Pink Boots Society Australia is calling for expressions of interest from breweries which are keen to host Brew Days in 2021, and brew with the Pink Boots Yakima Chief 2021 fourth annual hop blend.

The Pink Boots team is selecting one brewery per state for the Brew Days, which the organisation explained provide invaluable opportunities for women to network and learn, with the funds raised going towards scholarships and education.

During these nationwide Brew Days, brewers will be working with the fourth annual Pink Boots hop blend, made up of Cashmere, Ahtanum, Citra, Loral and Sabro brand hops from Yakima Chief Hops.

For every kilogramme of the 2021 Pink Boots hop blend, $6 goes towards Pink Boots Australia scholarships and educational opportunities.

Blending the hops

Due to COVID-19, the usual hop event at the Great American Beer Festival was cancelled. Instead, 14 teams from Pink Boots chapters across the world evaluated 10 hop varieties to create this year’s blend.

According to Kelly Lohrmeyer, regional sales manager Pacific at Yakima Chief Hops, it took a month to ensure all the global teams could provide input into the blend.

The initial range of hops for the blend are decided on availability, she said, and the YCH sensory team then evaluate the hops and returned three contenders to choose from.

“We always like to be able to offer between 10-15 to choose from. With this year being virtual we narrowed to 10 varieties,” she said.

“We always try to include popular hops in the brew community for the blend.”

Lohrmeyer also talked about the advantages of using the Pink Boots hop blend.

“This is a homogenous blend that is blended in our mixing tanks and then put into T-90 pellets for all that would like to brew with it! Unlike just adding separate pellet additions, each pellet encompasses all the hops together.

“The fun in using hop blends is that it allows you to participate and brew with a blend that was sniffed, evaluated and decided on by many people in your community.”

The biggest collaboration day is usually International Women’s Day on 8th March, and commercial brewers are encouraged to submit pre-orders by December 15th if they wish to participate in time for the day, but Lohrmeyer encouraged brewers to try the blend for brews throughout the year.

“By using the blend you are also giving back to a not-for-profit that is here to educate, assist and inspire women in the fermented beverage community and allow more opportunity for education and peer to peer contact through the PBS scholarship program,” she said.

Fill in the application to become a host for an official Pink Boots Brew Day or for more information email national Brew Day coordinator Flora Ghisoni at events@pinkbootssociety.com.au. Applications close 4th December.