How Julia Herz Hopes To Make Homebrewing More Accessible To Women And People Of Color

When Julia Herz brewed her first batch of beer in 1991, the United States’ craft beer landscape looked vastly different than it does today. There were about 300 breweries in the country and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was a decade old, on the precipice of reinvigorating American brewing. Provided by The Brewers AssociationJulia Herz was recently appointed executive director of the American Homebrewers Association, a branch of the Boulder-based Brewers Association where she spent more than 16 years helping promote the craft beer industry. Herz, then a twentysomething, brewed a Scotch ale using an extract kit, and she recalls it being one of the most fun culinary experiences she had ever had.