Brewmaster students from Niagara College are getting a head start on International Women’s Day this year by brewing Pink Boots beers in support of women in the beer industry.
Not only is there a Pink Boots collaboration Brewing Day planned for International Women’s Day on March 8, several student-crafted Pink Boots brews are expected to be ready for release by then, thanks to multiple Pink Boots brewing days at the Teaching Brewery this year.
2024 Pink Boots brewing began at the Teaching Brewery on January 29 with a student-designed beer, ‘Knock Your Boots Off’ designed by students Aiden Hole and Katelyn Buzanko which was brewed by their second semester class.
Brewing continued on January 30 with a Pink Boots American Pale Ale designed by Brewmaster graduate Jenny Lukasiewicz brewed with a class of first semester students,and on January 31 with ‘Rose Wellies’ a recipe from Brewmaster grad and current faulty Nicola Davey brewed with third semester students.
On Friday, February 9, the Teaching Brewery will host an ‘open brew’ for students from various classes to brew ‘Pink Boots Pilsner’ which was designed by fourth semester student Noelia Melisa Quiverio Hincapie and second semester student Lina Marcel Farfan Gonzales.
The Teaching Brewery will welcome Sarah Casorso of Yakima Chief Hops on February 9 to participate along with students and staff.
Yakima Hops partners with the Pink Boots Society every year to make an exclusive Pink Boots Hops Blend used for Pink Boots collaboration brews in support of women in brewing. Yakima Chief hops donates $3 from every pound sold back to the Pink Boots Society.
On March 8, International Women’s Day, the NC Teaching Brewery will host another open brew day for Pink Boots. The type of beer has yet to be announced by students developing the recipe – second-semester students Catherine Lear and Mandy Blais.
Nicola Davey, who participated in Pink Boots as a Brewmaster student a few years ago and now teaches current students in the program, has been supporting students with the initiative over the past couple of years, offering advice with recipe development. Davey organized Pink Boots hop rub in 2022 and 2023 which tasks Brewmaster students to complete sensory assessment on 14 different hop samples, and select, as a group, their top seven. Their favourites, along with the other Canadian brewery results, were submitted to the Pink Boots Society who worked with Yakima Chief Hops to determine the hop blend for 2023 and 2024.
“The Pink Boots Society has been supporting women in brewing since 2014 by teaching useful skills, raising money for scholarships, and making the beer industry a real, constructive possibility for women. The educational strength of NC’s Brewmaster program and the Teaching Brewery along with the chance to participate in Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day initiatives brings forth an exciting opportunity to unite, recognize and appreciate female brewers,” noted Davey. “I am so thrilled when our female brewers, create and brew their first commercial beers (second semester brewers).
“Their smiles and sense of accomplishment make my day which is why I stay involved.”
Catherine Lear – who left her teaching career in Australia to follow her passion and enrol in NC’s Brewmaster program – has never been involved with Pink Boot prior to this year.
“I am super excited to be showcasing the power and talents of women in the brewing industry, be it students just starting out or even promoting those that have been paving the road forward for everyone for years,” said Lear.
“I find it extremely important to not just support but showcase the many talented women in brewing. It is an underrepresented field and is at times difficult to get the recognition that is deserved.”
Pink Boots Society Canada is a national non-profit organization helping women and non-binary people in the fermented/alcoholic beverage Industry advance their careers through education.
The NC Teaching Brewery has been involved with the Pink Boots initiative since hosting its first collaboration brew day 2020.
Brewmaster Professor Jon Downing indicated his strong support of continuing the initiative at the Teaching Brewery.
“We’re focused on awareness and invite students from all fermented beverage-based programs to participate,” he said.
Several of the NC Teaching Brewery’s 2024 Pink Boots Series beers will become available for purchase on March 8 (while supplies last) at the Teaching Brewery retail store and the Wine Visitor + Education Centre, located at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, alongside products from NC’s Teaching Brewery, Teaching Winery, and Teaching Distillery. Visit ncteachingwinery.ca.
