A Berkshire brewery has teamed up with a national women’s beer community to create a special edition drink to mark International Women’s Day.
Siren Craft Brew joined forces with Crafty Beer Girls in January for a collaborative brewing event, with the finished beer set to go on sale from 4 March.
The 6.5% dark fruited gruit, named Coven, was developed by Siren brewer Hayley Pearce and lab manager Emily Motto as part of International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day, a global initiative celebrating the role of women in brewing.
Unlike most modern beers, a gruit is made using herbs instead of hops. Siren’s version draws on a blend of medieval and contemporary influences, combining dark malts with blackberries and elderberries to create a deep claret colour and forest fruit flavour. A small amount of Bramling Cross hops has also been added.
About 30 women took part in the brew day, contributing to each stage of the process, from preparing botanicals such as juniper, coriander, mugwort and dandelion to mashing in the grains.
Ms Pearce said the event was a rare opportunity to bring together women with a shared interest in beer.
“I’ve never had the chance to get that many women together before,” she said. “To share that experience of making this brew together and pass on knowledge – that’s one of the best things about the job.”
She added that participants were told about the history behind the recipe, which references a time when female brewers were sometimes labelled as witches during medieval smear campaigns.
“It’s like pushing your kid out into the world and hoping people like them,” she said of the finished beer. “Everybody was really positive about it.”
Natasha Wolf, co-founder of Crafty Beer Girls, said International Women’s Day was an important fixture in the group’s calendar.
“It’s an opportunity for learning, cooperating with one another and holding space,” she said. “Maybe people are experienced brewers, maybe they’re just curious. Everyone who comes along gets into the process.”
Crafty Beer Girls was founded in London in 2015 and organises regular meet-ups in pubs and breweries to bring women together over beer in what it describes as safe and inclusive spaces.
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Siren Craft Brew, based in Finchampstead, was established in 2013 and now employs more than 60 people. The independent brewery exports to 25 countries and supplies major supermarkets as well as pubs and restaurants.
Coven will be available at Siren’s Tap Yard in Finchampstead, its RG1 bar in central Reading and the George & Dragon in Swallowfield, as well as through its website and selected venues nationwide.
The brewery said 50p from each can sold would be donated to the charity freedom4girls.
