There are indicators that women may be making some headway in reasserting their presence in the brewing world. Members of both genders are attending brewing schools, and in other alcoholic arenas, such as wine tasting, women are even regarded by many as superior to their male colleagues. Experts speculate, however, that only one to two percent of all brewers today are women.
Women don’t have to become professional brewers in order to reclaim their beer brass. Kramer, a full-time professional who, living in New York, has little extra space, proves that even with limited time and equipment, women can make their own beer quite successfully. For $60–$150, you can purchase a starter’s kit that includes all of the equipment you need to make five-gallon batches of beer, and it will fit neatly in your closet.
For Kramer, brewing beer is not a political statement or a for-profit venture, but rather a form of entertainment; she brews for “pure personal enjoyment.” She’s also generous with her beer, sharing the finished batches with her friends. “They always know to bring the bottles back, though,” says Kramer. This is because Kramer doesn’t skimp on the quality of her bottles, taking pleasure in the appearance of her cobalt blue vessels. “I’m a bit of a bottle snob,” she admits.
Brewing can also be a reason to call together your friends, and Kramer often finds willing hands to help, especially when she adds a home-cooked meal to the deal. “You can do everything alone except for maybe the bottling,” she says, “but it’s just more fun with other people.”
Kramer, in fact, first became interested in brewing by helping her brother. “He was brewing a batch, I helped and saw how easy it was, so I decided I could do it myself.” She did. Her first batch was brewed on her birthday. “There was a big snowstorm,” Kramer says, “so we called the beer Brooklyn Blizzard.” Kramer says she tries to name all her beers, basing the name of each beer on its style, people involved in its making, or surrounding events occurring during the brewing of a particular batch.
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