Asheville Girl’s Pint Out

As a female craft beer lover I often feel, well…outnumbered. Most beer events and bars and breweries are dominated by men: male drinkers, male brewers, and male employees. It’s been a man’s world for quite some time, but thankfully in the last few years there has been a huge shift. Women consume around 30% of the craft beer on the market and there are more and more women brewers entering the scene, including quite a few in our own city. Women’s organizations like The Pink Boots Society and Girls Pint Out have helped to pave the way for women in beer. Girls Pint Out is a national non-profit organization that brings together women who love craft beer, want to learn about craft beer, or work within the craft beer industry.

I first found out about Girls Pint Out back in December of 2014, while reading an article about women in beer. I was shocked to find out that Asheville didn’t have a chapter, especially since there are now over 70 chapters across the United States (and even one in Puerto Rico!). In January of this year, I set the ball in motion and founded the very first Asheville chapter of Girls Pint Out.

Since then we have had four events: A meet and greet at Appalachian Vintner, a Beer 101 class at Pour Taproom, a tour of the Wicked Weed Funkatorium, and just last week, a collaboration event with New Belgium featuring beer cocktails. I really want to have events as diverse as the group itself, so I have future plans for a variety of events such as food and beer pairings, brewery tours, brew classes, and even fitness classes followed by beer drinking.

There is no membership process, so please, join us for a pint!

Follow us on Facebook for event information (www.facebook.com/AshevilleGPO) or email me at mia.pedersen@girlspintout.org if you have any questions, suggestions, or just want to talk beer.