San Diego, CA – With the success of the inaugural event last year, International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day (IWCBD) has returned stronger than before. As of this writing, over 80 participants from 11 countries have signed on for the historic brew day on March 8th that is held in conjunction with International Women’s Day. All who have joined this year will brew Unite Red Ale, the recipe of which was formulated by event Founder and Brewster Sophie de Ronde of Muntons Malt. Coordination of all of the brewers and teams is once again lead by Event Coordinator Denise Ratfield of Pink Boots Society.
2013 saw Project Venus UK & Eire member Sophie de Ronde reach out to Pink Boots Society with the intention of holding a unified brew day concurring with International Women’s Day. The goal was to raise awareness of women in the brewing industry and raise funds for local charities and Pink Boots Society. PBS is a nonprofit organization with the goal of empowering women in the beer industry thru education. Members are regularly given opportunities for beer related scholarships and funds garnered from IWCBD assist with these scholarships. PBS Social Media Committee Chair Denise Ratfield saw an opportunity to promote the event, contacted Sophie and the two have worked together to make it a success. 2014 saw just over 70 participants from 9 counties sign up to brew Unite Pale Ale (which was last year’s beer style). Participants are supplied with a Unite recipe, artwork for packaging, posters etc. and encouraged to promote their role in the largest collaboration brewing event on the planet.
Some heavy hitters in the brewing industry signed up for the 2014 inaugural brew that helped put a spotlight on the event which included Stone Brewing Co., Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Ballast Point Brewing and Adnams Brewery among others. Many were sponsored by and received donated hops and malt which assisted in more profits being available for breweries to donate. This year sees S:t Eriks Bryggeri, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and Cigar City Brewing among a host of others set to brew Unite Red Ale. Return participants from New Zealand, Australia, and Japan helped seal the deal and attract more female brewers.
Subsequent to the March 8th brew will be the release of over 80 versions of Unite Red Ale that will give beer fans and supporters around the world a chance to taste the brews and contribute to the goal of raising awareness of women in the beer industry, fund local charities and Pink Boots Society scholarships.