Unite Pale Ale Brew Day
“We’re southern Colorado girls… it’s going to be a big beer,” joked one of the ladies gathered to brew for International Women’s Day after taking gravity readings. The OG was only a hundredth higher than the estimated goal, but hey, it’s a Colorado brew.
Brewers, beertenders, owners, sales specialists, managers, and a coffee roaster/artist came together to represent the Pink Boots Society and create the Unite Pale Ale that will be eventually make its way into Collaboration Fest, March 22nd.
“Once Saturday morning came and we were all pitching in to make this tasty beer I could take a deep breath and see it was all worth it,”
reflected Aly Hartwig on the brew’s completion. Everyone was eager to help out as much as possible in the crowded brewhouse and when space got cramped, a sampling from the different breweries was available to sip on throughout the day.
This event marked an example of the type of collective action between companies that defines what it means to be a Colorado beer company. Spearheaded by Hartwig at Pikes Peak Brewing, she remarked how “there was already a lady collab in Broomfield that week, so I really wanted to try to include one woman from each Colorado Springs brewery. The most time consuming part was making sure I reached out to each of the breweries. I still got to the brew day realizing there was someone I missed… As more women become professional brewers, brewing appears more accessible as a career and more women are taking the leap in to the profession.” This brewday underlined both the increasing role that women are playing in the brewing industry as well as the growth of companies in Colorado Springs, as Hartwig noted, “there were several Colorado Springs breweries that would have gone unrepresented at the festival if it weren't for us being able to serve this beer.
I feel Colorado Springs' craft beer community is on the rise and the more we can represent this growth to outside cities the better… It's important for us all to come together to recognize that we are a community working for a similar cause, to make Southern Colorado a more recognized craft beer destination. When we build relationships like what we did at the collaboration and will with Colorado Springs Craft Week we can keep this collaborative spirit alive.” The passion for the industry was evident, with proof left in my journal that reads: “Aly (heart sign) beer.”