A conversation has started in New Zealand about inclusion and diversity within the beer industry, sparked by a global #MeToo movement. Denise Garland spoke to two prominent women in the sector, Brewers Guild Executive Director, Sabrina Kunz, and the Chair of Pink Boots NZ, Nicola Kay, who are helping to lead that discussion and encourage change.

You can read the full interview 'A Conversation on Diversity' here. 

Ruth Leary is the Regional Sales Manager for Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Korea at Fermentis, Auckland.

In this Beyond the Beer, Ruth chats to Denise about the unsung hero that is yeast.   You can read the full interview at the Pursuit of Hoppiness 'A Champion of Beer's Natural Little Factory'. 

• What was your epiphany beer? Emerson’s Pilsner
• Why did you decide to get involved in the beer industry? Because I love fermentation and yeast and the science part of it, but I also love the creative flavour part, and I was trying to find a career that kind of merged between the two.
• What is your favourite thing about beer? The fact that it's a fermented, living thing.
• What is one thing about you that surprises people? I was a rugby player - I normally played as a winger.

Lauren Yap, Field Support & Quality Assurance Manager at NZ Hops in Nelson, speaks about how working directly with the hop growers in the fields has honed her passion for craft beer, and inspires her to brew her own.

You can read Lauren's full interview with Denise where she talks about Living the Dream. 

• What was your epiphany beer? Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar
• Why did you decide to get involved in the beer industry? Beer felt inspiring and it didn't feel heavy – but it turns out that any job is a very big, all consuming job if you're really passionate about it.
• What is your favourite thing about beer? I like how the styles are changing pretty often...I just like how dynamic it is – everyone's a mad scientist.
• What is one thing about you that surprises people? I’m a beekeeper.

Lee Ann Scotti, co-owner and brewer at Craftwork Brewery in Oamaru speaks about how a love of cooking and a chance taste of a Wellington-brewed IPA set the course for her to create one of Aotearoa’s most highly-respected breweries.

Learn more about Lee Ann in this article in the Pursuit of Hoppiness - Lee Ann Scott from teacher and avid cook to award winning brewer.

• What was your epiphany beer? Parrotdog Bitterbitch
• Why did you decide to get involved in the beer industry? I really just fell into it, and just wanted the challenge of being a Belgian-style brewery
• What is your favourite thing about beer? I just love sitting around the table with a lot of people drinking beer and just talking about it,
• What is one thing about you that surprises people? That I am a brewer - and not just a female brewer, but a middle-aged female brewer.