OnTap Magazine

ontapmag.co.za | Summer 2024 | 49 the brewery. As a queer-owned business, they also prioritize creating a physical environment where any and all can feel at home. “There are not a lot of spaces in Denver where queer folks can drink craft beer and feel like they belong,” she points out. The Lady J taproom comes adorned in LGBTQIA+ and Pride flags, with bright murals devoted to their belief in bettering the world, and a list of House Rules posted prominently making clear that such behaviors as homophobia, transphobia, racism, misogyny and ableism are not welcome. Not only do they host women’s sports-watching gatherings, but also such connection- oriented events as a queer book club and a networking hour for LGBTQIA+ health professionals. It's not all sports and book clubs though; Lay and her team (Meg Burless, brewer, Jess Burnett, taproom manager and Alison Wisneski, Lay’s wife and now Lady J co-owner) have also engaged in direct advocacy with the Brewers Association (BA) – the US’ craft brewers trade association – in order to press them on their diversity and inclusion efforts. Lady J also stood up when the Me Too movement intersected with craft beer back in May of 2021 and stories of sexual harassment and assault in the industry came pouring out. The staff organized a discussion-based gathering hosted at an arts venue up the road given the 100+ RSVPs they received. Lay says she knew no one else was going to gather the Denver brewing community to talk about sexual assault, despite the clear need to do so, and that if Lady J did not, they wouldn’t be “living up to their mission.” Lay is clear that they are not going to fight every battle, and they hope to see more people involved in such advocacy, but, in her words, “When we see our community needing us to show up and help solve some problems, we’re going to do that because that’s who we are as a company.” In March of 2024, Lady J moved into their fourth home: a large, incandescent taproom in a suburb of Denver. This is their 10th year as a business and in that time, they have raised over $50,000 for 30+ local women-and-girl focused organizations. Their taproom is relentlessly lively and their events often at capacity. Would Lady J ever change their model? “If I ever want to go be a for- profit brewery,” Lay says, adding an “LOL” under her breath, “I’d need to do that under a different name because Lady Justice lives and dies by its mission.” Lady J is far from alone in its philanthropic pursuits within the craft beer industry. Breweries around the world are increasingly engaging in fundraising or cause-supporting, all of which is laudable. The originality of Lady J’s approach, however, makes it a pioneer and perhaps more importantly, a living and breathing example of what’s possible – maybe even necessary. Photo credit: TruBlu Images Photo credit: TruBlu Images The Lady Justice Brewing taproom in Englewood, CO