In 2007, brewmaster Teri Fahrendorf set out on a 139-day gypsy-brewing road trip across the
United States with a pair of pink brewing boots given to her by her mother-in-law. During that
trip Teri met several women brewers she didn’t know existed, nor did they know of her. Teri’s
history as a brewmaster for 19 years seemed to inspire these women, and their desire for
information exchange and mentoring inspired Teri to start building a list of 60 women
brewers.
That list was the beginning of Pink Boots Society. The nascent organization’s first
meeting was held at the 2008 Craft Brewers Conference. In the fall of 2008, the 35
members present voted to make Pink Boots Society a 501(c)(3) open to any woman anywhere in
the world who made her income from some aspect of the beer industry. Pink Boots Society
currently has almost 1,100 members, and is probably the coolest craft beer organization going.
On June 2 and 3, the Pink Boots Society is celebrating 10 years of providing myriad educational opportunities that assist, inspire and encourage women in the beer industry to further their careers. To honor its milestone anniversary, this unique international organization for women beer professionals will host its first conference and beer festival in San Diego.
“Since Pink Boots Society was founded with a mission to inspire and educate women in the beer
industry, we felt hosting an educational conference to celebrate ten years would align perfectly with our core values,” said Laura Ulrich, President of Pink Boots Society, Small Batch Brewer for Stone Brewing. “We’re all especially thrilled to be spending June 2nd and 3rd reflecting on how much our organization has contributed to the industry’s growth and improvement through our membership, regional chapters and scholarship opportunities.”
Conference
The weekend begins on June 2nd with an all-day two track, multi-panel conference focusing on
brewing and the business of beer at the historic Lafayette Hotel Swim Club & Bungalows. Open
to women in the brewing industry, the conference features presentations by many of the most
talented and influential women currently working in the beer community. The lineup of
educational seminars covers a diverse array of topics including the Sensory Evaluation of Beer,
Fermentation and Yeast; Tap Room Management, Social Media Marketing and more.
Registration fees and member exclusive add-ons range from $99 to $170.
Beer Festival
At noon on June 3, Pink Boots Society Beer Festival at Ingram Plaza in Liberty Station opens
to the beer loving public ready to enjoy a diverse array of beers and what promises to be one of San Diego’s best beer festivals. The festival runs from 12 pm- 4 p.m. Tickets are $45; $60 day of the event; $15 for designated drivers. All proceeds benefit the Pink Boots Society Scholarship Program.
Beer festival attendees can expect to enjoy:
· More than 30 breweries pouring a wide selection of beers
· Unlimited 2-ounce pours
· Access to delicious San Diego food trucks
· Specialty souvenir taster glass
· Four hours of mix and mingling with Pink Boots Society members and their breweries
Sponsors
For its 10th Anniversary Conference and Beer Festival, Pink Boots Society has many generous
sponsors including Stone Brewing, Pico Brew, Ballast Point and White Labs.
Steve Wagner, Stone Brewing’s President and Chief Stone Cultural Architect said of the brewery’s Benefactor level sponsorship, “We at Stone Brewing have been supporters of the Pink Boots Society since the early days when founder Teri Fahrendorf dreamt big. When the opportunity came our way to help with the Pink Boots Society 10th Anniversary Conference & Beer Festival, we didn’t hesitate for several reasons: we are aligned with the mission of getting more women involved in craft beer; we have been impressed with the work the Pink Boots Society is doing and all they have accomplished in ten short years; our very own Laura Ulrich is a leader of the Pink Boots Society; the event is in San Diego, our own backyard! Congratulations to the Pink Boots Society on ten amazing years, we raise our glass to continued success and a fantastic Anniversary Conference and Beer Festival.”
Details at a glance
Date: June 2, 2017
Location & Lodging: Lafayette Hotel Swim Club and Bungalows, 2223 El Cajon Blvd, San
Diego. For room reservations call 619.296.2101.
Time: 7:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Cost: PBS members, $99 until May 5 ($125 Conference & Beer Festival); $115 ($145
Conference & Beer Festival) May 6 on. Non-member conference tickets available starting May
6: $135; $170 Conference & Beer Festival.
Pink Boots Society 10th Anniversary Beer Festival
Date: June 3, 2017
Time: Noon-4 pm
Location: Ingram Plaza, Liberty Station, 2751 Dewey Rd., San Diego
Cost: $45 until June 3/ $60 day of event. $15, designated drivers.
