UNTAPPED: FERMENTING FEMINISM THROUGH THE CRAFT BEER MOVEMENT by ANNE MEREDITH SUGAR B.A., James Madison University, 1993 M.A., James Madison University, 1995 M.A., University of Florida, 2008 A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Colorado in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Communication 2016 This dissertation entitled: Untapped: Fermenting Feminism through the Craft Beer Movement written by Anne Meredith Sugar has been approved for the College of Media, Communication and Information __________________________________________________ Polly McLean, Ph.D. __________________________________________________ Marlia Banning, Ph.D. __________________________________________________ Lee Chambers, Ph.D. __________________________________________________ Kelty Logan, Ph.D. __________________________________________________ Kathleen Ryan, Ph.D. Date______________________ The final copy of this dissertation has been examined by the signatories, and we find that both the content and the form meet acceptable presentation standards of scholarly work in the above mentioned discipline HRC protocol # 14-0114 ABSTRACT Sugar, Anne M. (Ph.D., Communication, College of Media, Communication and Information) Untapped: Fermenting Feminism through the Craft Beer Movement Dissertation directed by Associate Professor Polly McLean This dissertation investigates how the neoliberal turn of the 1980s created a gendered, male space around beer as a function of power and social control designed to subjugate both women and working-class males to the new white-collar hegemonic masculinity in the wake of the second wave of feminism. Research by the beer industry indicates an abandonment of their market by female consumers, and this study contends that hostile gender portrayals in television series and advertisements steered Generation X and millennial women away from the macroindustry beer market. A recent shift in both the media and beer industry from corporate control to grassroots enterprises allowed women to reengage with beer and the social ritual of its consumption through women-only craft beer enthusiast groups that reject the regressive, sexist advertising messages in the mainstream broadcast media. This project uses feminist critical theory to investigate how beer became gendered in the neoliberal media of the past 30 years and the impact of that gendering on the social ritual of beer drinking for millennials and Generation X. This research uses historical and textural analysis to explore the gendering of beer in the mainstream media. An ethnography of women-only beer clubs and in-depth interviews with club members discerns the characteristics of women beer drinkers and determines the role iii social media plays in the relationship between the craft beer movement and women beer drinkers. Results of this analysis suggest that the media portrayals surrounding beer and its consumption as a male, and largely blue collar, space and ritual that aired on television during Generation X’s and millennials’ formative years contributed to women’s negative impressions of the products brewed by the corporate beer industry and inspired them to consume other alcoholic products, namely craft beer. In addition, the craft beer industry, heavily-run by Gen Xers and millennials, conducts their business and engages social media in an inclusive and collaborative manner as an oppositional response to the macrobrewing industry’s gendering of beer in the media. This dissertation examines women’s involvement with women-only craft beer enthusiast clubs for intellectual and social engagement with both beer and other women and their need for safe spaces that do not include men in response to the hostile gendering of beer in the media and social ritual over the last three decades. The findings herein point to social media as the link between women and their engagement with craft beer, and show that it helped to create a female beer fandom that functions as a participatory culture online and off. Finally, this work asserts that the craft beer industry, and its inclusion of all genders, is both a millennial and feminist movement in response to years of negative, gendering neoliberal media messages employed by the corporate macrobrewing industry. iv DEDICATION This is for you, Dad. Whenever anyone calls me Dr. Sugar, I’ll look around to see if you’re standing behind me. And you will be. Because you always have been. