Frances Antonio Martineau was, of course, sipping on a beer when she came up with the idea that would eventually become the FemAle Brewfest.
“I go to a bunch of breweries, beer festivals and I just noticed a lack of representation of women,” she said.
This past weekend the festival, now in its eighth year, hosted nearly 40 breweries from across the country to celebrate the impact of women in the craft beer industry — which is often viewed as male-dominated.
“We highlight and feature female brewers and brewery owners,” said Martineau, ”they don’t have to be back of house, they can be a marketing director or front-of-house manager, any experts in the field.”
Florida has more than 400 craft breweries, according to the Brewers Association, which represents small and independent craft brewers.
Colorful brewery tents, including those from local favorites like Funky Buddha, J Wakefield,and Tarpon River Brewing, lined the Las Olas Beach Plaza in Fort Lauderdale. Many poured specialty beers created specifically for the event.
Ami Parrino, the lab manager at Florida Avenue Brewing in Tampa, said the festival is also a great way to connect with other women in the industry.
“Brewing in general is very collaborative,” she said, “Sometimes it's just easier to collaborate with your friend than with someone who doesn’t see you on their level, which can happen with men in this industry.”
READ MORE: Diversity, craft beer, and the future of the brewing industry
Parrino was at the event hosting a beer pairing course, one of the educational components that was added to this year's festival. There was also a kombucha brewing workshop and a wine tasting featuring labels from women owned wineries.
“I love passing this information on,” said Parrino, “I leave everyone at my pairing with a party trick which is, you can go to the store, get this snack and this style of beer and you’re gonna be the hit of the party.”
But the industry still has a way to go when it comes to recognizing women in the industry. Kris Bramblett has worked as a beer representative at Tarpon River Brewing for years now but still has questionable interactions with clients.
“It's always kinda funny to come in and speak to a buyer or a manager and have them say ‘Oh, you don’t look like a beer rep,’” she said, “Actually, I do look like a beer rep, we’re women too.
