How Women Shaped Whiskey History
Women have always been involved in the production of beer, wine and spirits. According to Fred Minnick, author of Whiskey Women: The Untold Story of How Women Saved Bourbon, Scotch, and Irish Whiskey (Potomac Books, 2013), the first evidence of women making beer was found on Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets that date to around 4000 BC. While Minnick’s book should be required reading for those who seek to know more, here are just a few ladies who’ve helped advance, protect and develop whiskey. (Wine Enthusiast)
Increasingly, Less Is More When It Comes to Beer
For Sufferfest Brewing Co., launched in 2015 by brewer and athlete Caitlin Landesberg, success came with a unique perspective on beer. Landesberg was not interested in good beer at any cost. She was interested in a deeper relationship between good beer and personal wellness. This manifested in beers with gluten removed, relatively low alcohol levels, and names that celebrate endurance running and cycling, with sly references to the GPS tracking app Strava, used by many athletes. Sierra Nevada, the third-largest craft brewery in the United States, saw a promising thing and snatched it up. (Marin Independent Journal)