Women In Beverage

THE BEVERAGE ALCOHOL BUSINESS has long been considered an old boys network , and it ’ s true that the industry still remains male-dominated . Yet women have always played key roles , often behind the scenes .

In fact , a woman known as Mary the Jewess ( among other names ) helped create the technology for distilling in Ancient Egypt . Another Mary of industry significance , Mary Dowling ( no relation , but I like to think that we ’ re probably related ) in the early 1900s not only proved that a woman could own and run a major Kentucky distillery , but unlike most of her male counterparts of the time , she found some creative ways to get around Prohibition .

While women have come out of the industry shadows , for too long many have had to work harder than men to prove themselves . They ’ ve often had to overcome not just chauvinism and oppression but outright harassment by men in power , especially in the beverage hospitality sector .

But things have been changing quickly in recent years , with a greater opportunity for advancement in the wine , spirits and beer industries for women and more focus on addressing gender diversity . The Me-too movement of recent years helped expose some of the abuses , while the pandemic lockdowns highlighted the need for flexibility and life balance , particularly for working mothers .

We ’ ve also been seeing many brands announcing their first female head distiller , master winemaker , brewmaster and so on , as well as companies in the retail , restaurant and distribution channels appointing women to high-level corporate positions . A number of organizations have sprung up to support women in the industry , including :

Women of the Vine & Spirits , founded in 2005 dedicated to pushing the drinks industry towards being a more diverse , equitable and inclusive arena that empowers all to succeed .

The Pink Boots Society , founded in 2007 , a non-profit organization with international membership that supports women working in the brewing profession , especially in creating craft beer .

The Bourbon Women Association , founded in 2010 , which in August announced its new Amber Circle Diversity & Inclusion Initiative . The scholarship program that builds on the organization ’ s two-year-old Amber Circle mentoring program designed to empower women and those from underrepresented communities in the bourbon and spirits industry .

This special supplement on Women in Beverage is dedicated to all of the fearless females driving the conversations , culture , changes and charge . And not to boast about how long we ’ ve been supporting women in the industry , but check out the cover of the February 1936 edition of Liquor Store & Dispenser — the predecessor to Beverage Dynamics . It features a Miss Josephine Boche , assistant secretary of the treasury under president Franklin D . Roosevelt .

Cheers !

Melissa Dowling On-Premise Editor

2021 Women in Beverage 3