For Women’s History Month, Athletic releases Trailblazer to help females in the industry
Proceeds from purchases go to two organizations: Women of the Bevolution and Lifting Lucy.
As a woman in the beer industry, Cara wilson says she now feels welcome.
A former brewer turned impact director at Athletic Brewing Co., wilson has a history of not shying away from anything. Before she got into the beer biz, she worked as a wildland firefighter with the US Forest Service.
“i’ve always loved working as part of a team, making an impact, and just feeling part of a greater cause,” says wilson.
The beer industry is still a male-dominated one, and while wilson says that’s changing, she’s still a minority in her field.
“it’s definitely changed in the last couple of years,” says wilson, who started with Athletic in may 2020 after working for another brewery. “i would say that when i started, it wasn’t necessarily people that i worked with were not welcoming. it was more just the general reaction to a female being a brewer. People were appalled and thought that was crazy and weird.
“it’s definitely changed a lot, which is really nice. For me, at least, i don’t know if it’s changed for everyone.”
As part of women’s History month, Athletic has released Trailblazer, a hoppy Helles that’s a part of the nonalcoholic brewery’s impact Series of beers brewed for a good cause. with each purchase of an impact brew, customers will be supporting organizations that make a difference for marginalized communities, with up to $100,000 donated annually. in this case, proceeds go to women of the Bevolution, which provides opportunities and resources for female beverage industry professionals, and Lifting Lucy, which supports women of color in hospitality.
“we don’t just blindly want to donate money to organizations,” says wilson. “we really like to try and vet them and build a relationship with them.”
The beer itself, Trailblazer, tastes of peach and has additional floral notes. Female employees at the brewery selected the hops for the brew, which is smooth but also has a slightly bitter backbone. it’s available for a limited time, and only on the brewery’s website.
Athletic’s other impact series brews are also exclusively available online and benefit charities related to Black History month, Pride month, and Veterans Day respectively.
The nonalcoholic beer space continues to grow — sales were up 35 percent in 2023. Athletic brewed over 250,000 barrels last year, and currently has a 19 percent market share, according to NielseniQ data.
NERAX returns
In other beer news, NERAX, the New England Real Ale Exhibition, returns April 10-13 at the South Boston Lithuanian Club. This is one of my favorite festivals and features more than 50 cask-conditioned beers each from New England and the Uk. it’s a must-attend for those looking for a unique beer experience.