AZ Society of Homebrewers awards reflect growing role of women in Arizona craft beer scene

The Arizona Society of Homebrewers, the largest home-brewing club in the country with more than 500 members, held its annual holiday party Saturday, announcing its 2013 ASHy Awards and revealing election results for its 2014 offices.

Echoing a national trend, the awards and election provided overwhelming evidence of the growing role women are playing in Arizona’s craft beer scene.

Krystal Bittner of Phoenix was elected ASH’s first female president, taking over for Rob Fullmer of Tempe, who stepped down after three successful terms to accept the position of executive director of the Arizona Craft Brewers Guild.

Lisa Roth, owner of Visionpoint Graphic Design in Chandler, was honored as the first female member of the ASH Hall of Fame (receiving a lifetime membership).

Alicia Marie Flockhart from SanTan Brewing in Chandler won the industry award for best Arizona beer rep, while Kristine Bradley, aka “Beer Kristine,” of World Class/Crescent Crown won best distributor rep.

In other industry awards, Arizona Wilderness was named best new brewery, Adam Schmeichel of Fate Brewing was best brewmaster, James Swann (formerly of Whole Foods Chandler’s The Watering Hole) was best beer bartender, and Hungry Monk owner Jim Lolli was named top publican.

The party was held at the Tempe production facility for Four Peaks Brewing, which was named Arizona’s best brewery.

In ASH categories, Ken Forrey was homebrewer of the year, Bryan Myron was volunteer of the year, and Landon Evans of the HDE Agency received the President’s Award for industry support.

J.R. Wheeler, local rep for Colorado’s Odell Brewing, won the inaugural Wheeler Award for national and regional industry support.

See the full list of ASHy winners here (pdf).