Last year a Beer Diva stage show led to a new circle of beer industry friends who then combined to create Australia’s first all-female collaboration beer. This year the woman join forces again in a scaled up production to further celebrate the women of Australian beer. The move to a larger brewhouse and the addition of more brew team members has called for a bigger brew day event.

Returning for the collaboration are brewers Sam Füss, Jayne Lewis and Aine O’Hora alongside craft beer industry movers and shakers Karen Golding, Beth Williams and Kirrily Waldhorn. Joining the team are craft beer social media specialist Tiff Waldron and Matilda Bay beer mechanic Chloe Lovatt, who will lead the brewing activities at her home-base, the Matilda Bay brewery in Port Melbourne.

Aine, Jane, Karen, Kirrily, Sam and Beth launching the first Women of Beer brew in 2011.

The inaugural Women of Beer brew was a spiced Belgian tripel named Ninkasi’s Angel, brewed at the True South microbrewery during July. All profits from the sale of the beer went to The McGrath foundation to provide funding for Breast Care nurses.

Twelve months after the launch of that beer, the team has announced a full Sunday of beer and food festivities at the Matilda Bay Garage Brewery to celebrate the second Women of Beer brew day under the banner of Barleys Angels Australia and the Pink Boots Society.

Continuing their focus on strong European beers that pair well with food, this year the Women of Beer will brew a Biere de Garde. This traditional farmhouse ale, which originated in the French Flanders region, is a style rarely brewed in Australia. The Bridge Road Brewers Chevalier Biere De Garde and the Prickly Moses Reserve de Otway Bier de Garde are two of the most well known local examples. The Brasserie Duyck in France is generally considered the modern archetypal example. Their differences highlight how much the style can vary, as modern brewers interpret a beer that has a mostly undefined history.

The Ninkasi’s Angel Belgian tripel was brewed with cardamon pods, pepperberries, Grains of Paradise and cassia bark. Therefore, you can expect the Women of Beer to incorporate their own unique twists in this year’s Biere De Garde to create a beer that represents crafty elegance and determination in honour of the underrepresented woman of the beer industry.

A Women of Beer planning session at Matilda Day.

Planning has been underway for several months to develop the beer recipe as well as creating a brew day event to help share the experience and good beer with the public.

The doors to the brewery will open to the public at midday ($5 entry to support the event) for all to join the festivities and share a beer at the bar. [JD]

Media Release

Barley’s Angels are holding their 2nd Women of Beer Brew Day!

2,000 litres of a rustic Biere de Garde will be brewed at Matilda Bay Brewery.

The brew will bring together the talents of Old Salt’s Sam Füss, Red Hill’s Karen Golding, Two Birds’ Jayne Lewis, Matilda Bay’s Chloe Lovatt, CUB’S Aine O’Hora, Hargreaves Hill’s Beth Williams, Beer Girl Bites’ Tiffany Waldron and the Beer Diva, Kirrily Waldhorn. Of course the day will be full of fun and laughter (and funky wellington boots!).

The Women of Beer would love everyone (men are welcome!) to join them on the day, with doors to the brewery opening at 9am. There are a number of sessions on the day, each of which include great beer & food combinations. Or, if you wish to simply come along and say hi, doors to the brewery will open at 3pm.

So, here are the details:

Brew day: Sunday 7th October 2012 from 12:00pm
Location: Matilda Bay Brewery, 89 Bertie St, Port Melbourne, Victoria
Time: Doors open at 9am – various sessions throughout the day:

BREWERY DOORS AND BAR NOW OPEN at 12:00pm

• $5 entry in support of the Brew Day event
• Delicious BBQ menu available from 12pm
• $5 Schooners from 12pm – 2pm
• From 2:00-5:00pm Melbourne’s coolest, hardest working female DJ YO! M.A.F.I.A. will be on the decks spinning tunes and getting the party started!

The Women of Beer would love everyone (men are welcome!) to join them on the day. Bring your family, friends, partners for a great Sunday session!

To stay up to date with this event, visit the Women of Beer Brew Day Facebook Event.