Halifax brewers crack open a cold one for gender equality

Glasses will be raised in Halifax this weekin celebration of women in brewingin hopes of dousing any gender stereotypes that linger in the booze business.

Kelly Costello and Erica Fraserare the organizers of FemmeBot, an all-day, women-focused event to be held Wednesday at the Good Robot Brewing Company. The event will coincidewith International Women's Day.

Because we can

The two women have each brewed a small batch of beer and worked together on a large batch called Red Moon, which they named forthree female NASAmathematicians essential to launching space missions.

Costello, who works atGood Robot, saidthey planned the event to simply celebrate beer and women.

Their intention was not to makea political statement.

"We did it because we wanted to ... because we can," she said. "It's not because of the status of women's rights.It's in spite of it."

Costellosaidshe thinks while it isn't the case at Good Robot, women in the alcohol industry still face gender stereotypes on a regular basis.

"Men are the chefs, men arethe head bartenders, men arethe owners ... andwomen are the servers,"saysCostello."That's got to change.

"When I tell people I brew, they're constantly shocked. It's not shocking; I'm just making beer."

The women's beer willbe servedalongside fourotherbrews fromNovaScotiabreweries with female brewmastersand brewing staff.

Women in spirits, too

Julie Shore, master-distillerand owner of the Halifax Distillery Co., saidno one should be shocked by women who make beer or spirits.

"Beer was invented by Egyptian women," saidShore.

"Men would even decide their wifebased on the quality of the beer that they made, knowing that the mother would pass along the recipe to the daughter and he would be able to enjoy that for years to come."

Shore saiddespite the significant contributions by women to the alcohol industry, men historicallyget the credit.

"We just get lost," she said. "I'm a little biased, but I do feel that [women] have better palettes, and not just for making alcohol. When I go into a restaurant and see that it's a woman chef, I know that it's going to be really unique and across the board on flavour."

Halifax's LadiesBeer League, which has more than200 members,is holding itsannual general meeting at FemmeBot.Good Robot haslined uppresentations and entertainment on topics from gender identity to sexual consent.