The Beer Industry
to some that women do not play much of a role at all, besides as props in ads. This could not be
further from the truth, currently there are women all over the world working within every facet
of the beer industry. Whether it be sommeliers, sales reps, hop farmers, or even head brewster
at some of the oldest and most historic breweries or some of the newest ground breaking ones.
Brewster is actually the feminine form of brewer, an established term to connote the long
established role women have played in brewing history, seeing as they were the very first
brewers. Over time the roles have varied and developed along with the beer industry itself.
There are no definitive records documenting the initial creation of beer but the closet we
have are early records of Mesopotamians. Having recently adopting and agricultural lifestyle as
opposed to a hunter gather society, grains were among the first crops. Grains were treated and
mixed with water and became the earlier form of bread, which when soaked again in water
would ferment to become the first manifestation of beer. Since baking took place in the home,
along with all other cooking as did brewing, it was deemed womens works. This early sweet,
malty, intoxicating beverage was overwhelmingly popular and it became common practice for
the women in early societies to brew the beer consumed in the home by the whole