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'Diversity in Beer' Showcases the Women of the British Beer Industry

We spoke to Nicci Peet about her photo series.
diversity in beer
Jaega Wise, co-owner and brewer at Wild Card Brewery, shot at Wild Card Brewery on International Women's Collaboration Brew Day 2018. 

Think of the beer industry and I'd imagine what first comes to mind are images of slightly portly men who know far too much about yeast. While, in many ways, those thoughts would be accurate, they also don't tell the full story. Photographer Nicci Peet's "Diversity in Beer" series does an excellent job of illustrating exactly that.

"Part of the diversity problem in the beer industry is the lack of visual representation of the diverse range of women who work in the industry," she says. "And that's why I set out to photograph as many different women – cisgender, trans, women of colour – actively working in the industry. I don't just mean brewers. With this project, I wanted people to see a variety of roles – marketing, bar managers, farmers, writers, festival organisers. We have so many people that make this industry tick."

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Jenn Merrick, founder of Earth Station, shot during the all female collaboration brew for We Are Beer at Pressure Drop Brewery.

Related: tonight – at The Four Thieves in Clapham Junction – is the launch of "One for All", an apprenticeship scheme from craft brewers Laine Brew Co., which seeks to attract diversity in the beer industry. There'll be a panel discussion, a beer tasting and a talk from American brewer Megan Stone, about how she made it as a gay woman in a male-dominated US brewing industry

The more of this, the better. As Nicci puts it: "If you see someone that looks like you at a beer festival or drinking in a pub or bar, you're more likely to feel welcome there. The same goes for seeing people that look like you working in a perceived male-dominated industry. And this is what the project is really about."

Keep scrolling to see more photos from the "Diversity in Beer" project.

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Kiki Roberts, who worked at a couple of breweries and a brewery-owned bar in Bristol, but left the industry earlier this year.

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Nikki, general manager at Crown & Kettle, Manchester.

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Alessandra Confessore, brewer at Ilkley Brewery.

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A "Glad To Be Gay" sticker on the wall of The Marlborough, Brighton, during Fem.Ale Festival.

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All of the women on the Ilkley Brewery team.

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Marverine Cole, broadcaster, shot at Cherry Reds, Birmingham.

niccipeet.co.uk