Women in beer are brewing up change

Women in beer – brewing up change in an ancient industry

When you’re enjoying your favourite beer, do you spend much time thinking about who brewed it? Not just the company, but the individual brewers themselves? Probably not. It perhaps comes as no surprise that the vast majority of brewers and people who work in the beer industry are men. Recent figures from the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA) show that only 23% of management roles in craft beer are filled by women, and just 8% of brewers are female.

Diversity is strength, and that’s why we’re pleased to report that change is brewing (in brewing). Women in Beer UK is an organisation that highlights and promotes the incredible work of female brewers, publicans, and other women in the beer industry. If you’re a woman looking to break into the beer industry, they can even offer you mentorship to get your career off the ground.

The Women in Beer Awards are launching for the first time this year. Women in Beer UK is organising this event to specifically recognise the stellar contributions women are making to brewing, bottling, selling and serving our favourite tipples, in all manner of roles. 

We’re incredibly proud to announce that HIT apprentice brewer Sophie Ashdown has been shortlisted for the inaugural Brewer of the Year Award, while another, Katie Sanders-Pope, is up for the Rising Star Award. Best of luck to both, but whatever the outcome, they’re sure to be brewing up a storm in the industry for years to come!

As well as our amazing award nominees, let’s take a moment to shine a light on women in beer, and raise a glass to their invaluable work that’s finally getting the recognition it deserves.

Hopportunity knocks…

Elizabeth ‘Eddie’ Doyle fell in love with the beer industry when she started working in the taproom at Full Circle Brew Co. There are many potential career avenues in brewing, and Eddie felt the urge to explore the possibility of a hands-on role in concocting the perfect pint. A level 4 brewing apprenticeship with HIT Training was just the opportunity she was looking for.

Brewing is a highly complex and competitive field. Eddie knew that to succeed, she’d have to add to her skills and make herself a real asset to the team at Full Circle. Her apprenticeship equipped her with both the knowledge and practical aptitude she needed. She was able to complete her course whilst remaining at Full Circle, which allowed her to gain invaluable hands-on experience. She said:

The opportunity to gain a formal qualification, whilst learning directly from experienced professionals and applying my skills in a real working environment, was invaluable. This apprenticeship has been the ideal way to develop my technical expertise, broaden my understanding of brewing, and secure my future in the industry.

Eddie used to work behind the bar, but now she’s in the thick of the action as a Brewer and Packager for Full Circle. This role is just one of many that can open up for apprentices who complete a level 4 course in brewing. Learning everything from the history of the beer industry, to the science behind brewing and the practical applications of bottling sets apprentices up to succeed.

Currently, 13% of learners on our brewing apprenticeship are female. Whilst there is still some way to go to achieve full gender parity, this is a marked increase on the numbers of women in the industry as a whole. There’s still a way to go, but more female talent is beginning to bubble up.

Due to HIT Training’s link-up with the University of Nottingham, apprentices have access to world-class facilities whilst on the programme – meaning they can apply their learned skills in practical settings, whilst remaining in a controlled environment.

Eddie’s life has been transformed by her apprenticeship. She’s got a new career, and recently won HIT Training’s #IveGotSkills Award for her achievements. It certainly seems that Eddie will be ‘fermenting’ change in the beer industry for years to come!

Tapping into hidden talents

The pandemic brought about many changes. For Aureja Jupp, it meant becoming a brewer. At Three Blind Mice Brewery, she began to expand her talents, and was encouraged to begin an apprenticeship. Aureja was keen to further her education, and discovered a passion for brewing that has only grown.

Aureja’s apprenticeship with HIT Training taught her more about the biological processes involved in brewing, how to operate in a brewhouse environment, and how to handle raw materials. She turned her hand to crafting new recipes, designing brand new beer ‘A Box of Sparks’ which won the HIT UnTapped brewing competition.

Aureja’s new career path has taken her all the way to Westminster, where she addressed MPs on the benefits of brewing as a career for women. She says:

The HIT Brewer Apprenticeship truly is a unique experience. [It has] opened so many doors for me, and I’ve made some excellent friends and contacts in the industry. One day, I would like to have my own brewing business, and make my own exciting and quirky beers

We’ll toast to that, Aureja!

Yeast mode activated!

Apprentices are for kids just out of school, right? Wong! 

In 2022/23, 48% of new apprentices were over the age of 25. An apprenticeship can act as the conduit for a new career, with the opportunity to continue to earn as you learn. For hospitality businesses struggling to retain staff, apprenticeships offer a great way to upskill teams and promote company loyalty. 

Lianne Bakdur spent 13 years in the finance team at Greene King. Though successful, she was ready for a change. When the company created its first brewing apprenticeship, she jumped at the chance to sign up. On it, she learned new skills and put them into practice, joining the growing ranks of women who know that beer isn’t just delicious, it’s a great career opportunity.

Lianne is convinced that more hospitality businesses should offer apprenticeships, and sees them as a great way to solve the problem of high numbers of vacancies in the sector. Since 2011, Greene King has supported over 17,000 apprentices, across 37 apprenticeship programmes – Lianne is just one of many success stories for this thriving beer business.

Unlock the possi-beer-lities

To succeed in brewing, you need both knowledge and experience. You need to know your hops from your wort, and your mashing from your malting. That’s where we come in. An apprenticeship in brewing with HIT training can open a world possi-beer-lities, and for these women and many like them, an endlessly creative and rewarding career. 

Eight per cent of the industry is female, and 13% of learners on HIT’s brewing apprenticeship are women. And while there’s clearly talent among those numbers, we feel they’re a little low. How can craft beer companies possibly offer the full spectrum of creativity if they don’t draw on the experience, knowledge, and potential of half of the population? 

We know it, Women in Beer UK knows it, and we reckon you do too – women have so much to offer the beer industry – it’s high time we got more of them involved! Cheers!