BOISE, Idaho — March is Women's History Month and many businesses and industries are showcasing the talented women breaking down barriers, or in this case, brewing up something special at Boise Brewing.
Do you know who brews your favorite beer? Historically, it was women, like Lynlee Garside.
"It is a tough job but if you’re really interested in the industry it is a labor of love and it’s fun," said Garside.
Garside is an Assistant Brewer at Boise Brewing.
"Women are definitely getting into it more and more. There's quite a few breweries in the Treasure Valley that have women brewers and they are definitely expanding," she said.
Just in time for Women's History Month, Lynlee's partnering with the Pink Boots Society, a non-profit that wants to see even more women in the world of craft beer.
"[Pink Boots Society] just wants to educate and inspire women in the beer industry," Garside said.
But creating a new brew isn't an overnight endeavor. This new brew will take weeks to complete. Sheila Francis has been in the industry for ten years and now serves as the Executive Director of Idaho Brewers United.
"When I first started I was one of the few females in the industry," she said.
Francis says nationally, the numbers are growing, but we still have a long way to go.
"Beer was marketed just to men. It was a man’s drink which is so silly because it’s a beverage," Francis said.
According to 2019 data from the Brewers Association, only 7.5 percent of US breweries employed a female in a brewmaster role.
"I think also women have different palettes than men so it also brings out quality control stuff, [we] pick out some things that maybe a man couldn’t," said Garside.
Men like Collin Rudeen, the Preside of Boise Brewing, agree. He says the brewery, "manned" mostly by women is not only doing well - it's expanding!
So if you love beer, business and breaking down gender roles these industry insiders say - hop to it.
