Grossen Bart brews up a new collaborative Irish Stout in honor of International Women's Day

Each year, March 8 is celebrated as International Women’s Day, a time when, according to the website, the day’s creators ask people to consider how to forge a more gender-equal world.

For Longmont’s Grossen Bart Brewing and the marketing promotions business Crazy Stout Ladies, one answer is to create a collaboration brew that encourages women to become more involved in the craft beer world.

In late February, Grossen Bart Brewer Nicole Reimau and Crazy Stout Ladies co-founders Shayna Taylor and Jeska Adams, brewed a dry Irish Stout that will be released on March 8. The endeavor, they said, shows women can be involved in making beer, both professionally and in the community. It’s part of a larger effort by breweries worldwide, who also are releasing female-focused collaboration brews on or around that day.

“There’s a huge trend with women drinking more and more beer and I feel that they may connect better when they see there’s a woman involved in the process, who knows the science behind brewing and is proud of what they’re doing,” Reimau said.

Talking to Taylor and Adams just after their brew day, it was clear Reimau made them feel welcomed and involved. 

“It was insanely educational,” Adams said. ”She was so informative and knowledgeable. She taught about all the temperatures, the different malts. It was a long day and a lot to absorb but I feel full of science and knowledge.”

Encouraging women to be more involved in craft beer is part of a larger movement in an industry that continues to hear calls for broader gender diversity. Efforts are wide-ranging, including discussions facilitated by the craft beer trade industry group, The Brewers Association, and the creation of nonprofit organization The Pink Boots Society, or PBS. 

PBS is hosting many of the March 8 International Women’s Day brews and is dedicated to advocating for and educating women who are employed in any way in the industry. Reimau is a member.  

Although the craft beer world is considered a male-dominated industry, it hasn’t always been this way. In a 2018 article in the journal Atlas Obscura, writer Addison Nugent reminded readers that “women have played a central role in beer production, but as it gradually moved from a cottage industry to a money making one, they were gradually phased out.”

Placed in a larger context of women and craft beer, Grossen Bart co-founder Taylor Wise reiterated the focus of the collaborative Irish Stout is to show that women can connect with and be part of the craft beer workplace. 

“We have a female brewer currently and we believe in supporting women getting connected to our industry as much as possible. Nicole has been doing an awesome job for us and it’s only natural that she’s part of our effort to encourage other women to connect with beer,” Wise said.

This goal has been met for Taylor and Adams. Both participated in previous collaboration brews —  Adams while she was an employee at Longmont’s 300 Suns.

“The past brew at 300 Suns was probably one of the most fun experiences of my life, but my enthusiasm had died down a bit with 2020. Getting back in there, reignited that flame for me,” she said.

“I don’t want to sit behind a desk. This is what I like, what I want to do.”