{"id":112326,"date":"2025-02-27T01:30:16","date_gmt":"2025-02-27T01:30:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/recipes\/category-a-b\/beer\/the-women-of-beer-in-vermont\/"},"modified":"2025-02-27T01:30:16","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T01:30:16","slug":"the-women-of-beer-in-vermont","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=112326","title":{"rendered":"The Women of Beer in Vermont"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Vermont\u2019s appetite for beer is nothing short of impressive. For such a tiny state with a population the size of a New York City neighborhood, Vermont takes the top spot<\/a> in the U.S. for the number of breweries per capita: 15.6 for every 100,000 people aged 21 or older. And in an industry historically dominated by males, women in the Vermont beer industry are woven into the fabric of the breweries. We talked to women at four of the top breweries to find out how they got into industry and why they stayed.<\/p>\n

The Alchemist | Stowe, VT<\/h2>\n

Ninety percent of the beer made at The Alchemist<\/a> in Stowe, Vermont, is consumed in state. Even though Heady Topper<\/a>, their transcendent double IPA, has been named a top beer for 20 years, the owners will never sacrifice the heart and soul of what makes their beer taste so good: the people who make it and the quality of the ingredients.<\/p>\n

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The four women I talked to at The Alchemist have worked there for a combined 45 years and none of them originally had a background in beer. Starting in front of house jobs in retail or at the restaurant, they all worked their way up to brewing, cellaring, and CFO, jobs more typically held by men.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve all experienced differential treatment based on being women, but never at The Alchemist,\u201d says Casey Brooks, a brewer of eight years whose first career was as an 8th grade middle school science teacher. \u201cWhen I\u2019m traveling and I say I work for The Alchemist, most people assume I have an office job. They never guess I\u2019m brewing the beer itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBrewing is a dangerous job,\u201d says Priscilla Nelson, a cellarperson who has also worked in online retail and on the canning line at The Alchemist. \u201cIt\u2019s hot, everything is heavy, there\u2019s a lot under pressure, and we work with acidic chemicals.\u201d But this hasn\u2019t deterred her one bit.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As CFO, Ashli Roberts has sent emails that remained unanswered until a male colleague sent the same email. \u201cThere are vendors who won\u2019t respond unless a guy sends the request,\u201d she said, rolling her eyes. But the focus remains unchanged.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love my job,\u201d says brewer Chelsea Nolan. \u201cWe keep things simple and focus on what we do well and that\u2019s brew the best beer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Small breweries increasingly have access to automate a lot of processes, but Roberts believes in the importance of people power. \u201cIt [the quality of the beer] might be close, and it might be good enough for some palates, but not for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zero Gravity | Burlington, VT<\/h2>\n

Anna Novine has an undergraduate degree in biology from Ithaca College and a master\u2019s in environmental law and policy from Vermont Law School, but after an internship at The Nature Conservancy didn\u2019t translate to a job, she took a different turn. \u201cI went to the American Brewers Guild<\/a> and got a degree in brewing science,\u201d she said. \u201cI spent almost three years brewing for Zero Gravity<\/a> [in Burlington] then started leading a team of six other brewers.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Their stellar beer selection ranges from Green State<\/a> Pilsner, to Little Wolf<\/a> pale ale,\u00a0to Conehead<\/a> hazy IPA. Novine transitioned from the brewhouse to overseeing the expansion of contract brewing. \u201cWe can produce about 17,000 barrels at this main facility, but when we bought the old Magic Hat<\/a> space, we increased production by 35,000 barrels just for Zero Gravity.\u201d They now distribute all over New England and throughout the Atlantic states.<\/p>\n

\u201cWomen have always been a part of Zero Gravity,\u201d says Novine. \u201cThe original head brewer, Destiny Saxon, is a legend. I\u2019ve always felt supported here to follow my passion. We\u2019re all in it together and we all just like beer.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for advice for women who want to get into the beer industry, Novine didn\u2019t hesitate. \u201cDon\u2019t be afraid to get your hands dirty. A lot of cleaning goes into brewing and you need to take pride in your workspace. Volunteer to do everything and get out of your comfort zone.\u201d She then added, \u201cAnd learn how to use tools that are unfamiliar. It\u2019s really satisfying to be able to fix the equipment yourself and not have to ask a man.\u201d<\/p>\n

