As you’ve no doubt heard by now, the craft brewing industry is currently amidst a reckoning over an outpouring of stories detailing sexism, discrimination, and sexual harassment and abuse women have experienced in the craft beer business. The stories are horrifying and traumatic, and together they reveal (yet again) that the craft beer business was never “99 percent asshole-free.” Thanks to the many women coming forward, and the brave efforts of Brienne Allan, the production manager at Massachusetts’ Notch Brewing who has surfaced these thousand-plus accounts via her Instagram account (@ratmagnet), more people are waking up to that.
The sheer volume of the allegations, and the outrage they’ve inspired, makes progress seem inevitable right now. But as any seasoned activist can tell you, turning online anger into consistent, ongoing offline action is akin to alchemy. As Advanced Cicerone Em Sauter told my colleague Beth Demmon, who reported VinePair’s initial story on this
When Ryan Wibby read the scores from
Wine Enthusiast’s most recent lager tests, he thought the number alongside Wibby Brewing’s Volksbier Vienna was simply its entry identification. “I was very confused when we got the results back, because it said 100, he recalls.
Turns out it was the rating. Volksbier Vienna, along with Heater Allen Pils from Heater Allen Brewing in McMinnville, Oregon, had snagged the first-ever 100-point rating from the respected magazine (and yes,
Wine Enthusiastrates beers as well as wine). With a luxurious mouthfeel that slowly brings on layers of nuts, warmed caramel and a subtle spiciness from noble hops, this Vienna lager is of remarkable quality,” the magazine wrote. “Often beers in this category are too sweet, but here the recipe brings bitterness into the equation for balance. Still, it finishes dry, with only a touch of light brown sugar on the finish.”
Updated on May 24, 2021 at 6:50 pm
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Hundreds of shocking stories of sexism and sexual assault have forced craft brewers across the country to think long and hard about how they plan to be part of the solution.
Virginia Morrison is president of the San Diego Brewers Guild. She also owns Second Chance Beer Company. Monday, the company was bottling up a shipment while spreading a message of reform.
Download our NBC 7 mobile app for iOS or Android to get alerts for local breaking news and weather. The founder and chief executive officer of the San Diego-based brewery Modern Times Beer announced he was stepping down after allegations of at least two incidents of harassment within the company, one of them involving himself, reports NBC 7 s Dana Griffin.
SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – Hidden for far too long, allegations of sexism, misogyny, harassment and assault have come to light within the craft brewing industry.
After allegations of a similar tone emerged surrounding San Diego’s craft beer company, Modern Times, company CEO Jacob McKean stepped down.
One of the harassment allegations involved McKean himself.
One Modern Times employee named in an online report for sexual harassment claims was fired.
KUSI’s Elizabeth Alvarez was joined by Virginia Morrison, President of the San Diego Brewers Guild, CEO of Second Chance Beer Company, and Co-Chair of the Brewers Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee to discuss McKean’s announcement and harassment within the craft brewing industry.