Women brewers from NJ gather to create a special beer

About 100 women from 34 breweries across New Jersey will gather next month to create a beer in honor of Women's Brew Day.

Alexis Degan, executive director of The New Jersey Brewers Association, said the Feb. 3 event at Forgotten Boardwalk Brewery in Cherry Hill is an opportunity for women in the industry to come together and share their experiences. It's also an opportunity for the industry to show how many women are in this traditionally male-dominated field.

Degan said last year's Women's Brew Day produced a two-barrel brew and included 13 breweries and 30 women. This year's event will be much bigger.

The women will be brewing a 60-barrel Belgian tripel called The Strongest Woman on Earth. While no one knows exactly what the finished taste and flavor will be, Degan said it will have a Belgian yeast with banana undertones.

In 2018, Degan said she was visiting breweries around the state and meeting people. What struck her was how many women are in this industry and the different roles they take on such as brewers, owners, supporters, salespeople and testing room managers.

She said the major collaboration takes place in February so the beer will be ready in March in honor of Women's History Month, a time when Pink Boots chapters of women brewers in the country join together to celebrate the role of women in the craft beer industry. Degan said New Jersey does not have its own chapter of Pink Boots but women still wanted a way to celebrate their strength in this industry.

The beer will fill 375 cases and kegs and will be available for sale across the state in bars, restaurants and liquor stores. The brew will also be available at The Forgotten Boardwalk tasting room. Release parties will be held throughout the state and the beer will be poured at The Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival on April 3 and 4.

Any brewer will have access to the base recipe if they're interested in producing and selling it at their testing rooms.

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