How the Vibes Beer Project Is Empowering Women in Brewing and Transforming Craft Beer

Trailblazing women in craft beer discuss the impact of the Vibes Beer Project and how they became innovators in the brewing industry.

In a hilarious and candid conversation, Solemn Oath Brewery Director of Hospitality & Operations Charolette Converse and ERIS Brewery & Cider House Co-Owner Michelle Foik discuss the Vibes Beer Project and how the craft beer landscape has changed for women over the years—and what’s next. They explain how the Vibes Beer Project builds community for women, non-binary, and trans individuals in the industry (and why that matters) and share surprising facts about how many women are leaders in the craft beer industry in Chicago.

After the beer break, they discuss future goals for Vibes before talking about their current release, "Vibes from the Heartland," which is a collaborative West Coast Pilsner brewed with hops including Citra, Simcoe, Cryo, and an experimental hop from Haas called HBC 1019. They also talk about ERIS Vibes from the Orchard, a hard cider with stone fruit and cherry, and explain how you can actually mix Vibes from the Heartland with Vibes from the Orchard to create a truly astonishing beverage.

After the beer talk wraps up, Charolette and Michelle share how a project like Vibes helps brewers in general (not just women), the type of education, networking, and training they provide, where the money from Vibes actually goes, and stories about men who are extremely supportive of women entering the industry. Shortly thereafter, things go off the rails with a heavy dose of 80s movie nostalgia (especially Road House), a significant amount of “real talk,” and maybe even a camera or two completely dying.

Vibes Beer Project is a celebration of the craft beer industry designed to educate, promote, and support the women in craft beer. Learn more on their website at https://www.solemnoathbrewery.com/vibesbeerproject 

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Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you’ll learn about: hazy IPA, experimental hops, Citra hops, Simcoe hops, Simcoe Cryo, HBC 1019 hop, independent brewing, beer trends 2024, brewing creativity vs. business, hop varieties, balancing craft beer styles, craft beer branding, beer-flavored beer, plum ciders, new hop strains, women in brewing, women in craft beer, diversity in brewing, brewing accessibility, craft beer for all, women-led breweries, female brewers, gender equality in beer, breaking barriers in brewing, brewing mentorship, inclusivity in craft beer, beer industry diversity, women-owned breweries, making beer accessible, brewery leadership, empowering women in beer, brewing careers for women, craft beer community, changing beer culture, representation in brewing, brewery ownership, beer industry challenges, craft beer mentorship, supporting women in beer, women-run businesses, brewing innovation, brewing industry trends, homebrewing for women, beer education programs.