Femme-Bot Wednesday, March 8 Good Robot Brewing Co., 2736 Robie Street 3pm-2am
Stacks of beer coasters gussy up the bar and robot-themed objects catch your attention throughout the two-level taproom, but you won't see any pink streamers at Good Robot Brewing Company on International Woman's Day. Instead, on March 8, Good Robot employees Erica Fraser and Kelly Costello will showcase beer on tap by women brewers to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of women, historically and in modern society, while challenging the status quo of what it means to be a woman. They're calling it Femme-Bot.
"No pink, no boob-shaped cookies, no boxes to fit into," Fraser strongly asserts. And she is not alone. Fellow brewer and co-worker Costello has been working alongside Fraser to put together a representation of the accomplishments of women, both in and out of the brewing industry.
Take the brews on tap as examples of "craftpersonship." The red IPA, named Red Moon Landing, pays homage to the African American women Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson and Dorothy Vaughan—mathematicians responsible for critical calculations in launching NASA space missions (and the inspiration for Hidden Figures).
Baba Yaga Chaga Brown uses mother nature's bounty of medicinal chuga fungus in brewing and references a powerful older woman in Russian folklore. These two brews were made by the ladies on staff at Good Robot.
Faster Pussy Hat Kill Kill is a hibiscus IPA, produced by home brewer Robyn Vaughan in collaboration with Good Robot. The beer takes its title from recent marches protesting Trump presidency, when symbolic pink hats were knitted and donned by protesters. Also, there will be guest brews from woman-led breweries Sober Island, Boxing Rock, Spindrift and Lazy Bear.
Megan McDowell, Ardath Whynacht, Bria Cherise and DJ Alfalfa Brown will enrich Femme-Bot by contributing food, art, music and discussion. And there's lots to discuss according to the organizers, like how it's hard to change the attitudes of people who can't see the potential or want to limit the involvement of women in the brewing industry—any industry, in fact.
Fraser and Costello believe you have to call out misogyny. Femme-Bot is another way to change such behaviour, but it is also a celebration. "It feels like it gives us an opportunity to be more than what society has given us, to be the point of the show, to be like the most important person in the room instead of being supporting role, which we often get relegated to," says Costello.
As part of shining the limelight on women, female employees will not work on March 8. The men of Good Robot will take over the serving duties.
