Brewing Change One Conversation At a Time

A History of Bitches ‘n Brews

How we got our start

Bitches ‘n Brews has been running since 2016 as a brand dedicated to teaching anybody who wants to learn how to brew craft beer. Our founder built Bitches ‘n Brews as a place that anyone could learn and anyone was welcome. She discovered her passion for craft beers at a festival then, as it developed into more than just a hobby, she started to write a blog with her recipes, tips and tricks.

With this blog, she also became an advocate for including people from all walks of life and allowing space for a more diverse group in the craft beer world. As a woman in brewing, her experiences, her knowledge, and her outgoing, fun personality helped give others the opportunity to learn in a way they felt comfortable and fun for them too. That blog led to group classes which led to workshops and Bitches ‘n Brews officially became a place to come and learn.

Operating on the concepts of inclusivity and diversity, we teach anybody who wants to learn, and we meet them wherever they’re at in life. Whether you’re just starting and using a hot plate and a pot in your kitchen, or you’ve been brewing for years and are looking for new ways to infuse flavors into your beers, this is a place for you to learn and have fun while doing it!

Operating on the concepts of inclusivity and diversity, we teach anybody who wants to learn, and we meet them wherever they’re at in life. Whether you’re just starting and using a hot plate and a pot in your kitchen, or you’ve been brewing for years and are looking for new ways to infuse flavors into your beers, this is a place for you to learn and have fun while doing it!

Meet Our Founder

From a very young age, Mikenzie has followed a path of inclusivity and diversity. She grew up in a family of 6, very outspoken kids, and was the shy little sister. At 8 years old while observing her family, she realized that there was an opportunity to experience true connection with others when she embraced her differences, opened up, and chose to be outgoing and kind. She found a power and a life of fun and joy in choosing to include herself in the activities and groups around her, but more than that, she discovered her calling in inclusivity and diversity. From then on, she has chosen to pursue inclusivity and diversity in every aspect of her life and has brought it into the Bitches ‘n Brews culture.

Mikenzie first discovered the craft beer world while attending the Utah Beer Festival with her husband and friends. While exploring the different booths and vendors, she was told over and over, “Oh, you won’t like that one. Women don’t like that kind of beer.” She finally had enough and decided to just try whatever she wanted, and suddenly a whole new world of flavors and experiences opened up to her. As soon as she started trying what she wanted to try and not what others told her to drink, that’s when she fell in love with it.

After her experience at the festival, she started learning more about craft beers and developed a love for it that turned out to be… a little bit expensive. She had the idea that if she started brewing, with her husband, the types of beers that she liked, that it might be cheaper. Even though it wasn’t necessarily cheaper once she got into it, she was very excited to do it. She quickly became passionate about finding new flavors and brewing all different kinds of beers. From her hobby grew a brand that she created to show that anybody, whether they’re the stereotypical brewer “type” or not, could learn to brew the types of beers they like.

A Discovery of Exclusion

You may be wondering why inclusivity and diversity are such a big deal for us. It really comes from the first hand experiences of our founder. As she started diving into the process of brewing, and especially as she began to grow and share her beers within the craft brewing community, she was shocked by the responses she received. While she’d be explaining her flavor palate and the processes she’d used to make her beers, the overwhelming response was for people to ask her husband if he brewed them. They would ignore her, pass over her expertise and work, and jump right in asking her husband the questions or directing their comments to him instead.

This isn’t a unique experience that only Mikenzie had, though. One of the biggest reasons our mission is about creating an inclusive and diverse space is because it is already so lacking in the craft beer industry and culture. Countless people who do not fit the stereotypical mold of the standard craft beer brewer have had experiences just like Mikenzie’s where they feel ignored or excluded.

We are actively working on creating a space for a more welcoming environment where people from all over can come together and experience the fun that craft beer brings to the table. We need to have the hard conversations, expose those who are creating this problem, and find a way to fix it.