This month, I’d like to share my formal address from the District Carolinas Fall Technical conference. This meeting had great technical content from Harmonie Bettenhausen, Richard Priess, and Laura Burns. District Carolinas kindly included our officer transition into their meeting. Thank you again for allowing us to be a part of this meeting and thank you for this wonderful year as president.
This is my last meeting as Master Brewers President, and it’s the last day in our positions on the 2023–2024 executive board. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with this team. I want to give a special thank you to Doug Wilson, as his time on our board is ending: Doug, you have been an exceptional leader that continues to keep our mission top of mind and makes the board such a welcoming place. Thank you for setting this tone for our group. Please give Doug a round of applause for his contributions.
Since this is my last formal address, I’d like to take some liberties to discuss issues that are close to my heart. I will start with a quote from Dr. Taylor Allison Swift, whose words have resonated with me throughout my career. In her song, she sings:
"You held your head like a hero
On a history book page
It was the end of a decade
But the start of an age."
And further,
"Long live all the mountains we moved
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you.”
These lyrics echo the journey that many of us have shared, facing challenges together in our evolving industry. I love the line, “It was the end of a decade, but the start of an age.” I hope we are entering a new age that emphasizes thought diversity and the transformative power it brings to our work. In a field as dynamic and complicated as ours, we need our brightest minds contributing fully, unencumbered by unnecessary barriers.
Through my time in the industry, I have seen valuable contributors sidelined—distracted by concerns like, “Are they treating me this way because of how I look or how I am dressed?”, “Why am I not invited to the meeting or after-hours event?”, or “How do I work in an environment with someone who harassed me?” When half of our workforce is preoccupied with navigating such obstacles, we lose their critical thinking, innovation, and insights. The Master Brewers is about more than just beer. It’s about a community, united in a shared pursuit of excellence. And in that spirit, I think back to Swift’s line, “I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you.” Because in my career, I’ve certainly had dragons to fight—some technical, like hop creep or wild yeast, and others, unfortunately, cultural, like the persistence of sexism.
When I began in the beer industry in 2010, I faced a range of challenges—from being overlooked in meetings to watching my ideas presented by others. These struggles are, unfortunately, familiar to many. Although we fight these battles individually, they are often shared experiences—fights that we wish we didn’t have to fight alone.
But I know things are changing. I had the privilege to connect with Kathy Kinton, our first female president, at this year’s WBC in Minneapolis. Listening to her experiences, I see how the landscape is shifting, even if challenges remain. But our industry continues to face hurdles, and I’m concerned about contributions we’ve lost when our colleagues still battle dragons created by those around them. Our industry suffers because of the choices we’ve made.
And here, I’d like to acknowledge someone who represents change: Molly Browning. Molly has been a tireless advocate and talented leader in our field. She is a graduate of Herriot-Watt University with a masters in science in brewing and distilling. Molly has continually advanced our mission and shared her expertise and passion through her work as the national technical committee chair and her contributions to founding her home district of the Carolinas. If you haven’t already, please do take the time to explore her work, like her recent article in the TQ. I am elated to welcome her as president and have her leadership for our organization this coming year.
I often ask Taylor Swift to stop aging with me. “Long Live” was released in 2010, the same year I began my career in beer. The lyrics still resonate with my journey. So, Molly, I’ve had the time of my life fighting dragons with you, and I’m honored to be part of this moment—seeing leadership transition from one woman to another for the first time in our organization.
Before I close, I’d like to leave you with a final thought. The fight against misogyny and inequality is daunting, but in our tight-knit industry, change is not only possible but achievable. I ask each of you to join me in confronting these "dragons" head-on. Make room at the table, advocate for those who need a voice, and hold one another to our high standards of respect and inclusion. We have been paving the way together, and our work is far from done.
As I start to age out of the demographic most likely to face sexual harassment and discrimination, I have mixed feelings. I can’t speak for the experiences of young women in our industry today, but I hope that it’s safer and more inclusive than it was in 2010. So, let’s keep moving forward, with the courage to change what needs changing and the camaraderie to support one another along the way. Long Live was on the Taylor’s album Speak Now. Please remember to speak up for our community. Master Brewers is where we create and empower our workforce with the knowledge to succeed and let’s continue to eliminate these barriers so we can all succeed in our wonderful industry.
Thank you for your support.
Lauren Torres
Master Brewers President
