The image of brewing as a male-dominated craft has deep historical roots — and it’s also historically inaccurate. In medieval Europe, brewing was almost exclusively women’s work. Alewives brewed and sold beer as a household trade for centuries before industrialization consolidated the industry into the male-run commercial breweries that defined the modern era. The current push for gender equity in craft brewing is, in a real sense, a return to something older than the status quo it’s challenging.
The data on where the industry stands is mixed. Women have made significant inroads in the business and marketing sides of craft brewing. Female representation among head brewers and in technical brewing roles has grown meaningfully, though it remains disproportionately low relative to the broader workforce. Organizations like the Pink Boots Society — a professional organization for women in the brewing industry with chapters across the U.S. — have been instrumental in creating professional development resources, scholarships, and community for women navigating careers in a still-male-dominated field.
Some of the most influential figures in contemporary craft brewing are women. Kim Jordan co-founded New Belgium and served as CEO for years, building it into one of the largest independent craft breweries in the country. Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River is one half of a founding team — his wife Natalie has been a central figure in the business from the start. Craft maltsters, hop brokers, and sensory scientists across the supply chain include a disproportionate number of women relative to the brewing floor itself.
The consumer side of the equation has shifted too. The assumption that craft beer is primarily a male interest has been consistently undermined by actual purchasing and consumption data. Women represent a substantial and growing share of craft beer drinkers, and breweries that have designed their spaces and marketing around that reality tend to build broader, more durable customer bases.
Key Organization: Pink Boots Society — scholarships, education, and community for women in brewing (pinkbootssociety.org)
Historical Note: Prior to industrialization, brewing was predominantly a female occupation across Europe — the “craft beer” of the era was largely women’s work.
Progress Marker: Female head brewers remain underrepresented but have roughly tripled as a share of the workforce over the past 15 years.
The craft beer industry is better when it’s broader. The talent, creativity, and business perspective that more equitable representation brings to any industry applies here as much as anywhere.
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