Czech beermakers honor women in brewing with pink boots

Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day, held annually on March 8, International Women's Day, is an initiative that’s celebrated around the world. Founded in 2017 in the U.S. with the aim of supporting the growth and educational development of female brewing professionals, the day sees both women and men donning pink footwear and brewing beer from a special hop blend.

This year, breweries across the Czech Republic will not only participate in the event once again but will inaugurate the establishment of a new professional association, the Czech Republic’s first Pink Boots Society.

The organization aims to share know-how across the field, implement workshops and educational programs tailored to real needs, and hand over valuable practical experience to future generations of brewers.

"Projects like the Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day bring people together who simply love beer. I see it as very beneficial also because it draws attention to women in brewing. This field is no longer a domain for just men,” said Lenka Straková, head brewer of the Proud brewery in Pilsen.

She adds, “Although it still surprises many people, the number of women professionally associated with brewing is increasing, for example in Pilsen alone we have at least three breweries led by women.”

For Proud's contribution to Pink Boots brew day, Straková has developed an American Pale Ale (APA) with hops from the renowned Washington-based hops grower and partner of the initiative, Yakima Chief Hops. Proud’s limited edition Raise Your Glass APA will be available to taste at the end of April.

Part of the proceeds from the sale of Yakima Chief hops goes to the Pink Boots Society to create educational programs and scholarships for women in brewing; the participating breweries also commit to donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of their beer specials to the Pink Boots Society. 

Organizers of the event say that interest in the Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day is on the rise. In 2018, 260 breweries from 10 countries took part, in 2021 the event was already taking place in 413 breweries in 23 countries across continents.

The same trend is visible in Czechia. Participating brewers this year, many of them led by women, include the Chroust, Zlatá kráva, Trilobit, Antoš, Červený vlk, Madcat, Transformátor, Kos, and Zichovec breweries, all of which will offer Pink Boots specials.

A tasting of the beer brewed for Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day 2023 will take place with the support of the U.S. Embassy on April 24 at the residence of the U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic.