International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day delivered its biggest year yet, the organising team have announced.
Participants in an International Women’s Collaboration Brew at Brew York. Photograph: Brew York
Eighty-eight brew days took place across the UK and internationally, bringing together 1,153 participants, producing 93 new beers, and raising £33,889 for women’s causes — a 25% increase on last year.
In addition, 30 WSET Level 1 Beer Award qualifications were fully funded (up from 18 last year), and 15 bursary recipients were supported through the Women On Tap Bursary Scheme.
Now in its second year under the stewardship of Women On Tap CIC — the UK-based social enterprise championing gender equality in beer — IWCBD has grown into a genuine global movement.
From local taprooms in Yorkshire to brewery collectives in Switzerland, South Africa, Canada, and the USA, the annual International Women’s Day brew event has become one of the most meaningful campaigns in the independent beer calendar.
Participating breweries were asked to commit to donating a minimum of £100 to a women’s cause of their choosing, with funds flowing to a breadth of organisations. Domestic abuse charities, women’s aid networks, freedom and empowerment projects, and industry-specific bodies all received donations, from Strut Safe and Solace Women’s Aid, to Women in Beer UK, Pink Boots Society, Freedom4Girls, and Women for Refugee Women.
Of the 75 brew days that completed the post-campaign report, 62 were UK based and 13 were international, with projects in the USA, Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, South Africa, and the Cayman Islands.
“The growth we’ve seen in 2026 is genuinely extraordinary, but what moves me most isn’t the numbers, it’s the stories,” said Rachel Auty, founder of Women on Tap CIC. “Women coming together in breweries, taking up space, supporting each other, and turning their passion for beer into lasting impact for the causes that need us. This is exactly what IWCBD is for.”
Post-campaign survey results make a compelling case for IWCBD participation, beyond the charitable dimension. Of breweries that responded:
- 70% reported IWCBD had a positive impact on their brand and public profile;
- 38% said their IWCBD beer was meaningfully easier to sell; and
- 85% confirmed they will sign up again for 2027.
A spokesperson for Bristol Beer Factory said: “It isn’t an understatement to say it revolutionised the way the (male) sales team approach new beer projects due to the fast sell-out rate and internal staff happiness that was a direct result of the IWD brew and marketing activities.”
Kayleigh Bell, from Pillars Brewery, added: “Representation in the brewing industry doesn’t happen by accident, and events like IWCBD are part of how the culture shifts. It builds real relationships between our brewery and the women who join us to brew — these women are all collaborators, advocates, and future ambassadors for the industry we love.”
Susi Lutz, from b.i.e.r., in Verein, Switzerland, said: “IWCBD matters because it brings women together around something that has long been a male-dominated space: the brewery. Every year, we learn from each other, we brew something we’re proud of, and we turn that beer into real change.”
With 85% of this year’s participants already confirming their return, plans for IWCBD 2027 are taking shape. Initial ‘commitment to brew’ sign-ups are expected to open this autumn, with Women On Tap continuing to develop the campaign’s international reach, its partnerships, and its bursary programme.
Sponsorship opportunities for 2027 are now open. Organisations interested in aligning with one of the most impactful campaigns in independent beer should get in touch directly.
Rachel said: “IWCBD 2026 would not have been possible without the support of our partners. Thank you to headline partner the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA), whose backing has been instrumental in the campaign’s growth; to the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), whose ongoing commitment to funding qualifications for women in beer is creating lasting change; and to Simpsons Malt, whose continued support helps make this campaign possible year after year.”
