Lesley Summers with her trusted friend Bodie (Photo by Martha Van Camp)

Lesley Summers with her trusted friend Bodie (Photo by Martha Van Camp)

By Elizabeth Erschens

 

Warning: If you adhere to following the social hashtags #prim, #proper, or #sensibilities that are easily offended, you will want to trash this magazine….or hand it to that open-minded vixen, two seats down the bar, enjoying that craft beer.

When Lesley Summers visited one of my homebrew stores back in early 2013, and introduced herself, I had to work hard to hide the involuntary eye-roll I had acquired over the last decade. Back then, at least once a day, one of my homebrew store customers/friends would declare they were opening a brewery. Knowing how much it costs to run, much less start a business, I was not surprised that with the exception of O’Connor Brewing Company and Smartmouth Brewing Company, until recently, none came to fruition. So, you can imagine my initial impression when Summers told me she was starting a Barley’s Angels Chapter, a beer club for women, in Hampton Roads.

In retrospect, color me stupid, and announce to the world that my favorite color really is clear! Summers surprised me in the lobby of the Naro Cinema a few weeks after our initial meeting, before the screening of, “For the Love of Beer” (an Indie film on the realities of women in the brewing industry), with news of the members that had already joined her new chapter, and the events and meetings she had planned.

Being one of the lucky seven women in the brewing industry asked to be on the discussion panel with the audience after the movie, I took a leap of faith and introduced Summers and the new club chapter when an audience member spoke about being intimidated around men that are beer savvy.

I didn’t need nine lives for that leap, nor any other leaps I have taken for Summers and/or our regional Barley’s Angels Chapter. Even if I did need those extra lives, it would be fine, as the running joke in the club is, “Summers is so motivated and organized, she could herd cats!”

This is a skill sometimes needed, if truth be told. Imagine the best slumber party you ever attended….of course, none of us did anything worse than freezing a friend’s bra….right?!? Now add years of knowledge and humor collected by some of the most fun women you could ever meet in Hampton Road! Finally, you are back in a middle school science lab with a Paper Mache volcano when you add the last ingredient; beer!

Thanks to “Professor” Summers, our local ladies, and I use that term loosely as I am a member, can let down their hair, be sexy, or not, and even attend an impromptu gathering at Summers’ home to give feedback on tastings, food pairings; even future destinations for great beer or beer tasting recommendations.

Summers had the right attitude from the beginning; create a welcoming and educational environment that isn’t intimidating to anyone. “If someone tells me they don’t like beer, I let them know they just haven’t tried the right beer,” said Summers. “There is a beer out there for everyone and it is just waiting to be your friend”, she added with a slightly devilish grin.

Summers continues to prove this statement to be true. At a recent meeting focusing on sour beers, one of the angels quickly expressed her dislike of sour style beers. Summers gently coaxed her saying, “Just give the samples a try. There are so many different kinds and it is okay to not like all of them.” I think we were on the third sample of the evening when that same angels exclaimed, “Oh, Wow! This is really good!” With a kind smile, and not even a hint of, “I told you so,” Summers replied, “Oh, I am so glad you found one you like!”

One of the greatest things about this group is there is no right or wrong opinion.  As with the sours, Summers encourages everyone to try different styles, but she is just as adamant that each angel be able to form their own individual opinions. That environment, I must say, is conducive to wonderful creativity. There is often a roar of laughter over some of the really unique opinions shared. I could list a few, but angels don’t kiss and tell. You will have to attend a meeting for yourself.

The Barley’s Angels definitely know how to have fun. There have been beer pairings with Girl Scout cookie, assorted candies, and even beer paired with other beers. The angels also share a fun sense of adventure and creativity with brewery representatives that give presentations and samplings. At a meeting held around Valentine’s Day, the angels made individual Valentines for Geoff Rifkin, the representative from New Belgium Brewing Company, who was presenting the samples that evening.

If you are starting the think this organization is one big party, you couldn’t be further from the truth. Some of the angels are fine with casual tastings shared with laughs, while others are interested in gaining a more in-depth understanding of beer. Many members have even taken an active role in brewing at event arranged by Summers. She is currently setting up a day of cider making at the National Learn to Homebrew Day, an event hosted by Homebrew USA, located at JANAF, every year on the first Saturday of November. There is also currently a study group for those wishing to become a Cicerone Certified Beer Server (Cicerone is to the beer world what a Sommelier Certification is to wine.)

If you weren’t already impressed, I am sure the volunteer work done by The Barley’s Angels will tip the devilish vs angel scale. Sure these angels enjoy a beer sample or two, and tell a colorful joke at times, but they are 100% angels when it comes to their hearts. In the three years since the inception of Barley’s Angels-Coastal Virginia, the members have done volunteer work to help raise money for the Susan G. Komen, St. Mary’s, Make a Wish Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Cultural Alliance of Hampton Roads, and two Spartyka hosted charity events. Most have also volunteered at many brewery events to help promote locally brewed craft beer.

This has all been accomplished in three short years. The membership keeps growing and with these wonderful women in our community, you might just wonder the next time you hear the clink of the glasses during a toast, if a new Barley’s Angel got her wings?

 

Elizabeth Erschens is owner of HomeBrew USA with locations in Hampton and JANAF in Norfolk.