Chicago craft beer industry sees rise in women brewers, owners

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Change is on tap in the Chicago-area craft beer industry.

Once dominated by men, more women are now moving into the business as brewers, beertenders and owners. Many of them on Tuesday gathered at Solemn Oath Brewery in Naperville to make some connections — as well as some tasty beer.

"We’re looking at about 113 of Chicago’s finest in craft beer, a room full of talented women here today," said Solemn Oath’s Charlotte Converse, who organized the gathering of brewing industry women.

They came from breweries, bars, and bottles shops as far north as Crystal Lake and as far south as Tinley Park. The goal: to network and send a message that women are becoming a force in the Chicago area’s craft beer business.

"We’re behind the scenes, and we’re trying to be out front," said Taylor Driscoll of Skeleton Key Brewery in Woodbridge. "We want you to notice that. We want you to see that’s happening."

"It’s great that we’re doing this, because not only do we get to connect and talk and have fun about beer, but we also get to show the males in the industry, hey, we’re here too!" said Molly Valdez of Wolfden Brewing in Bloomingdale.

Indeed, there’s a revolution brewing in an industry once dominated by men. Some of the women gathered at the event were brewery servers, while others were brewery owners — and a growing number make magic as brewers.

"The history of brewing, it really goes back to women. Women were the original brewers," said Arianna Levi, a brewer at Miskatonic Brewing in Darien. "They brewed for their households. They brewed for their village. They brewed for their towns."

Which is also what they did on Tuesday, brewing a beer called "Vibes Since 1920." It’s a classic American pale ale with some new varieties of hops. Jordan Ramsdell of Solemn Oath got to pitch the yeast inside a 60 barrel tank.

"And all of the women involved got to put their own input in the role on the different hops and style of beer we wanted to create," Ramsdell said.

The brewed beer will be released at 35 locations next month, on International Women’s Day. A portion of the proceeds will go to continue diversifying the industry.

"The proceeds from this beer will go to the Illinois diversity in brewing scholarship, which offers minorities, people of color, women opportunities in the craft beer industry," said Converse.

They’re brewing up equity, one sip at a time.