ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Twenty-seven females from the New York State craft beer industry will come together during Women’s History Month to collaboratively brew a Brut IPA named IMPACT. A portion of the beer’s proceeds will go towards purchasing undergarments for SAFE (Sexual Assault Forensic Exam) programs at local hospitals, UR Medicine Thompson Hospital in Canandaigua, N.Y. and Rochester General Hospital in Rochester, N.Y.
The Female Brew Day will take place on Mar. 16th, beginning at 8:00 a.m. at Naked Dove Brewing Company, located at 4048 State Route 5 and 20, in Canandaigua, N.Y. The event will include brewers, brewery owners, beer managers and other industry professionals from 15 different craft breweries, beer bars and organizations.
“March is Women’s History Month and the year 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote, a movement that started here in New York,” said Chloe Kay, communications coordinator for the New York State Brewers Association (NYSBA), where three out of four staff members are female. “As a state, we’ve been at the forefront of equal rights throughout history, so it’s no surprise that New York women are making an IMPACT in the craft beer industry.”
IMPACT will have tantalizing tangerine notes and will be canned in April, for sale shortly afterwards. The can labels, designed by Finger Lakes artist Amy Colburn, will feature a colorful silhouette of a woman with words used to describe females in the craft beer industry – strong, driven, fierce, leader, determined, creative, influential – woven through her hair.
“I have always wanted to shine a light on all of the amazing women in this industry,” said event organizer, Kim Porter of Naked Dove Brewing Company. “And to come together for one day with such a unique group of females (most of whom are not brewers), to produce a beer that will help make a difference in the community is extremely exciting. I can just imagine the strength, intelligence and determination all in one room. What kind of impact can that make on the women participating and for future women entering this industry?”
Porter chose to support SAFE programs run by forensic nurses in emergency rooms after reading an article about women who are sexually assaulted and undergo forensic exams.
“When they’re released from the hospital after a 3-4-hour long examination, they often go home in scrubs with no undergarments,” explained Porter. “Almost always, their clothes and undergarments are kept as evidence.”
Porter went on to learn that the nurses often work to come up with something for these women to wear home. After reaching out to local hospital programs and discovering a great need for support, Porter hopes that IMPACT will help raise further awareness and assistance for the cause.
Participants of the Female Brew Day will include:
- Kim Porter, Naked Dove Brewing Company
- Donna Schlosser, Naked Dove Brewing Company
- Kate Rodgers, Naked Dove Brewing Company
- Annemarie Weigert, Naked Dove Brewing Company
- Mandy Cucino, Naked Dove Brewing Company
- Laura Helker, Naked Dove Brewing Company
- Chloe Kay, New York State Brewers Association
- Jen Meyers, New York State Brewers Association
- Kristy Aldrich, Reinvention Brewing Company
- Emma Shannon, Reinvention Brewing Company
- Colleen Lieberg, WeBe Brewing Company
- Emily Penrose, Fifth Frame Brewing Co
- Beth Partee, Fleur De Lis Brew Works
- Jea’Ne Terry, Knucklehead Craft Brewing
- Emily Chard-Carpenter, WhichCraft Brews
- Maria von Rathonyi, Genesee Brewing Company
- Emily Zimmerman, Greenfront Restaurant
- Nikki Moore, Greenfront Restaurant
- Adrean Hayward, Gleason’s Food and Drink
- Kim Killigrew, Bee Hive Brew Pub
- Tracy Sidmore, Bee Hive Brew Pub
- Laura Britton, Craft Beer Blogger
- Abi Bellavia, Wegman’s Geneva Beer Manager
- Jennie Darling, Crafty’s Ales and Lagers
- Dawn Schultz, Prison City Brewing
- Kim Morse, Swiftwater Brewing Company
- Ryan Boulas, The Gate House Cafe
This Female Brew Day is one example of women in the craft beer industry getting together throughout New York, and more events are expected. On Thursday, Mar. 5, Prison City Brewing hosted the 3rd annual Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day to celebrate International Women’s Day, where 40 women got together to brew a Juicy Hazy IPA due to be released in 3 weeks.