OnTap Magazine

How did you get into brewing? I have always had a love of beer, going to the pub and to beer festivals. After drinking a bad pint in a pub, my husband Les and I discussed if we could make a go of brewing our own beer. In 2013 we took up homebrewing with a view to opening our own brewery, which we did in 2015. Tell me a bit about how Neptune Brewery got its name. For 25 years, Les and his dad ran an Aquatics shop, selling fish and all the paraphernalia that goes with them. When we were looking for a name we thought of all things, but nothing seemed to fit. Then a lightbulb moment—why not call it Neptune Brewery? Our beers are named for fish, sea or mythological sea creatures to fit the theme. You’re the founder of Ladies That Beer – can you tell us about that? When I visited pubs, I didn’t see many women drinking beer. I wanted to know why, and if something could be done to change that. The general perception was women thought they didn’t like beer, it was a man's drink, or wasn’t “ladylike”. I started Ladies That Beer in 2015 as a social and educational group to let women see that beer was a liquid to be enjoyed by all and that there are so many beers available it is impossible to say you don’t like it. We encourage women to come and drink beer in a friendly and open environment where they’re not intimidated. It is also a way of supporting bars on quieter nights, and in turn helps breweries too. What are the challenges for women in the beer industry in the UK at the moment? Women are still a minority in the industry, but it is getting better. Being taken seriously and being accepted can be a barrier for some. I believe that women offer a different perspective and way of working in the industry, and that is a good thing for both businesses and consumers. What is your favourite part of the job? That’s easy: meeting people and visiting new venues alongside those already known. I have made so many friends and acquaintances since our inception, and many share our ethos and passion for the industry. How did your career in beer begin? My career began while studying for my Bachelor's in Food Chemistry. I had to choose between malting, brewing or some other very boring topic. I had always fancied learning about beer production so I began a homebrewing project with a colleague for a year. I got a job as an assistant brewer in Mexico and from there started my own nano breweries. From La Silla, to Nebulosa Brew Co and now Cerveceria Nevado. I also released a beer brand in December 2020 named Macaria Brew Co. What inspires you? There were not a lot of women in the beer industry so I wanted to change that! I also wanted to travel and work in other parts of the world. The beer industry was growing so fast and with such vibrancy that I wanted to be part of it. What makes your beer special? Three things. First of all, drinkability as it is still not a common factor in the Mexican beer industry. Secondly, I like to brew historical styles of beer because my former partner and two of my relatives are historians. Dark mild, Berliner Weisse, barley wine and English porter for example. And some more hip beers like hazy pales or Double IPA that have funny names and are easy to drink. Finally, I'm one of the first women to release a brand that has found popularity in Mexico. Tell me more about the dark mild! My core beers are milds. They’re not so popular anymore but used to be widespread in the UK. I went there to brew and thought it was the perfect style to bring back; to give it an awesome label and introduce it to a very hazy-imperial- crazy beer world. I wanted to break down the paradigmatic notion that black beer is a very difficult, strong kind of beer. Running my own brewery, I have the chance to brew beer I really like and to try out amazing ideas for collaborations. It makes me happy to do single batch experiments with new styles or ones I am familiar with but was never able to brew when I worked for other people. I like to brew historical styles MARIANA DOMÍNGUEZ JULIE O’GRADY Neptune Brewery | Liverpool, UK Cervecera Nevado | Mexico City, Mexico Women thought they didn’t like beer ontapmag.co.za | Winter 2022 | 25