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation was far from a solo undertaking, and I have many professors, mentors, colleagues, and friends to thank for their help in bringing this project to fruition. It has been a pleasure to have people from every corner of my life and community contribute to this process over the last five years. It truly did take a village. First and foremost, I must recognize my dedicated advisor and stalwart champion, Polly McLean. Dr. McLean was the alpha and omega of this work; she allowed me to explore the kernel of an idea that started as a research paper about beer commercials and served as cheerleader and midwife as I birthed it into a full-blown dissertation. None of this would have been possible without her unflagging guidance. Thank you for being so patient and committed. I am grateful for the insights, ideas, and expertise of my committee members, Kathleen Ryan, Kelty Logan, Lee Chambers, and Marlia Banning. Throughout my graduate studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, each of them directed parts of this research, helped to focus my theoretical approach, and served as supportive and enlightening instructors in the classroom and beyond. I was beyond fortunate to have an extraordinary team of women scholars in my adviser and committee to steer me through feminist academic waters during a challenging process. In my wider academic circle, I must acknowledge the wisdom and advice I received from several devoted mentors. Thank you to Laura Border, who took an interest in my future as an academic and provided me with ample opportunities to share my research. Clifford Jones’ early and regular advice to “just answer one question” with vi my dissertation kept me focused and gave my project a manageable scope. I cannot thank David Ostroff enough for always making time to help me negotiate the curves of the Ph.D. process. Thank you, David, for reminding me that the best dissertation is a finished dissertation and to keep my eyes on the prize; I am much obliged for the way you stepped up to be the mentor I needed from a distance. He may not realize it, but Sidney Bland set me on this journey 20 years ago when he agreed to serve as my thesis director during my first master’s degree at James Madison University. His belief in my abilities and commitment to my work imbued me with a love for research and academic writing. Even though they departed this earth before I began my Ph.D., both Betty Luse and Lynda Kaid and their loving wisdom were with me in spirit and buoyed me throughout this long process. There are no words to adequately express my gratitude to E. Jill Pollock for her friendship, sponsorship, and dedicated hours of proofreading. She is indeed the best boss any woman could ask for, and, without her, none of this would have been possible. Thank you for your patience, generosity, and the resources that allowed me to write this dissertation. You are truly a gift. I am indebted to the women of The Crafty Ladies Beer Club and Ales 4 Females for inviting me into their ranks, for sharing their lives and thoughts so generously, and for agreeing to contribute to this research. They are the pivot point around which this dissertation revolves, and, ultimately, they made this project happen. Undying appreciation goes out to my extraordinary and fervent friends who provided helping hands and good humor while I wrote. Thank you to Lisa Dunbar and Mitra Keykhah for being excellent and dedicated editors, creative contributors, and vii tireless daily sounding boards throughout my years in this program. Thank you for listening so patiently and providing laughs as well as proofreading. This list would be incomplete without thanks to Lucy Pisoni whose sushi nights, long massages, loyalty, and laughter kept me together body and soul. I am also thankful to Katie O’Shea, Juan Padro, Morgan Zamora, Julie Humbird, Jody McGirk, Holly Elkins, Sarah Garber, Gabrielle Renner, Christy Hulsman, Aisha Sayles, Amanda Accamando, and Roger Rodriguez for their love, support, and devotion. Finally, none of this would have happened without Amy Elkins and Dave Nespoli lending me a substantial hand when I moved to Colorado eight years ago. Thanks for inviting me to volunteer at the Great American Beer Festival with you back in 2008, Dave. You started me on this path as soon as I got to town without either of us realizing it. I am grateful for the endless care and feeding I received from the kind and hard- working wait staff at the Colorado Boulevard Village Inn and the many meals, pots of strong coffee, and bottomless iced tea refills they served me with a smile to fuel my long days and late nights of writing and editing. Thank you for letting me hole up in a booth and focus on my work without the pesky distraction of self-maintenance. And, finally, I owe a debt to my Pumpa, who first shared his beer with me so many years ago. No matter how many degrees I earn or how much craft beer I drink, I will never forget the wonderful0 taste of your cold Black Label straight from the can on a hot summer day. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter One: No One Wants A Pink Beer …………………………………………….. 1 Introduction …….……………………………………………………………………… 1 The Brewing Process: Qualitative Methodologies ……………………………….. 5 Mashing In: The Feminist Researcher ……………………………………………. 12 Water, Barley, Hops (and Yeast): Theoretical Frameworks ……………………. 16 Enter Neoliberalism ….…………………………………………………….... 17 Neoliberal Femininity and Third Wave Feminism ………………………..