As a long-time beer enthusiast, I am fascinated with the brewing process, the endless ideas and possibilities, and its long history. With the beer boom in Knoxville, Tennessee and around the country, I have become even more interested in the process. My professional photography career has spanned over 25 years in product and lifestyle photography. I have recently begun combining my love of photography with my love of beer.
When doing research on brewing and brewmasters, I learned that women were the original brewmasters – known as alewives. Alewives brewed small batches that were either for use in their homes or to sell at market. However, during the 1500s, women were pushed out of the industry and discouraged from brewing. For the last several centuries beer has been produced by men for men. And even in the current beer boom, only 22% of breweries in the United States are partially owned and operated by women. And even fewer, only 2%, are solely owned by women.
With my photographic essay Alewives and Brewsters: Women in Brewing, I hope to capture today’s female brewmasters and owners in their environment while learning about their challenges and obstacles they face in the male dominated industry. I hope to capture a new future in brewing, while acknowledging, and learning about the history of this ancient art.
Follow me on this journey as I tour the United States, searching out these women following their dreams!
If you are interested in participating in this project, please contact me. I am looking for women / women identifying brewers. You do not have to own your own brewery or even brew commercially.
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