If there’s one thing we’re passionate about here at GLAMOUR, it’s shouting about inspiring women who are fighting to make the world a more equal place. That’s why our Women of the Year Awards – which are back IRL this year on November 8th – are all about celebrating the work of pioneering women across a variety of industries, from tech to beauty. So, as part of our partnership with Peroni Nastro Azzurro, we wanted to speak to an industry trailblazer who’s championing inclusivity and advocating for women in a typically male-dominated field: brewing.
Enter: Jaega Wise, who turned her love of beer into a wildly successful career which has seen her win Brewer Of The Year twice at just 34-years-old. Not only that, but she’s one of the female brewers intent on raising the profile of beer, a traditionally male-skewed drink (because ICYMI: the first instalment of our three-part series with Peroni investigated how beer was actually brought to the masses by – yep, you guessed it – women).
Here, Jaega spills the lager on how she built a career in brewing, what her job entails, and her top tips for other aspiring female brewers…
How did you start a career in brewing?
I’ve always liked beer, and when I was younger, I didn’t realise I was already sowing the seeds for a career in beer – home-brewing with my friends at uni while studying chemical engineering, going to beer festivals, getting a job in a pub which I loved. But I never thought I’d make a career out of it until 2012, when my friend started a brewery. I offered to help out, and never really left! I worked my way up and now I’m the head brewer of a small independent brewery called Wild Card Brewery based in Walthamstow, London, and I’ve won Brewer of the Year twice. So I’m proud of how far I’ve come.
What does your day-to-day job entail?
The first thing I do when I get in is just taste all the beer. I know what you’re thinking: ‘That’s a lot for 7.30am!’ – but you get really used to being able to tell huge amounts about beer simply by its scent, and getting its full personality profile from one tiny sip. If it doesn’t taste quite right, I might change the yeast’s environment to tweak the flavour. Then myself or a member of my team will be brewing, packaging the beer, or cleaning tanks in the background. Plus, I’m also the landlady of a pub in east London called The Tavern on the Hill and I wrote a book on home-brewing called Wild Brews – so I can safely say a career in beer is very varied.
Are people surprised when you say you’re a female brewer?
People are always shocked. I’m always being asked: ‘How did you get into beer?!’ There is absolutely a glass ceiling across many sectors, and beer is not alone in that. Someone said to me recently, ‘whenever you talk about [your career path], you always mention that you studied chemical engineering, like you feel you have to prove yourself’. And it’s because I do. The truth is, unfortunately, sometimes you do have to work that little bit harder in an industry where a majority of people are one gender. But I’ve always been a massive believer in that beer is a drink for everybody. Beer in itself is not a gendered drink; it’s just been viewed societally in that way. When you look at the statistics [43% of Peroni drinkers are women] that is simply not the case.
What work is being done to break these stereotypes?
We've done a lot of proactive work in the last few years to improve gender equality in brewing, and to ensure that the hospitality industry is an inclusive, positive place for women. For example, in 2019, the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) managed to ban beer that used sexist language or imagery (such as scantily clad women on beer pumps) from competitions and events. There’s also the Portman Group who I work closely with – essentially the alcohol watchdogs, who are responsible for regulating alcohol labelling – and banned the use of ‘sexy’ labels on bottles and cans in 2019. And since then, there are many more women coming into brewing. That’s why it’s so important that beer at every single level – whether it’s global international brands or small local breweries – not only make women feel included; but make women feel like this is a job in which they can thrive.
Do you think the perception of women and beer is changing?
There is a long way to go, absolutely. But I think we’re moving in the right direction. The concept of a woman being seen with a pint has, societally, been seen as taboo, but this has changed in the last 10 years. When I was younger, I was told I should drink a half-pint because it looks ‘more feminine’ (because our dainty ladies’ fingers couldn’t possibly go round an entire pint glass!) – and that is completely fading away now.
What would your advice be to other women looking to get into the industry?
I always say to people, ‘Go and wind up your local brewery, go and wind up your local pub’. So many people in the industry are just so ecstatic and excited about beer; it’s super infectious, and people want to talk to you about it. One of the best places you can be is the bar of a pub. So my best advice is just go and chat to people who share your interests.
Next, and most importantly, get knowledgeable. Go and learn what you like, what you don't like, and what area you want to get into. Start by using one of the best resources: other women. There are loads of groups all across the country – Brum Beer Babs in Birmingham, Ladies That Beer in Liverpool, and I’m part of Crafty Beer Girls in London – where women with an interest in beer get together for a drink. You can be the owner of a huge company or just a big fan of beer; no matter your circumstance, the support of other women is really important. The resources are out there, so don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and take up space. As women, something we don’t do enough is take up space.
What are your hopes for the future of women in brewery?
My hope for any women in male-dominated industries: equality. To be in an industry where being a woman is not questioned or seen as unusual in any way.
The GLAMOUR Women of the Year Awards, in partnership with Peroni Nastro Azzurro, will take place on Tuesday 8th November. Stay tuned for more information, and for the next in our three-part Women of the Year article series.
Please drink responsibly. Visit drinkaware.co.uk for the facts.
