Breweries Team up for Limited Release

By Jay McKinney

Brewing may be a male dominated industry, but a local group of female brewers crafted a special release for Women’s Equality Day on August 26.

The Colorado Brewers Guild has partnered with Holidaily Brewing Company, Wah Gwaan Brewing and Weldwerks Brewing to bring beer lovers a gluten-free chai porter. Named 82 Cents Chai Porter, the beer aims to bring awareness to the current wage gap of women earning just 82 cents for every dollar earned by men, according to the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE).

“When I started Holidaily Brewing in 2016, women were not widely represented in the beer industry,” says Karen Hertz, Founder of Holidaily Brewing Company. “I’m proud of the strides we have made here in Colorado, but we still have a way to go with equal pay, not only for the brewing industry but for every industry.”

While it was brewed strictly by women, the beer can be enjoyed by everyone when it’s released on draft at the participating breweries’ taprooms on Women’s Equality Day, which is tomorrow. The holiday commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment that granted women the right to vote. It was a monumental step forward in history but more than 100 years after its passing, there is still much to be done regarding women’s equality.

82 Cents Chai Porter was brewed with Boulder-made chai from Sherpa Chai and local, gluten free millet and buckwheat from Grouse Malt House. Grouse Malt House is a woman-owned malting company based in Wellington and is yet another example of women taking a bigger role in the male-dominated world of brewing.

The chai porter is characterized by pleasant chai aromas and flavors of darker malts, cardamom, ginger and cloves. In other words, it’s a perfect beer to sip your way into fall, which is just around the corner.

“Craft beer is for everyone,” says Kristin Popcheff, Director of People and Culture at Weldwerks Brewing. “When women are able to see themselves represented and celebrated within the beer industry, it promotes an approachability for women to get involved in whatever they are passionate about.”