Girl power key ingredient in Barley's Angels' craft beers

CLEARWATER (FOX 13) - A group of women is creating new craft beer creations as diverse as its members.

From teachers to mechanical engineers to accountants, the beer aficionados known as the Bay Area Barley’s Angels are investigating the best ways to brew beer. 

“Our purpose is to educate women on craft beer. We go to breweries. We do tours. We meet and talk about the way beers are made. Different styles of beer. What goes into them," group president Jenn Glencer explained.

Like Barley's Angels, Glencer says all beers have four things in common: Water, hops, yeast, and barley.

Throw in other ingredients like herbs, spices, lavender, and roses and you have a rainbow of craft beers in new, interesting flavors.

Some of the club members don’t just drink the brew. They actually stew the brew.

"I started home brewing about eight or nine years ago. My husband started the process,” Glencer said. 

Five years in, she's brewing more than he is.  

"I think my favorite is the oatmeal cookie raisin stout, which is called 'C is for cookie,'" she said. 

Other angels have made craft beer a business. Julia Rosenthal owns Pair O' Dice in Clearwater. They make craft beer using local ingredients, including strawberries from Plant City which are brewed into their Lucky Lucy Strawberry Blonde.

"It’s kind of where we found our niche,” Rosenthal said.

The Pair O' Dice craft beers are sold in local stores in our area. 

Women and female brewers like Rosenthal and Glencer actually have a long history in the story of beer.

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"Women actually were the first brewers. It was considered cooking, so it was part of their daily chores,” Glencer explained.

Today, cooking beer has become a labor of love for many women and the goal of Bay Area Barley’s Angels is to pour more ladies into this ever-growing class.

Bay Area Barley’s Angels meet quarterly. If you’d like information on how to join Barley's Angels visit their Facebook page or website at barleysangels.org.