At a time when we're hearing the hardships many small businesses face, it's also a good time to reflect on those who continue to survive and thrive. As one of a handful of 100% female owned beer shops in the UK, Jules Gray has from the very start championed women brewers and breweries as a passionate core ethos of Hop Hideout. She knows and values how much visibility counts in making the beer world a broader, diverse and ultimately more rounder and improved place to be for those in it and providing her customers with outstanding beers to enjoy. After a two year challenging period over the Covid-19 pandemic, Jules stated,
”I wanted to celebrate women that really light up the beer scene, who I not only look up to, but who provide so much positivity and inspiration to the whole beer community.”
This November Hop Hideout will celebrate their 9th anniversary as an independent beer shop and tasting room, releasing their beer collaboration, a flapjack stout, brewed at Wild Card Brewery with Crafty Beer Girls. From Friday 11th November they'll be pouring Wild Card Brewery beers as part of a tap takeover including their special birthday collaboration release with Crafty Beer Girls and the brewery.
On Saturday 12th November, they’ll be hosting a relaxed celebration tasting with Jaega from Wild Card and Crafty Beer Girls organisers in attendance. Everyone welcome, tickets are £10pp and include 3 beer pours plus extras, full details and to purchase head to the link for their online shop:
https://www.hophideout.co.uk/event-tickets/birthday-bonanza
On Sunday 13th November they’ll be hosting a free and fun family social. As a new parent Jules knows how much of a challenge it can be to find a welcoming social space that’s easily accessible and with baby changing.
She continued,
”I'm absolutely delighted Jaega Wise of Wild Card Brewery and Natasha and Natalya of Crafty Beer Girls agreed to this collaboration. Jaega is a phenomenal technical brewer, having just released her first brewing book and presents on national shows such as the BBC Food Programme. The Crafty Beer Girls is a beer community safe space created for women and non-binary folks to come together in their enjoyment of beer. Co-organised by two passionate and brilliant women Natasha and Natalya. Through the pandemic I turned to this group for support and really valued their virtual meet-ups.”
The celebrations will continue at Wild Card Brewery's new pub in Walthamstow, London - The Tavern On The Hill on Thursday 17th November with a Crafty Beer Girls London meet-up.
L to R: Natasha (Crafty Beer Girls co-founder), Jules Gray (Hop Hideout), Manuela (Crafty Beer Girls member), Jaega Wise (head brewer Wild Card Brewery)
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Hop Hideout owner: Jules Gray. For interview requests please contact Jules: hophideout@gmail.com
Hop Hideout beer shop started in November 2013 in the Abbeydale area of Sheffield. In 2015 they moved into a bigger cafe location focusing on drink in and take home as a beer shop and tasting room. One of the first 'drink in' beer shops in the UK. In 2019 they moved into a new city centre location at foodhall Kommune. Jules is also the organiser of Sheffield Beer Week, a city-wide beer celebration in her home city of Sheffield. First held in 2015 - now coming into its 9th year in 2023. In addition to running Indie Beer Feast, Sheffield's independent craft beer focused festival, started in 2018.
Twitter/IG: @ HopHideout / @SheffBeerWeek / @ IndieBeerFeast
Website: www.hophideout.co.uk / http://indiebeerfeast.co.uk/ /http://sheffieldbeerweek.co.uk/
Wild Card Brewery make award-winning seasonal beer and serve it in their E17 taproom and all over the country. www.wildcardbrewery.co.uk
Crafty Beer Girls, a group for women (inclusive of all, including non-binary and transgender) who work in, enjoy or support the beer industry. www.instagram.com/crafty_beer_girls