Let's Hear It For The Girls

For International Women’s Day this year, we spent a morning at Burnt Mill Brewery joining a collaborative brew led by women from across the industry.

It was hands-on; brewers - such as head brewer, Sophie de Ronde (who was named "Brewer of the Year" by the British Guild of Beer Writers in 2019), pub teams and industry friends all pitching in to make some of the good stuff.

The beer has been released and will be available through Burnt Mill’s website, as well as in keg and a limited run of cask. You can try a range of Burnt Mill brews at The Crown, Stoke-by-Nayland, The Red Lion in East Bergholt, The Three Blackbirds in Woodditton, and The Weeping Willow, Barrow.

Inspiration in Brewing

When we asked Sophie which woman in the industry inspires her, one name came up straight away.

Sarah Barton of Brewsters Brewery. Sarah founded Project Venus in 2011, a network for female brewers in the UK that created collaboration brews around the country and helped bring women in brewing together. That work helped pave the way for International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day. The brewing world can still feel male-dominated at times, but initiatives like this create space for people to learn, share knowledge and support each other.

Making the Industry More Inclusive

Whether it's thinking women prefer half pints or assuming they won’t enjoy certain beer, too often people assume what someone will drink. In reality, most brewers believe there’s a beer out there for everyone, and what’s often missing is confidence and familiarity. If someone isn’t sure what a beer will taste like, it’s easy to default to something else. And when breweries try to make a so-called “beer for women”, it usually does the opposite of what was intended! So, more women brewing, serving in pubs, and talking about beer helps change that.

Advice for Women Entering the Industry

One piece of advice stood out.

Don’t be afraid. Imposter syndrome is something almost everyone feels at some point in hospitality or brewing. The important thing is not to let it stop you.

And if you’re moving over from another career, the skills you already have will almost certainly be useful. Hospitality and brewing need all sorts of people - from logistics and marketing to operations and design.

Sometimes the best way in is simply to start with the skills you already bring. You can take a look at our careers page if you think hospitality might be your calling.

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The Women Around Our Tables

International Women’s Day is also a good moment to recognise some of the women we work with every day. Besides, we have over 450 female colleagues at Chestnut!

As well as those behind the bar or in the kitchen, people like Ashley Mullenger, a female fisherman working along the Norfolk coast. Ashley is part of a small but growing number of women in the fishing industry, heading out early and bringing in the kind of local seafood that coastal pubs are built around, and Amanda Connock, whose work with fragrance brings another layer of care and craft to the spaces we share with guests.

One of our pubs, The Ancient Mariner, is under refurbishment at the moment and we've also worked with a Norwich-based artist, Haychley, on redefining the logo.

Different industries, but the same approach we value in hospitality: craft, care, and doing things properly.

Looking Ahead

Hospitality works best when lots of different people feel welcome to be part of it - behind the bar, in the brewhouse, and around the table, and that's always a reason to raise a glass!