A Change is Brewing at Phantom Canyon Brewing Company — And Women Are Leading The Charge

While many women across America are actively reshaping the fabric of the U.S. workforce, there are still several industries that remain predominantly male-dominated.

Take brewing, for instance.

According to a 2021 study, just 11% of all brewers in the U.S. were women. Kat Hess, the new Head Brewer at Phantom Canyon Brewing Co., is actively working to rewrite the script and pave the way for a more inclusive brewing space. Given her experience working in the beer scene, she’s learned a thing or two about navigating what some would call “the boy’s club,” and has some advice to share ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8th.

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A few tips that come to mind for Hess are:

• Develop thick skin.
• Be persistent and assertive.
• Be as knowledgeable as possible.

How she broke in

Hess grew up in Boston, so beer always played a big role in her life, but the idea of dipping into the brewing world was sparked by a homebrew kit that her parents had bought in the early 2010s.

Having seen firsthand the “magic” behind brewing beer, Hess wanted to try homebrewing for herself, but her condo at the time didn’t allow the space for it. So, in the meantime, she became a regular of sorts at her neighborhood beer bar, which had 100+ beers on tap from all over the world and made the bar her classroom.

This newfound interest in brewing sparked something inside of Hess, and she told her husband that if an opportunity to enter the brewing world ever presented itself, she’d like to take it.

Fast forward six years and a move to Colorado, Hess finally had the space for a homebrew kit, and, coincidentally, a job opened up at a brewery right down the street from her new home — talk about kismet.

Working women will ALWAYS persevere

To return to Hess’s advice, breaking into a male-dominated industry takes perseverance. Over the years, she expanded her skillset, working at multiple celebrated craft breweries throughout Colorado as a Cellar Person before landing the prestigious gig as Head Brewer at Phantom Canyon.

The last piece of advice, “Be as knowledgeable as possible,” rings particularly true for Hess. In 2023, she received her World Brewing Academy Diploma from the Siebel Institute of Technology/Doemens Academy, which is recognized as one of the world’s leaders in brewing education.

The program was not only eye-opening in terms of brewing techniques and science, but it also exposed her to how far the brewing industry has to go in terms of inclusion.

Going on field trips in the U.S. and seeing a number of women at malt houses, breweries and yeast companies was a completely different experience than field trips in Europe to the same venues, where she and her (few) female classmates were typically the only women on site. So, while entering this industry in the U.S. isn’t exactly a walk in the park, European countries have even more catching up to do.

How to make a difference

For those interested in learning more about ways to promote inclusivity and diversity (across all spectrums — gender, race, etc.) within the beverage space, Hess recommends supporting organizations such as the Pink Boots Society, the Michael James Jackson Foundation, and the National Black Brewers Association, all of which play an important role in breaking down barriers to allow minority candidates an opportunity to break into brewing.