encore shines the spotlight recent initiatives that made their mark over the last term when it comes to standing up for solidarity, diversity and inclusion.
Brave Noise ‘bevolution’
When it comes to making the beer industry safe and free from discrimination, a group of NC Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management students wanted to make some noise.
In mid-February, they joined the Brave Noise ‘bevolution.’. The global collaboration advocates for making the beer industry safe and free from discrimination for women, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ people.
“As an initiative that promotes safe and discrimination-free breweries, Brave Noise is relevant to a broad range of NC brewing students,” said fourth-term Brewmaster student Angela McCallum, who coordinated NC’s involvement in the initiative. “Also, with its focus on inclusivity, it encourages all brewers to feel like they are part of the collaboration, rather than singling out certain groups.”
In addition to brewing Brave Noise beer, the College demonstrated transparency in its policies by submitting its codes of conduct to Brave Noise, and its commitment to long-term work through its ongoing support of relevant charities. QR codes linking to its codes of conduct and related resources have also been posted in prominent locations at the Teaching Brewery and throughout NC’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute.
“Our graduates represent the next generation of brewers,” said Maija Saari, Associate Dean of the College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute. “Projects like Brave Noise remind us, as educators, of the importance of imparting the skills and attitudes necessary to create a respectful and inclusive workplace as well as expert knowledge of brewing.”
Brave Noise Pale Ale was released in late March and the small batch brew was available in limited supply.
Ukranian beers
Support for Ukraine is brewing at the NC Teaching Brewery.
Brewmaster Professor Jon Downing and students from the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program answered a call for breweries around the world to brew Resist – Ukrainian Anti Imperial Stout in early March. Developed by displaced Ukrainian brewers, the Resist recipe was shared by Drinkers for Ukraine, an international effort to raise funds for Ukraine, with hopes that brewers worldwide will brew it in solidarity with the beer community in Ukraine whose livelihoods and, in some cases, their businesses have been destroyed by Russian attacks.
In late March, Downing and students will also brew a Ukrainian Golden Ale, using a recipe developed from Pravda brewery in Lviv, Ukraine, which has halted beer production to make Molotov cocktails during the war.
Downing has also joined brewers from Ukraine and around the world who are participating in a Drinkers for Ukraine Fundraising Livestream on March 26. The video will be live-streamed during the fundraising show, profiling the stories of breweries in Ukraine and raising funds for the relief effort.
For Downing, support for Ukraine is both professional and personal. During the early nineties – a pivotal time after Ukraine gained independence in 1991 – he was instrumental in launching two microbreweries in Ukraine (in Dnipro and Haivoron).
“Having seen the country being rebuilt once, I know it’s going to be rebuilt again. I know that the strength of the Ukrainian people will make it happen,” he said. “Brewing is a part of it. Brewing is a part of the economy locally here in Ontario, worldwide and in Ukraine as well.”
Lana Svitankova, co-founder of Drinkers for Ukraine – who is also a writer, translator, educator and Ukraine’s first certified Cicerone – said that the main goal of Drinkers for Ukraine is to raise funds for a cause, get people informed, and give them one more outlet to show support. She noted that while it has been difficult to track how many breweries have hopped on board the initiative, she is aware of 55 so far who have brewed or plan to brew the beer as a show of support.
“Huge thanks for Niagara College’s support,” said Svitankova. “Being Ukrainian, this means so much to me that people are being vocal in their support. This brings me faith in humanity, hope and solace in these difficult times.”
The Teaching Brewery’s Resist – Ukrainian Anti Imperial Stout is expected to be available in on March 30 and Ukrainian Golden Ale was released to the public in mid-May. Both were available at the College’s Wine Visitor + Education Centre.
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Pink Boots: Kicking up support for gender equality
The Niagara College Teaching Brewery marked International Women’s Day with an outpouring of support for women in the beer industry.
On March 8, students in NC’s Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program began working on the College’s Pink Boots collaboration beer for 2022. Their efforts are part of a global initiative launched by Pink Boots Society: an international non-profit that aims to assist, inspire and encourage women in the fermentable beverage industry through education in a supportive environment.
This was the third time the Teaching Brewery has participated in a Pink Boots collaboration brew, which supports gender equality in the beer industry. The global initiative was launched by the Pink Boots Society to assist, inspire and encourage women in the fermentable beverage industry through education in a supportive environment.
NC’s 2022 Pink Boots Brew was a 6.5 % ABV Double IPA, which implemented a special Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day hops blend from Yakima Chief Hops. Yakima Chief Hops donates $3 from every pound sold to Pink Boots Society for education and programming.
Pink Boots beer was released in April and the small batch brew was available in limited supply.
