Mount Pleasant Magazine May/June 2019

www.ChsWomenInBusiness.com | www.ChsWomenInRE.com 14 - WIB in Denver, and she has qualified as a Certified Cicerone, equivalent to the wine world’s title, sommelier. Her admitted passion is “beer history and how it has been made for thousands of years.” At Westbrook Brewing Company in Mount Pleasant, her days begin with starting her mash — combining grain with hot water to produce what’s called a wort, a term that has its origins in Middle English and Middle German. To the liquid drained from this wort, she adds additional ingredients such as hops, and this mixture next goes to a mechanical “whirlpool” that sediments out solid material prior to adding the yeast that will initiate fermentation. The final step is decanting the solution into a tank to become actual beer. She said this whole process “takes about six to eight hours.” During the day, while her new beer undergoes this lengthy process, she begins milling her grains for the following morning’s ritual, while not neglecting the “unglamorous janitorial stuff” around the brewery. Recently, Schanker noted, Westbrook Brewing Company has been focused on brewing “classic German beers.” But that hasn’t kept them from creating some exotic concoctions from Key lime pie- and coconut cream pie-flavored beers to a pizza pale ale. “I love how creative the craft-beer industry has been over the last 20 to 30 years,” Schanker said. “Beer can be as complicated as you want it to be. But when all’s said and done, you drink what you like.” So, the next time you guys raise a macho mug of brewski, you might want to offer a toast of thanks to all the women throughout history who have made it possible. … and still do.