DRAFT Magazine

By Emily Haile

Portland-based master brewer Teri Fahrendorf has been making craft beer for more than 20 years. After experimenting with fermenting beer at home, she left her job as a software programmer to become the second woman brewmaster at a microbrewery in the nation. Why? She’s got a passion for yeast. “To me, it’s related to alchemy. It’s taking nature’s goodness and turning it into liquid gold,” says Fahrendorf.

Today, she works as an account manager at Great Western Malting, but for years she was the only woman at the table at company meetings. Luckily, she fit in just fine with the boys — three of her recipes won gold at the Great American Beer Festival — but she keenly felt the need to connect with other women brewers. In 2007, she embarked on a five-month road trip to visit more than 70 breweries and distilleries across the nation. Along the way, she met with dozens of women brewers and founded the Pink Boots Society, a compilation of all the professional female brewers worldwide.

“A lot of the younger women had never met other women brewers,” says Fahrendorf, 50. By her estimation, less than one percent of craft brewers are women. The Pink Boots Society is still in its fledgling stages, but if it has a mission, says Fahrendorf, it’s to support and encourage young women to become brewers and stay in the field. Here are a few of her favorite beers that women have a hand in brewing.

Lammin Sahti: A traditional Finnish beer made with rye malt and filtered through juniper branches. The yeast contributes a banana-spice-clove character to this strong and cloudy 1000-year-old beer style that’s traditionally enjoyed during Finland’s long summer days to celebrate weddings and anniversaries. Brewed by Sirpa Kääriäinen at Lammin Sahti Oy Brewery in Lammi, Finland. Available on draft in Helsinki and in Lammi, Finland.

Allagash White: An American-style Belgian with wonderful aromas of orange and spice. Cloudiness gives this style of beer its name, Wit or White. Brewed by Dee Dee Germain at Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine.

Urthel Samaranth 12 Quadrium Ale: This Deep, amber-red ale has a thick head of foam and a malty-caramel sweetness. It’s thick on the tongue with raisin, honey, vanilla and toasted nuttiness, followed by a slightly bitter balance. Brewed by Hildegard van Ostaden at The Leyerth Brewery in Ruiselede, Belgium.

Bend Hop-head IPA: An Imperial-style American IPA with a big fruity hop aroma. This copper-colored ale has a deep caramel malt body to balance its bitterness. Brewed by Tonya Cornett at Bend Brewing Company in Bend, Oregon.

Stone Smoked Porter: A beer with a smooth espresso character, this porter has distinctive smoky peat and caramel malt flavors. Brewed by Laura Ulrich at Stone Brewing Company in Escondido, California.

Victory Golden Monkey: An American-style Belgian Tripel with a thick white head and vanilla, banana, and clove aromas. It’s surprisingly dry with an almost bitter aftertaste, says Fahrendorf. “Not too heavy.” Brewed by Whitney Thompson at Victory Brewing Company in Downington, Penn.

Basil T’s Maxwell’s Dry Stout: A Guinness-style Irish stout made with coffee. It’s medium bodied with a rich chocolate and toffee flavor. Well balanced. Brewed by Gretchen Schmidhausler at Basil T’s Brewery and Italian Grill in Red Bank, New Jersey.

Smuttynose Wheat Wine: Wheat wine is an American offshoot of the British Barley wine family. It is a wine-strength ale brewed with at least 50 percent wheat malt. This deep gold strong ale gives a slightly fruity aroma followed by full-bodied wheat and raisins flavor. Brewed by Judi Clark at Smuttynose Brewing Company in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Snoqualmie Wildcat IPA: Well-balanced Pacific Northwest-style India Pale Ale. Grapefruit and pine aromas dominate with an excellent malt backbone and a lingering bitter aftertaste. Brewed by Janelle Pritchard at Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Company in Snoqualmie, Washington.

Moylan’s Dragoons Dry Irish Stout: One of the smoothest dark beers. Lower alcohol than many on the list. It’s dry in the Guinness-style, but with a citrus hop character in the West Coast style. Brewed by Denise Jones at Moylan’s Brewery & Restaurant in Novato, California.

Emily Haile is a freelance writer.