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Hoping to build a community of women who love and contribute to the craft beer community, the Girls Pint Out organization was founded in Indianapolis, Indiana in 2010. Since then, it's grown to more than 100 chapters in nearly 40 states -- but there wasn't a Dayton chapter until last year. But it was in limbo when the chapter's founder had to move out of state last summer.
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That's when Susie Lowe agreed to keep the Dayton Girls Pint Out flame lit and expand it from there.
“We’re encouraging women to enter a field where we may not be represented as well,” Lowe explained. “We are a group of women that support and educate other women in the world of craft beer.”
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While the group has hundreds of Facebook followers, Lowe would like to see more women at the Girls Pint Out events, which occur two or three times a month. But Lowe finds once women take that first plunge, they’re glad they did.
“I think one of the biggest challenges is showing up to that first event—showing up not knowing anyone. Once people show up and meet me and meet the other girls at the events, they’re all about giving suggestions about where to go next, when to have other events and what to do at some of the other events,” she said.
Dayton Girls Pint Out, which is also a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is free for any woman to join, also provides a level of comfort for women who may have concerns about going to bars alone.
“I think there’s an amount of truth to that,” Lowe said. “Also, (it’s for) people who don’t know about craft beer. So coming out with us, you get some education, some advice. You have the knowledge of people who have done it for a while. Most people in craft beer want nothing more than to tell you all about craft beer. It’s just starting that conversation.”
One might think the group would meet some resistance as they go from event to event from some perceived "boy's club", but Lowe says she's seen no such push-back. In fact, what bar, pub or brewery wouldn't welcome a group of craft beer-loving women to their establishment?
"Crooked Handle (in Springboro) is one of our biggest fans, and I am a big fan of them," she said.
Dayton Girls Pint Out will hold its next event at Yellow Springs Brewery on Saturday, March 25, followed by a beer tasting at Crooked Handle on Saturday, April 15.
“I think, as craft beer grows, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more factions of people coming out and collaborating together,” Lowe added. “It’s such a social atmosphere. Everyone’s here to have a good time.”
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