In RI, the Brewery Industry Is Growing, It Is Nearly All-White and Facing New Charges of Sexism
GoLocalProv News Team
In RI, the Brewery Industry Is Growing, It Is Nearly All-White and Facing New Charges of Sexism
Narragansett Beer recently opened their new brewery in Providence overlooking India Point Park and in Warren, the Guild launched their new location two weeks ago.
But simultaneously the craft beer industry is facing emerging charges of gender discrimination in Rhode Island.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAs the industry continues to grow, it also continues to be a nearly all-white industry. It is overwhelmingly dominated by white men although a handful of women are brewery owners in Rhode Island.
According to Gary Richardson of the Rhode Island Brewers Guild, none of Rhode Islands' members of his association are minorities and female owners are at "Grey Sail, Crooked Current, Proclamation and Tilted Barn. Plus Long Live. And Apponaug Brewpub.”
The craft beer industry in recent months has been rocked by allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assaults -- and women in the industry say issues also include compensation and fairness.
Over the past few months, women in the craft beer industry have come forward and shared their stories of harassment and mistreatment in the industry.
Now, one former employee of Narragansett Beer says that she believes she was underpaid and treated unfairly due to her gender.
"I should have been making more at Narragansett and believe that I was not moved up due to my gender," said Jamie Buscher who served as the point person in Marketing & Community Events for Narragansett Beer for more than five years. Buscher was the face of the brand - she did media interviews, hosted events, and was the spokesperson for the Narragansett Beer brand.
See Buscher's interview on GoLocal LIVE in 2019.
She said she has experienced sexual harassment firsthand at beer festivals and during events.
Buscher says that "we [the craft beer industry] need to change the culture in the industry."
"Too much of the industry's events are about people getting drunk," she said.
The CEO of Narragansett Beer Mark Hellendrung said in reaction to Buscher's claims that this is the first he has heard of Buscher’s complaints.
“Nothing has ever been brought to my attention. Nothing has ever come up. I have an open door,” said Hellendrung.
Buscher said, “I was making about 35-40K a year on salary … when I left the company after 5 years of working for them in various roles. It wasn't unusual for me to work 9-5 in the office and then run events on nights and weekends, so 50-60 hours was probably the norm.”
Thus, after five years, Buscher, a graduate of the University of Rhode Island was making about $12 to $13 an hour. She was the face of the brand and at nearly every event for the company.
Hellendrung did not dispute that Buscher claims about long hours. He said, “As it relates to pay — she managed the promotion teams and was squarely between the pay rates. She worked long hours and worked a ton of events."
He added, "I think it [the craft beer industry] is on par with all issues in America and there is baggage in the past. Regarding beer events, I know there are issues at beer events."
In May, Brienne Allan blew the top of the New England craft beer industry.
On the afternoon of May 11, Allan took to Instagram and asked had other people in the brewing industry experienced sexism -- Allan was at the time the production manager at Notch Brewing in Salem, Massachusetts. There was a massive outpouring of comments and allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assaults.
A number of top craft beer executives were reportedly identified and forced out of the industry.
In Rhode Island, Lee Lord, the head brewer at Narragansett Beer who joined the company a little over a year ago, said she has no criticism of her present employer.
She has worked as a brewer at a number of breweries in New England including Cambridge Brewing Company.
Lord said she has been a victim of sexual harassment and was one of the women who came forward and blew the whistle on men who were sexual harassers.
“There was a beer rep who repeatedly sent inappropriate pictures and by women banding together, there was [finally] awareness,” said Lord.
Lord said that the industry has a long way to go but it is better than it was, but much needs to be done on pay equity.
"People don’t talk about pay, there needs to be more transparency," said Lord
"There is work to be done in the marketing and inclusion — it can be an unforgiving job and [we] need to show folks of color that there is opportunity," she said.
All Men
In Rhode Island, the Brewers Guild -- "the official brewery association in Rhode Island, existing to support and promote Rhode Island Craft Breweries" -- is led by all men.
The board is comprised of Jeremy Ruff, owner/brewer from LineSider Brewing in East Greenwich and Morgan Snyder, owner/brewer at Buttonwoods Brewery in Cranston who continue to serve on the board from 2020. And, joining the board in 2021 are Matt Richardson, owner/brewer at Tilted Barn Brewery in Exeter, Armando DeDona, owner/brewer of Long Live Beer Works in Providence, and Matthew Gray, president of Ragged Island Brewing Company in Portsmouth.
Buscher says she is trying to change the industry and has started a diversity, equity, and inclusion committee in an attempt to raise awareness and develop tools to diversify.
She said she is working with Johnson & Wales to develop a scholarship program to improve diversity and she hopes to hold a beer festival for women brewers.
Nationally, the craft beer industry is aware of the issue and has hired a diversity officer and built a dedicated website, but it is not clear if the group has worked in the minority communities to develop an incubation program.
EDITOR'S NOTE: After interviewing nearly a dozen beer industry leaders and workers who said they did not believe any of the craft breweries were owned by a minority, GoLocal was contacted by one brewery owner who said that he was Latino. We apologize for the error and have updated accordingly.