Siren Craft Brew joined forces with Crafty Beer Girls for a special brewing event in January, to mark this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD).
Coven is a 6.5% ABV dark fruited gruit, created by Siren brewer Hayley Pearce and lab manager Emily Motto. It will be available to enjoy from 4th March at Siren venues and across the country.
Made with herbs instead of hops, Siren’s unique take on the gruit beer is inspired by a fusion of medieval and modern recipes. Coven brings together a fascinating concoction of herbs and spices with the addition of dark malts, blackberries, elderberries and a sprinkling of Bramling Cross hops to give the finished beer an earthy forest fruit flavour with a vibrant claret hue.
The brew day saw 30 women involved in every stage of the brewing process. From blending juniper berries to grinding coriander with a pestle and mortar, through to mashing in and working with ingredients like mugwort, dandelion and elderberry.
Hayley and Emily, along with Crafty Beer Girls founder Tasha Wolf, leaned on the history of women in brewing as inspiration for the beer and the brew day. Female brewers would be branded witches as part of medieval smear campaigns.
They have created a beer that mimics a bubbling cauldron with a recipe that utilises a dark base similar to a black IPA and incorporates blackberries and elderberries to provide a deep purple tint. The vibrant fruit profile complements the selection of herbs, creating a contemporary tribute to a traditional style once led by women.
Fifty pence from each can of Coven sold will be donated to freedom4girls.co.uk.
“I thought the day was amazing,” said Hayley. “I’ve never had the chance to get that many women together before.
“So to have that chance to get so many women that are enthusiastic and passionate about beer together, and be able to a) pass on knowledge about what we’re doing, and b) share this amazing experience of making this brew together — it just makes me happy doing that sort of thing.
“And then we did quite a lot of things on the day where people were physically involved with the brew. We told them the story of what we were making and why and all of that mattered.Everyone was really into it.”
Natasha said: “Working on a brew day centred around IWD is really a key activity, and key day for all women who love beer. It’s an important date in any beer-loving-woman’s calendar and it’s something we look forward to every year.
“IWCBD (International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day) is global. What we’re doing with Siren is coordinating a collaboration brew with our brand and members. It’s a very exciting opportunity for learning, cooperating with one another, and holding space.
“We use International Women’s Day as a catalyst to give women an opportunity. Maybe they are old hands at this, maybe they are just curious and want to try something different. Everyone who comes along gets into the process.”
Crafty Beer Girls is a community of beer-loving women that was co-founded by Tasha Wolf and Alix Shaw in 2015. The group started in London and is now in its 11th year.
They arrange monthly meet-ups in pubs and beer destinations to bring women (cis and trans, plus non-binary folk) together over great beer and company in safe spaces. The Manchester faction took off in 2022 and those events are organised by Chess Slattery.
