SheBrew
Annual Portland festival showcasing women and non-binary brewers.
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SheBrew is a yearly beer and cider festival in Portland, Oregon, that is designed for all ages. It highlights women and non-binary brewers from the Pacific Northwest. Money raised at the event goes to the Human Rights Campaign and the Oregon Brew Crew.
The festival began in 2013 at the Q Center with about 50 people in attendance, and its audience has grown steadily since then. For the 2018 event, Lee Hedgmon from McMenamins created a green beer named “Welcome Back to Oz, Bitches!” Around 1,000 people were expected at the 2020 festival, which took place in March and was one of the last large gatherings in the city before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The 2021 edition was canceled due to the pandemic, and the 2022 event was held at Castaway Portland, where proof of vaccination and mask-wearing were required.
In 2023 and 2024, SheBrew took place at Redd on Salmon Street. Organizer Jenn McPoland helped plan the 2025 event, which was held on International Women’s Day at The Leftbank Annex, with an expected crowd of about 1,500 people. The 2026 festival moved to the Portland Art Museum and included a photo booth, food carts run by women, and Girl Scout Cookies for sale. That year, the festival also expanded to include spirits.
In 2023, Jeff Alworth of Portland Monthly noted that women are now common in breweries, partly because of SheBrew, which he said not only showed off the skill of female brewers but also drew a different crowd. In 2026, Willamette Week readers voted SheBrew first in the Best Craft Beer Festival category of the annual “Best of Portland” poll.
Lore & Background
The first SheBrew event was held in 2013 at the Q Center with approximately 50 attendees. Attendance grew steadily over time. For the 2018 event, Lee Hedgmon of McMenamins brewed a green beer called 'Welcome Back to Oz, Bitches!' Approximately 1,000 people were expected for the 2020 festival, which was held in March and was among the city's last festivals before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2021 event was canceled due to the pandemic. The 2022 event was held at Castaway Portland with COVID-19 precautions including proof of vaccination and enforcement of face masks. The 2023 and 2024 events were held at Redd on Salmon Street.
Jenn McPoland was among organizers of the 2025 event, which was held on International Women's Day at The Leftbank Annex and had an expected turnout of approximately 1,500 people. The 2026 event was held at the Portland Art Museum and featured a photo booth, women-owned food carts, and Girl Scout Cookies for sale. The festival also expanded into spirits in 2026.
Reader's Guide
SheBrew has played a role in increasing the visibility of women in the brewing industry. In 2023, Jeff Alworth of Portland Monthly noted that women had become a common sight in the brewhouse, attributing this in part to SheBrew, which showcased the excellence of women brewers and attracted a different kind of audience.
The festival ranked first in the Best Craft Beer Festival category of Willamette Week's annual 'Best of Portland' readers' poll in 2026. By featuring women and non-binary brewers from the Pacific Northwest and donating profits to the Human Rights Campaign and the Oregon Brew Crew, the event has contributed to both industry representation and community support. Its expansion into spirits in 2026 and continued growth in attendance reflect its ongoing relevance in Portland's festival landscape.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: SheBrew (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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