Rachel Auty believes in collaboration, community, and the power of collective energy to help make the world a better place. In this piece, the founder of Women on Tap focuses on building a better beer industry.

In his book Tribes, Seth Godin lays out his belief that everyone has the potential to start a movement – to bring together like-minded people and achieve something meaningful.

Of course, what that ‘something’ is will vary from tribe to tribe. In this piece, I want to focus on building a better beer industry: specifically, by shaking off its historical misogynistic baggage and exclusionary male dominance, and moving toward a more inclusive future.

This is something I set out to drive back in 2017, when Women On Tap was born. After testing a few fun events that spotlighted and celebrated women in beer, we realised there was an opportunity – and a need – to do more.

The concept quickly took on a life of its own, and people began turning to us for help, and with hope.

In 2018, I formally incorporated the business as a CIC – a Community Interest Company – and a Certified Social Enterprise.

This move was a clear signal of our commitment to our socially driven mission to transform the brewing industry by dismantling gender barriers, offering education, and increasing meaningful opportunities for women.

Since then, we’ve become known as pioneers of initiatives that spotlight brilliant women in the beer industry, through a programme of activism including events, campaigns, and arts commissions.

“We’re eager to keep building: growing national and international engagement, raising more funds, expanding the tribe, and laying the foundations for a lasting legacy.”

Rachel Auty

To date, we’ve delivered more than 100 events and 7 festivals, alongside a range of campaigns and collaborations that celebrate women in beer, boost beer education, and push for progress in both the beer world and wider society. In other words, we’ve been busy building what you might call ‘our tribe’.

In 2024, we formed an Advisory Board, bringing together a team of experts from both within and beyond the beer industry.

Together, we explored how to build on our foundations, create meaningful impact, and drive real change. From that process, we developed a strategic plan and a new Theory of Change model.

We also took the lead on the iconic International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day (IWCBD) – the global campaign that brings together beer and International Women’s Day.

IWCBD, originally founded in 2014 by Sophie de Ronde, Burnt Mill Head Brewer, encourages women in the beer industry, homebrewers, and local communities to collaborate and create new beers in celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD).

From its inception through 2023, the campaign provided a central platform to connect IWD brewing projects across the globe.

While many International Women’s Day brewing events took place in 2024, there was no unified IWCBD campaign.

Following a few conversations between myself and Sophie, Women On Tap CIC stepped in to coordinate and publicise the initiative for 2025, introducing a few small changes.

I’d observed and participated in the campaign over the years, but stepping into a coordinator role gave me a whole new perspective.

What struck me immediately was this: There was still a need for this campaign – its absence in 2024 was felt. And with an established profile and an engaged community, there was real potential to formalise the fundraising side and create meaningful, lasting impact.

We kept the campaign’s familiar icon but introduced a refreshed look, commissioning a new design using Women On Tap’s signature purple and orange colour palette – a visual marker of our takeover.

Recognising the campaign’s potential to scale, we secured sponsorship that allowed us to invest in the project and bring in paid expertise in the form of freelance support from Kimberley Spivey. Huge thanks to the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA) – our headline sponsors – as well as to Simpsons Malt.

We also welcomed the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) as our Education Partner. Their support – including 18 free places on the globally recognised Level 1 Award in Beer for campaign participants – added a valuable formal education strand to our efforts.

I invited original founder Sophie to choose this year’s theme. She chose UNITE SOCIETY, and with women’s rights being rolled back in real time across the world, this theme couldn’t feel more timely.

Fast-forward to today, and what an incredible, humbling experience it’s been. This year, the campaign showcased 61 brew day projects across the EMEA and Americas regions, and more than 800 women and non binary people came together, brewed 66 beers and raised almost £27,000 for 44 women’s causes. Wow.

But beyond the numbers, the creativity and connection really stood out. Some of the beer artwork is outstanding, and the photographs from the brew days have been deeply moving – powerful images of communities coming together, sharing an experience, and boldly saying: HERE WE ARE.

The beer names themselves have been a masterclass in activism and storytelling, including Even If Your Voice Shakes, Wrong Sized Space Suits, Women Of A Certain Age, Shame Must Change Sides, That’s What She Said, Pirate Queen, and Here All Year.

This campaign sparks a level of innovation that’s a true credit to the brewing industry, and it’s been an honour to be part of it.

The women driving this work are skilled, passionate, and relentless in their pursuit of change. I urge the wider industry to take a good look at what this rather special tribe has achieved over the last few weeks, and to ask what they can learn, take away, and action, so these efforts don’t go to waste.

Naturally, we’re not done yet. We’re eager to keep building: growing national and international engagement, raising more funds, expanding the tribe, and laying the foundations for a lasting legacy.

We’re exploring exciting ideas like the introduction of IWCBD awards and a dedicated IWCBD Festival, where we can get as many of the beers brewed as part of the campaign as possible pouring on bars at a central celebration.

This could easily evolve into a year-round project. One thing is certain: the fusion of Women On Tap’s ambition with the energy of the IWCBD community is a force to be reckoned with. This goes beyond representation. Beyond networking. Beyond education. Beyond allyship. Beyond activism.

We have a real chance to join forces and change the face of beer for good. I invite you to be part of that. Women On Tap CIC has launched Changemaker — a new supporter community helping to fund its continued operations and new projects. Read more at www.womenontap.co.uk/join