Beer, Bros, and Blowtorches: Theresa Szilagyi on Women in Brewing
There are a lot of boys in brew. Our position at the intersection of science and beer places us squarely in a male-dominated field, but we certainly aren’t the only ones rocking heels with our lagers and lab coats. We’re inspired by our fellow feminine trailblazers; we’re encouraged by women taking no prisoners and leaving no yeast uncounted. Over the next weeks, we’d like to take a few moments to highlight just a few of these double X dynamos.
Women, for example, like Theresa Szilagyi from Yuengling.
As Quality Lab Supervisor, Theresa holds the ultimate responsibility of maintaining the high standards of America’s oldest brewery, from wort to finished package. Though this self-proclaimed meticulous clean freak wasn’t initially a huge beer fan, developing a keen understanding of the science behind a quality beverage quickly won her over. “I attended a sensory training course where they dose beer with flavor attributes, and we had to identify them. You learn how to identify off flavors, what you like and what you don’t.” That skill was quickly put to the test at the Samuel Adams LongShot homebrew contest, where she won 2nd place. Incredibly, that year all three finalists were women! Though first prize eluded her, the experience taught her a lot about what goes into a good beer.
Theresa isn’t the only woman at Yuengling, of course—in fact, the current generation of the Yuengling family is entirely female, made up of four sisters who grew up in the business and still lead it deftly. Theresa is, however, the only woman on the floor. Still, it doesn’t feel strange. “I’ve heard a lot of stories, like that men think women don’t know a lot about the industry, don’t know a lot about beer. (Or that) they don’t want to take direction and find it intimidating that women could be better. But I really haven’t experienced that. My guys are like family. We look out for each other.”
It helps, she says, that she’s clearly displayed her expertise and proves herself every day. It also doesn’t hurt that she carries a blowtorch wherever she goes. The blowtorch is, of course, to guarantee that the sample environment isn’t contaminating the sample itself, but it’s become a running joke with her colleagues. Like any good family, the Yuengling team is one of mutual respect and appreciation, and a sense of humor is required!
When they talk about “family,” they don't just mean the 5 generations of Yuenglings who came before; they also mean the generations of employees and vendors who’ve helped make the business a success. Agapi is honored to be included in that group. “I know I can email Dinia or Deanna and hear back in 24 hours... You can submit today and you know by tomorrow it will be ordered. And you’re not talking to a machine or an automated line, not waiting for someone to get back to you. It feels like family.” We speak to Theresa regularly—she runs upwards of 20 samples through Agapi’s NucleoCounter YC100 everyday, plus turns to Agapi to supply her lab with everything from pipettes to petri dishes. We’ve gotten to know each other well over the years, and the appreciation has only magnified.
Let’s be sure to cheers at our next family reunion, Theresa—you can even pick the beer (blowtorch optional)!
Agapi Lab Solutions is the women-owned, customer-focused lab supplier that loves you back. Contact us today or email deanna@agapilabsolutions.com to learn more about our unique service mindset and how you can become a part of our family!