BEER CULTURE SUMMIT OPENING NIGHT
Have You Ever Experienced Sexism in the Beer Industry?
Earlier this year, Brienne Allan (@ratmagnet) asked a simple question. Have you ever experienced sexism in the beer industry? It quickly became the Instagram inquiry that sent shockwaves throughout craft beer, subsequently inspiring a BEVOLUTION. And following that, Brave Noise, a beer collab and initiative advocating for a safe and discrimination-free beer industry was launched across the country.
Brienne Allan, Jen Blair, Ash Eliot, and Ren Navarro virtually join us at Pilot Project Brewing for a conversation about the origins of her question, the progress made in the industry thus far, and the changes we need to see happen. Moderated by Jessica Infante.
Private Beer Culture Summit Opening Night event at Pilot Project Brewing.
Conversation with Brienne Allan + Friends - begins at 8pm.
Live music provided by DJ Charlie
2 beers including the Brave Noise beer brewed by Pilot Project Brewing
Brave Noise beer samples brewed by Half Acre Beer Company
Brave Noise beer samples brewed by Hopewell Brewing Company
Support of the Chicago Brewseum, a 501c3 non profit organization
This unique opportunity to enjoy the space and event at Pilot Project has a limited capacity due to COVID-19. All guests must show proof of vaccination.
Brienne Allan, Brewer and Production Manager, formerly of Notch Brewing in Salem, MA, has been a professional brewer for over 9 years. She led the Boston Pink Boots Chapter for 5 years as the largest chapter in the world providing scholarships for female brewing industry professionals to further their careers through education. In late May 2021, she asked her Instagram followers "Have you ever experienced sexism in the beer industry?” She received hundreds of stories from women who have faced gender discrimination, sexual assault and harassment, and racism. Since then, thousands of stories have been shared online, which has created a #MeToo movement in the beer industry. With the Brave Noise collaborative brew initiative, she hopes breweries will join her in advocating for change and develop resources to best support beer industry professionals and customers.
Jen Blair is an Advanced Cicerone and National BJCP Beer Judge. She is the Beer Quality and Education Manager at Orpheus Brewing. Prior to joining Orpheus Brewing as the Beer Quality and Education Manager, Jen was the Beer Program Manager for New Realm Brewing Company, where she focused on internal beer education and training as well as the in-house sensory program. Jen was previously the Executive Director of the North American Craft Maltsters Guild, where she worked closely with the Board of Directors and membership to advance and amplify the craft malting industry. Jen co-hosts a brewing podcast called False Bottomed Girls and is the Chapter Lead of the Atlanta Pink Boots Society.
Ash Eliot is a communications and marketing professional focused on digital strategy, partnerships and creator relations for beverage brands, tech, non-profits & musicians with an emphasis on developing unique content strategies with a positive impact on our world. She founded Women of the Bevolution, a platform to empower and support women and non-binary individuals in the beverage industry. For over 13 years, she held director and management roles in PR and digital marketing in the music industry. In 2018, Ash made a passionate move into the craft beverage and hospitality industry. She is a partner with digital creator and brewing educator Sarah Flora of Flora Brewing. In July 2021, Ash teamed up with Brienne Allan to launch the Brave Noise initiative and global beer collaboration advocating for a safe and discrimination-free beer industry.
Jessica Infante (she/her) is a reporter at multimedia beer trade publication Brewbound, where she covers this dynamic industry through written stories, podcasts, video interviews and panel discussions. Prior to Brewbound, Jess learned the beer industry inside and out as a marketing professional at a leading national craft brewery for nearly a decade. She combines that experience with her years as a local reporter at the Asbury Park Press on the Jersey Shore to tell stories that beer industry professionals need to know to succeed today. Jess is a Certified Cicerone and lives in Salem, Massachusetts.
Ren Navarro (she/her) is the Owner/Operator of Beer. Diversity. With nearly a decade of experience in the alcohol industry, a passion for encouraging personal and professional growth, and her trademark wit, Ren Navarro is here to educate, enlighten, and engage. Since launching Beer. Diversity. in 2018, Ren has become a known name at breweries, wineries, distilleries, and beyond. She has given talks on diversity and inclusion at several colleges and countless festivals, panels, radio shows, and podcasts throughout North America. In addition to being a diversity educator, she is a craft beer consultant for bars and restaurants in Ontario and an educator for countless businesses throughout the country.
