BAD ASS WOMEN IN BEER
In an industry beer world dominated by men, we are proud to celebrate Women’s History Month by honoring our fearless woman brewer, Nina Schoofs. If you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Nina, you know her passion and work ethic are unmatched. We feel fortunate to have one of the best of the brew world right here at Payette and want to share her story to inspire other women to be the boss babes they were born to be.
We were able to catch up with Nina between brew batches and it is clear that her role in production is not for the weak. It’s a role that Nina carries with confidence, knowledge, and overall, bad ass grit. Check out how Nina herself describes being a woman in this wheelhouse from our boozy one-on-one interview!
1. What prompted you to get into brewing beer, craft brews specifically?
My mom and step dad were home brewing, so I got to go to the brew store often while growing up. I also learned in college that I couldn’t afford to buy beer, so I just brewed it myself.
My degree is in Studio Art, but I realized after home brewing, you could make money by brewing beer too. That’s when I went to brew school (on Scholarship).
I also have an appreciation for quality. I had a European sense of growing up, meaning I could have a beer or wine with dinner if I wanted. This taught me to appreciate the quality of what I was drinking at an early age.
2. How long have you been in the industry?
I started in Eugene, OR at Falling Sky Brewing, so 9 years since I have been in the industry, but more so 5 years of working in production.
3. What does an average work day look like?
I typically show up at 8:00am depending on the beer being brewed or the number of batches that day. Then, I start by milling out of the silos, which is the process of reducing the malt kernels into smaller particles in preparation for mashing and lautering. This is the first step in starting a brew and it takes about an hour to mil. The brew itself takes about 5 hours from start to finish, and then there is about 1 hour of cleaning afterwards.
While waiting during the brewing period I’m usually checking on fermentation, harvesting yeast, dry hopping, cleaning, etc.
Pink Boots Society Hop Pellets
We usually brew one beer a day but sometimes two depending on the time of year. Summer months typically call for multiple batches a day.
4. What do you love most about your position at Payette?
I love being active throughout the day and getting a good workout from lifting bags. It’s also usually something different each day, which is nice.
5. What are some of the obstacles you’ve overcome as a woman in the industry?
There is some physical hindrance like being too short to reach certain things, or lifting heavier objects like the bags. I was also told a few times how I may not get hired based on my gender, but I always did.
I received a scholarship to brew school, so with an education in my pocket, I haven't really experienced too many obstacles that stem directly from my gender.
There's also been a highlight on diversity, so the industry is changing.
6. How does Payette support you as a brewer?
I first started as a cellarman and was allowed to prove myself through hard work and education to get promoted to the brew team. I didn’t have much experience, but my work ethic spoke for itself. My promotion wasn’t just based on my resume. I made it clear where I wanted to be and Payette helped me get there.
7. How is Payette innovating the industry?
They’re not looking at gender when hiring and they’re also not giving a benefit or a slight just because of gender. They’re truly equal opportunity.
8. What has this career taught you about yourself that you may not have discovered otherwise?
It’s definitely tested my physical abilities. There are extreme seasonal temperatures in the production area, along with heavy lifting, and longer working hours.
I’ve dealt with stress, but this position continues to show me I work well under pressure. It’s also taught me how to manage people and projects.
9. What progress have you seen towards gender equality in the workplace?
I’ve been seeing more people speaking out in their industry about inappropriate behavior or gender inequality in the workplace. Men have also started speaking out for what’s right and defending women.
Companies, too, are quickly taking action to remove inappropriate behavior from the workplace.
10. What role do you feel men have in the progress towards gender equality?
I think speaking out when things are inappropriate and looking at work ethic rather than resume.
11. What does the Pink Boots Blend mean to you?
Pink Boots encourages a positive network for women in the industry. I personally have built relationships within the Pink Boots Project. They host a conference that supports and empowers women and it’s only women who attend. I think that’s a really cool space. I also like to teach people about my industry and Pink Boots is a great way to do so.
12. What advice would you give women who are struggling in a male dominated industry?
Not overthink it or let gender differences bother you. Focus on your own abilities and not the surroundings (meaning a male dominant industry). Also, building a community of support helps.
13. Who are the women in your life who inspire you?
My mother and best friend. Everything negative shot at them, they overcome. Some people let things like that get them down, but they’ve used those experiences to make them stronger. Plus, they’re always supportive.
stay tuned for the release of this awesome new international women’s day brew!
#InternationalWomensDay