It has been a while since the last post, but hopefully it was worth the wait. Today is International Women’s Day, and it seemed like the most appropriate time to share what is certainly going to be an auspicious Year of the Woman!
2020 (August 18) recognizes the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, and the passage of the 19th Amendment leally granting women in the United States the right to vote. In January, Denizens (a women –owned brewery) honored this milestone with a collaboration of women brewers in Maryland coming together to create a suffragette stout. This delicious chocolate stout honors those women that came before and fought for civil rights we enjoy today. Many collaboration brews are ongoing among women in the brewing industry to create brews that celebrate the Year of the Woman.
FeBREWary brought the annual celebratory month for Maryland crafted beer, and the iconic Cupid’s Curse competition at the Winter Warmer showcase. What a tasty competition it was, on Valentine’s Day nonetheless, with chocolate and cherry creating a heavenly stir.
FeBREWary also saw the third incarnation of the Baltimore Beer Babes Calendar photo shoot, where women from various sectors of the industry in Baltimore came together to raise money for Kennedy Krieger by making a calendar. This annual calendar was the brainchild of Mahaffey’s proprietress Alice Kistner. This year the event was hosted by Checkerspot Brewing Company owner Judy Neff. Calendars will be sold later this spring with many signing opportunities at Mahaffey’s and other locales, with all proceeds sent to Kennedy Krieger.
Now that March has settled in warmly, it was also time to delve deeply into the past for two historical beer recreations with Judy Neff at Checkerspot Brewing. The first is a 200 year old special occasion recipe from a very particular woman brewer named Mary, who thought poorly made beer was pernicious. March was the time of year to brew beer due to climate and conditions necessary. It was a labor of love patience, and arm strength. It will rest for two years before serving. After that, it remains an extremely high quality ale that can be stored for eight years! It’s just that good….
Next up is something that will be celebrated much sooner- on April 7- a legalization brew. This historical gem is a recreation of a beer crafted by an extremely talented Irish Brewer. This triple-hopped Baltimore original was consumed minutes after midnight by H.L. Mencken at the Rennert Hotel, when 3.2% beer was legal for the first time after 13 dry years of the failed experiment known as Prohibition. Although the Women’s Christian Temperance Union led the charge toward Prohibition in the late 19th century, it was also women- many Maryland women- that helped lead us out.
Release parties for both brews will of course be held at Checkerspot with much revelry and lots of historical tidbits to share!
It is International Women’s Day in Year of the Woman after all, and there is much to celebrate and enjoy, so stay tuned!
