In a time when gender-equality and equity are top of mind and also at the top of corporate agendas more than ever before, North County’s Stone Brewing is leaning on and empowering the women within its ranks to help create positive change. Its vehicle for doing so is called the Women of Stone Network and was created to ensure Stone fosters a workplace where women can—and will—thrive.
“The group is led by women, guided by Stone’s core values and sponsored by Team Stone’s executive leadership,” says Stone Director of Communications Lizzie Younkin, one of the Stone employees who co-founded the network. “Together, we develop resources and opportunities to further our success and celebrate our accomplishments.”
Network activities have included listening sessions with executives and Human Resources personnel serving as safe spaces for female employees to share thoughts, concerns and ideas. The Network has also set up internal networking events, book and podcast clubs, and guest-speaker sessions meant to inspire, inform and help female staffers advance in their roles. Female employees have also received opportunities to attend industry conferences, become members of professional groups such as Women of the Vine & Spirits, and vie for sponsorship in programs to help advance their careers. Four employees were recently selected to earn Women in Leadership Certificates from Cornell University.
Given the outrage brought on by this year’s craft-beer reckoning, in which scores of women in and around the brewing industry shared stories of mistreatment, misogyny, unequal treatment, harassment and assault, it would be easy to assume that the Women of Stone Network was developed as a direct response, but it was actually established in January of 2020.
An initiative this progressive and inclusive might not be what most would expect from a company that built its brand early on via exclusivity-driven, male-focused branding (“You’re not worthy” as a slogan for its Arrogant Bastard Ale, for example), but CEO Maria Stipp reports there has been a great deal of change within the company, especially in recent years.
During a Women of Stone event held last week at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station, in which Stone staff— both male and female—and employees from other breweries were invited to listen to a panel that included Stipp, Stone veteran Small Batch Brewer Laura Ulrich and Tara Nurin, the author of the recently released A Woman’s Place is in the Brewhouse: A Forgotten History of Alewives, Brewsters, Witches, and CEOs, Stipp said she didn’t originally take to the company she now helms as a consumer despite appreciating Stone Delicious IPA.
“I liked the beer, but I didn’t attach to it, and I think that’s because of the history at Stone. To me, it was amazing beer, but Stone wasn’t open to everyone, and that turned me off,” said Stipp. “When I got here, I said let’s kick the door wide open. Beer is for everyone, so let’s make it for everyone.”
Along those lines, the company has adjusted its portfolio from mostly bold, hoppy, higher-alcohol ales to a core lineup that leads with a salt-and-lime lager and includes hard seltzers. Similarly, marketing messaging for Stone’s beers has softened from taunting and braggadocious to broad-ranging and more inclusive.
During the panel discussion, Ulrich described Stone’s gradual evolution from a fledgling, male-dominated operation when she started in 2004, into a company that has narrowed its focus into finding ways that it can be better. Ulrich also asked Stipp if she has had discussions with female executives in positions similar to her about how to improve conditions for women in the workforce.
Stipp responded that she has and that they’ve left her with some “not-hopeful stories”. She stated that one thing she personally struggles with is the “mom guilt” that arises from having to take time away from her family life in order to attend to her role as Stone’s CEO. When speaking with others in her shoes, she says she hasn’t found the compassionate ear she might have expected.
“I’ve tried to talk to my comrades about it, but they’re chasing something and driven by something different than me,” said Stipp. She went on to explain that many of her contemporaries are not only focused on excelling in their careers but also one-upping other women in their fields. “I don’t get this woman-to-woman competitiveness but it’s disgusting, and I won’t stand for it.”
Stipp’s frankness appeared to create an atmosphere at the panel event where Stone employees felt comfortable asking her about complicated topics such as imposter syndrome, where women of color fit in and what their future of women in the brewing industry will be.
When asked about her book, Nurin described it as an educational anchor to inform women—especially young women in the beer industry—that there is a historical connection between the brewsters of the past, women brewing now and those who will hoist the mash paddle in the future. Nurin’s book, which was released in September, has already become a touchpoint and source of inspiration among women in the brewing industry.
“Personally, I’ve found it inspiring to see women rise up within this platform, so willing to share their stories and accomplishments, and to enthusiastically engage with the group,” says Younkin. “We’ve also laid some groundwork in building male allies. Seeing the support from the men in our company has been really rewarding. We have men who attend every one of our events to support, listen and learn.”
Roughly 15% of the attendees at last week’s panel event were male and included staff from multiple departments as well as people unaffiliated with Stone. In addition to compelling panelists, the event featured a trio of beers brewed specifically for the occasion, all using Yakima Chief Hops’ 2020 Pink Boots Blend of varietals. That product raises funds for the Pink Boots Society, an organization aiming to educate and advocate for women in the brewing industry. There was an imperial porter called Encourage, a hazy IPA dubbed Boost and Brave Noise Pale Ale, a recipe brewed by more than 180 breweries nationwide following the aforementioned reckoning. Companies that brewed Brave Noise were required to post their organization’s code of conduct, and Stone’s can be found on its website.
“When the craft-beer industry was exposed for sexism and harassment, having this group in place helped Stone move swiftly and authentically to have the conversations we needed to have,” says Younkin. “Having this network in place has brought our team closer—for all genders—and that’s important in today’s world. The group is building up its momentum and we have some big plans.”
Among those plans is a to-be-announced event that will be open to the public and held in honor of International Women’s Day. An educational beer-pairing dinner event at Stone’s Liberty Station restaurants is also in the works for 2022.