comes to breaking into any industry, but it’s especially valuable in this industry with the rise of craft breweries.
Knowledge is priceless! There are various ways to educate yourself about beer, and I recommend the Cicerone program or BJCP [Beer Judge Certification Program]. You can download the BJCP Style Guidelines to your smartphone, which makes it easily accessible. Every time you try a new beer style, use the app to look at the beer style guideline and learn what to expect from a Munich Helles or a Robust Porter, or learn the history of some styles. […] There are local BJCP Prep courses to learn about specific beer styles and how to judge a beer by analyzing its aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel, and overall impression. The Cicerone program has different levels—the first is Certified Beer Server and is the only online certificate level. I recommend reading up on Certified Beer Server and its syllabus, as there’s a lot of good information out there and it is great for both resume-building and personal enrichment.
I am currently studying for the Advanced Cicerone program and I find that hosting small blind beer tastings of a particular style (e.g. American Amber) is very beneficial. You get to taste a bunch of versions of a specific style and see how each brewery creates a unique product by using a slightly different malt or hop bill, and possibly a different yeast strain. You can also do this with similar styles such as Hefeweizens, American Wheat Ales, and Witbiers, and try to determine which beer is which style. It’s a fun experience with friends.
Is there anything new on the horizon as Seattle Girls’ Pint Out continues to grow?
We are always thinking of new ideas and events for the future. Currently, we are planning a December bottle share and beer-themed gift exchange, a Whiskey and Beer Pairing in early 2016, a Craft with a Craft series (think arts and crafts at a brewery), industry panels, beer education classes, and more. We’re constantly growing, just like the Washington beer scene, and always looking for new partnerships and organizations to team up with.
While Seattle Girls’ Pint Out is primarily focused on the Greater Seattle area, we have had a handful of events on the Eastside, in the Woodinville area. We have had a few requests to start up Bellingham and Kitsap chapters and we are looking for ladies who are interested in taking the initiative to start these chapters (or chapters in other Washington areas). If anyone is interested, please contact me at Seattle@GirlsPintOut.org.
Connect with Seattle Girls’ Pint Out online:
facebook.com/SeattleGPO/
twitter.com/seattlegpo
instagram.com/seattlegpo/
Simply Beeresistible 