TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Borderlands is busy brewing opportunity for women in our community as the two head brewers want to make the beer industry more diverse.
Ayla Kapahi and Savanna Saldate say brewing isn’t just for the boys as they work to build a strong community through a nationwide non-profit that they brought to Southern Arizona called the Pink Boots Society.
This non-profit is all about inspiring and encouraging women and non-binary individuals in the fermented and alcoholic beverage industry to advance their careers through education and community support.
Ayla and Savanna noticed the number of women in beer growing specifically in Southern Arizona and decided it was time to make it happen in the Old Pueblo.
“When I started in this industry almost 10 years ago, there was only one other woman working in production and now we are so proud to have over 30 women involved in our non-profit," Ayla Kapahi, Borderlands Brewing Company
Pink Boots Society of Southern Arizona hosts monthly and quarterly events for women in fermentation to get together, learn from each other, while also leaning on a comradery of brewers with similar stories of being a minority in a male dominated industry.
This group is also gearing up to head to Guadalajara later this summer where they will meet and collaborate with other female brewers to brew one of their more popular beers, "Las Hermanas" which means “the sisters”.
“We will brew a recipe here in the states at the Borderlands facility, and we will brew the same recipe with the same beer in Mexico," said Savanna Saldate, Borderlands Brewing Company. "So far, we've gone to Monterey, we've gone to Mexico City and this year we'll be going to Guadalajara.”
Also, Borderlands Brewing Company is set to host their 12th anniversary beer festival alongside 10 other local breweries on Saturday, April 29 at 119 E. Toole Ave. from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
They will be launching some new summer beer, all brewed here in Tucson by women. For more information on the Pink Boots Society or the anniversary event, visit their website.
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Brooke Chau is a reporter for KGUN 9. She was a part of Fresno State's newscast, Fresno State Focus and interned at KFSN-ABC30 in Fresno, CA before coming to KGUN 9. Share your story ideas and important issues with Brooke by emailing brooke.chau@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