Foam Brewers | Burlington, VT<\/h2>\n

Of the five partners who started Foam Brewers<\/a> in Burlington, one is a woman. \u201cI started as a bartender at Magic Hat in 2007,\u201d says Dani Casey, business and finance manager. \u201cThat\u2019s where I met the brewmaster, Todd. We then all worked at Switchback<\/a>, and now we are all here. I guess you could say we\u2019ve been around a while!\u201d<\/p>\n

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Foam Brewers is one of the newest breweries in Vermont, having opened in 2016, but they have a very different model than the others. \u201cWe don\u2019t have a flagship beer,\u201d states Casey, \u201cand every label is by a different local artist\u2014we\u2019re still really small as we brew around 7,000 barrels a year.\u201d In comparison, The Alchemist brews about 30,000 barrels and Zero Gravity approximately 52,000 barrels a year. \u201cWe like to stay creative,\u201d Casey quips.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s exactly what the women of Foam Brewers did when they launched Rise of the Valkyries. Originally coined \u201cthe Women of Foam<\/a>,\u201d the name was changed to be more inclusive of everyone who wanted to join. The Valkyries is an empowering club with the sole purpose of raising money to give back to the community. Riot Grrrl<\/a>, the first canned beer brewed by the Valkyries, was sold as a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood. Now the organization hosts quarterly events for female-identifying folks in the brewing industry so everyone can learn more about the brewing process.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re focusing on community events that bring everyone in,\u201d says Casey. \u201cWe\u2019re making wine from local grapes, brewing fruit sours, and opening a restaurant next door.\u201d A community of like-minded creative beer lovers came together to start Foam. \u201cNow we\u2019re just trying to create a place where others can feel accepted to follow their passions, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lawson\u2019s Finest Liquids | Waitsfield, VT<\/h2>\n

When Adeline Druart<\/a> moved to Vermont at 21 years old, her English wasn\u2019t the best but she knew about good cheese. The daughter of a dairy farmer and a graduate of the national dairy school in France, she came to Vermont for a two-month cheesemaking internship as part of her master\u2019s degree in biotechnology. In her first week at Vermont Creamery<\/a>, she met the other intern, who would later become her husband, and after graduating, she returned to Vermont Creamery as operations manager. In her 19-year tenure with the dairy, Druart helped make them one of the most successful cheesemaking companies in the U.S.<\/p>\n

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So when she took the CEO position at Lawson\u2019s Finest Liquids<\/a> in Waitsfield, it wasn\u2019t by accident. \u201cI left Vermont Creamery without a plan,\u201d Druart says. \u201cI knew that I had done all that I could and it was time for something new. I knew the kind of company I wanted to work for\u2014one with integrity, an incredible product, and a strong community\u2014and coming to Lawson\u2019s was serendipitous.\u201d<\/p>\n

Druart has never been one to shy away from a challenge. \u201cIt\u2019s both lonely and welcoming being one of the few female CEOs,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I\u2019m focusing on bringing more people to Lawson\u2019s in the Mad River Valley versus just trying to send more beer to different places. We\u2019ve expanded the menu with high-end, seasonal food, have live music weekly, and oysters on Thursdays,\u201d said Druart. \u201cOnce people see that the Mad River Valley is a destination and visit us, they\u2019ll feel how much more Lawson\u2019s is than just beer. Our business is as much about the people who work here as the community we serve.\u201d<\/p>\n

Will this strategy work to grow the company? Only time will tell, but in the meantime there wasn\u2019t an empty seat on a Tuesday at the brewery in a town of only 228 people.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tBreana Lai Killeen is the senior editor for Food & Wine, a chef, food writer, recipe developer, dietitian, and farmer with 15+ years of experience creating editorial and digital content. She has written and edited over 3,000 recipes, articles, and presentations for top brands including EatingWell, AllRecipes, Food & Wine, Cabot Creamery, Hello Fresh, POM Wonderful, the National Beef Council, and the Dairy Council. Breana has a master\u2019s degree in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu London, a Wine Spirit & Education Trust trained sommelier, and is a registered dietitian.
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\nBreana loves teaching people how to cook, especially if it involves using up all the bits and pieces left in the veggie drawer to make something seemingly impressive for her 3-year-old twins. When she’s not cooking or chasing toddlers, you can find her out on Killeen Crossroads Farm in Vermont wrangling 200 chickens, 10 cows, two dogs and her tractor-loving husband.\t\t<\/p>\n

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CraftBeer.com is fully dedicated to small and independent U.S. breweries. We are published by the Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade group dedicated to promoting and protecting America\u2019s small and independent craft brewers. Stories and opinions shared on CraftBeer.com do not imply endorsement by or positions taken by the Brewers Association or its members.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n