Celebrate International Women’s Day with a Bevvy in Hand

It’s that time of year again, International Women’s Day has rolled around (Friday 8th of March, pop it in your diaries) and of course we’re celebrating with a drink in hand! You heard it, Sydney’s getting its very own all-Female drinks festival showcasing some of Australia and New Zealand’s finest brewers, winemakers and distillers and we’re SO red-y (pun definitely intended).

Meet the Makers: Women in Beer, Wine & Spirits has mustered up some seriously fearless Females following their passions in a male dominated industry. So who are these wonderful women?

 

Winemaker Gwyn Olsen from Briar Ridge and Pepper Tree Wines

Gwyn was named ‘Dux’ of the Australian Wine Research Institute’s Advanced Wine Assessment Course in 2012, and if that title isn’t impressive enough, she also won the Gourmet Traveller Wine’s Young Winemaker Medal in 2014. Oh, and she also worked at three vintages in France (don’t worry, we’re fangirling too).

 

 

 

Sarah Pidgeon from Wynns Coonawarra

With over 20 years experience under her belt as winemaker at Wynns Coonawarra, Sarah’s clearly a well respected name in the industry. Sarah won Winemaker of the Year for 2016 from the Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology Awards for Excellence (phew, that was a mouthful) and it’s safe to say we’re pretty excited to get our hands on a few tasters.

 

 

 

Elena Brooks from Dandelion

Imagine a 16 year old girl making her debut Chardonnay. You don’t have to imagine anymore, meet Elena, a Bulgarian born Australian who’s childhood more often than not involved wine (yes we said wine, not whine like most other children). With too many awards to count for Dandelion Vineyards, it’s no surprise Elena’s a featured winemaker for this inaugural two-day festival.

 

 

Brewers Jayne Lewis and Danielle Allen from Two Birds Brewing

Meet the women behind Two Birds Brewing, Australia’s first female owned brewery. This fearless duo produce a whopping 2 million litres of beer each year and have won several awards for their brews (impressive huh!). You’ll find their Brewery located in Spotswood, an inner-west suburb of Melbourne, and if you aren’t a Melbournite you best be counting your lucky stars as Jayne and Danielle head to Sydney this International Women’s Day weekend to showcase their delish beers. We’re frothing at the thought!

 

Laura Carter from Applewood Distillery

It turns out Laura is a master of many talents. As well as producing incredible local wine, Laura’s branched off into the wonderful world of gin, studying indigenous produce and incorporating unique native flavours into her craft. Using ingredients like desert lime, peppermint gum leaf, wild thyme and macadamia (and this is just scratching the surface), Laura’s creating and crafting her own unique story and flavour through Applewood’s many gins and liqueurs. (How many samples are we allowed?!)

 

Jaz Wearin from Modus Operandi Brewing

With her dream coming to fruition in 2012, Jaz started Modus Operandi after exploring (and drinking) her way around the United States. Brewed and packaged in Sydney’s well known Northen Beaches suburb Mona Vale, Modus Operandi believe the proof is in the brew and boy are we keen to get our hands on some! Just three months after opening they won Champion Small Brewery, Champion Amber Ale and Champion Australian Craft Beer at the Aus Craft Beer Awards… now that’s saying something!

 

Well, the proof’s in the pudding (or in this case, alcoholic beverage). Meet the Makers: Women in Beer, Wine & Spirits have definitely delivered a superb lineup for their debut drinks festival, you can meet the other featured Brewers, Distillers and Winemakers making an appearance here! Plus, we heard through the grapevine attendees get their very own take home glass from the inaugural event, sign us up!

Interesting in joining in on this wonderful celebration of women in the bevvy biz? Tickets are on sale right now, get them here. And with that, we say cheers!