Based out of Toronto with a huge presence in Hamilton and Ottawa, the Society of Beer Drinking Ladies (SOBDL) is the largest community of beer-loving women in North America. It comes as no surprise that craft beer is a typically male-dominated industry, but these passionate women are making big waves that haven’t gone unnoticed.
SOBDL has been growing steadily since it was founded in 2014 by Renee Navarro, Erica Campbell, Jen Reinhardt, Jaime Dobbs and Magenta Suzanne.
How did they do this? Pre-Covid, the ladies would host events (bevies) and appear at beer festivals, capturing the interest of fellow beer enthusiasts and also collaborating with local vendors.
Presently, they’re run by Erica Campbell and Jaime Dobbs, with a team of dedicated coordinators. These beer-drinking ladies aim to foster safe and inclusive spaces for women to bond, stating on their website that:
“We’re committed to fostering a place where racism, homophobia & discrimination are not tolerated and our differences are celebrated. At Society of Beer Drinking Ladies when we say woman, we mean anyone who identifies as a woman, non-binary, gender-fluid or non-conforming, or any person that would like to be included in this definition.”
A large focus aside from craft beer, is their clear drive to support The Canadian Women’s Foundation, as well as local Ontario restaurants and breweries. Not only does 10% of their event profits go towards The Canadian Women’s Foundation, but they also participate in an initiative called The Good Tap. Here, they partner with restaurants in the city that donate $1 per pint or $0.50 per half-pint from SOBDL beers towards this foundation.
SOBDL also frequently collaborates with local breweries like Henderson Brewing Company for their Hazy New England IPA with Clementine and Junction Craft Brewery for their P.O.P! Butterfly pea flower pale ale to create exclusive brews that you can’t miss out on.
In fact, I first discovered SOBDL because of their Vanilla Orchid Brown Ale brewed last year with Henderson Brewing Company. I haven’t been able to find a beer like it since! After trying and loving their brown ale at a small bar on Queen West, my friend Anna (whom I’d like to consider a beer expert) told me about how she had heard of SOBDL from a beer festival she went to in 2017. She encouraged me to follow their journey online to learn more about craft beer and also look out for the cool events they host, to meet other like-minded women – I’m going to encourage you to do the exact same thing!
The Society of Beer Drinking Ladies isn’t hosting any events anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean you can’t support them! Find their collaborations on their website and follow them on Instagram to stay up to date on their current brews and where you can buy them. Not feeling beer right now? That’s not a problem. You can also check out their shop here to see their cups, tees, and more!
Want to try that Vanilla Orchid Brown Ale I mentioned? You still can (for a limited time)! Check out this Squad Pack available at the LCBO and try both their Vanilla Orchid Brown Ale and their Hazy New England IPA with Clementine.