New Pink Gang IPA from Atwater is women-powered

We need a better balance of women-to-men in most industries and business sectors, and the craft beer industry is no exception.

Detroit's Atwater Brewery has teamed up with the Pink Boots Society to shine a light on more pathways for women to find careers in brewing. The result is Pink Gang IPA, a hoppy Detroit-made beer that Atwater will release next week at a special event for International Women's Day, March 8.

The beer's process started earlier this year when a group of women in the brewing and hospitality industries got together for lunch at Atwater's Detroit tap house. Led by Atwater President and certified cicerone Katy McBrady, the group got a tour of the brewing facility and were able to throw in a handful of the special hops used to make Pink Gang into the kettle to kick off the brewing process.

Those hops came from the Pink Boots Society itself, which aims to help and encourage women and nonbinary people get into the brewing, alcohol and fermented beverage industry. According to the Brewers Association, male brewery owners outnumber female owners three-to-one, and fewer than 3% of breweries are 100% women-owned.

The nonprofit group has chapters all over the world, including two in Michigan. One of their projects is to collaborate with all the chapters to develop and produce a seasonal hop blend using Yakima Chief Hops to sell. Breweries worldwide can make their own beer using the hops, with proceeds benefiting Pink Boots.

That's what Atwater is doing. Their Pink Gang IPA — which McBrady says is inspired by Detroit's prohibition history and is an homage to the famous Purple Gang — will be available for limited release at a party and panel discussion on March 8 and will also be sold in select bars and restaurants throughout the city.

"We be making a donation (to Pink Boots) based on the proceeds of what we sell," said McBrady of the Pink Gang beer. "It's a very cool way to keep this going, and in addition, our ambition is to pitch this beer to female-owned bars and restaurants to just continue to drive awareness through the community."

The industry panel runs 4:30-5:30 p.m. March 8 and features advanced cicerone Annette May, director of national accounts for FIFCO brewing company Rachel Thompson and others. A happy hour will follow 5:30-7 p.m. with $5 pints of Pink Gang IPA. Atwater Brewery's Detroit Tap House is at 237 Jos. Campau.

To learn more about the Pink Boots Society, visit pinkbootssociety.org.

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mbaetens@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @melodybaetens