Raise a Pint to Arizona’s Women Brewery Owners
In 2021, women made up 23 percent of brewery owners in the U.S., and just 2 percent of all breweries were fully woman-owned, according to the Brewers Association.
Arizona is home to several female brewery owners such as Leah Huss, who started Huss Brewing Co. with her husband in 2013. Huss’ most popular beers are local favorites Scottsdale Blonde and Papago Orange Blossom.
“I have seen this industry grow exponentially,” Huss said. “The number of breweries and what they bring to market has become very diverse. When I started working in craft 23 years ago, you could not find local craft beer on tap in restaurants. It has become part of the thread of the hospitality industry.”
Megan Greenwood worked in manufacturing engineering before launching Greenwood Brewing in 2017. She opened her downtown Phoenix microbrewery and beer garden in July 2020, and her beer is now in over 200 restaurants and stores throughout Arizona. Greenwood’s most popular beers are the Rosemary IPA brewed with fresh Arizona rosemary, the Warrior Hazy IPA with notes of peach and pineapple, and the crisp and light Purpose Pilsner.
“I love that the beer industry leaves endless space for creativity, defining whoever you want to be and building whatever business fits you best,” Greenwood said.
Arizona State University alumnus Sue Rigler, who has a degree in microbiology, opened Hundred Mile Brewing Co. in Tempe in December 2022, and it was recently named Small Business of the Year by the Tempe Chamber of Commerce. Popular beers include Infinite Coyote West Coast IPA, Desert Neon Hazy IPA and Crowd Surfer Mexican lager with sea salt and lime.
“Craft beer brings good people together to share stories and conversations. Many friendships have formed at Hundred Mile Brewing Co. and it’s amazing to be a part of that,” Rigler said.
Each of these brewery owners has a strong connection to community.
“We support a variety of nonprofits, from donating product and offering use of our event space to donating to woman-focused nonprofits for Women’s History Month and breast cancer awareness,” Greenwood said. “Our community supports Greenwood, and it’s important to me to give back.”
Hundred Mile Brewing Co. has supported the Pat Tillman Foundation, Alissa Serignese ASU Alumni Scholarship Foundation and Sun Devil Family Charities.
“The key to Hundred Mile Brewing Co.’s success is deeply rooted in an unwavering commitment to our community. We believe that giving back to the community is not only important, but is the cornerstone of our brand,” Rigler said.
Huss Brewing supports a variety of charities. “Being a local, family-owned company, we’ve worked with several organizations in Arizona and beyond, most recently partnering with the Navy SEAL Foundation, a cause near and dear to the Huss family, and St. Mary’s Food Bank, among many others,” Huss said. “We’re also proud to have established the Huss Family Foundation, whose mission is to enrich the lives of individuals and families in need across Arizona.”
