Rachael Engel makes it her business to disrupt the beer industry, and this year was no exception. The head brewer at Bosk Brew Works in Woodinville, Washington—a verdant suburb of Seattle where brewery, winery, and distillery tasting rooms dot the pine-carpeted landscape—she makes some of the most consistently delicious German-style Lagers west of the pond.
Even more importantly, Engel is an outspoken advocate for greater equality in the beer industry, giving vital voice to the queer and trans people who are too often erased from its ranks. In 2020, she ran for a position on the Brewers Association’s packaging brewery board of directors on a platform of combating discrimination, harassment, and sexual violence against women and underrepresented people. The loss of Engel’s campaign reflected the industry’s evolutionary resistance, made evident by the subsequent year of increasingly upsetting revelations.
Yet Engel isn’t easily deterred. Every year, but especially in 2021, her voice has been a beacon of hope for underrepresented people in the industry, particularly for the LGBTQIA+ and trans communities. She makes a point to be a visible presence in both physical and virtual beer spaces, sharing her experience on Facebook and Twitter and spending time in Bosk’s taproom after her shifts. Her goal is to show queer and trans folks that beer has a place for them, even in the face of horrific allegations and amid the perpetual din of online trolls that can dominate online conversations.
Leading by example and proving the power of representation, Engel lands the delicate balance between brave, no-bullshit boldness and positive activism. Wherever you may find her, from the boardroom to the taproom to the social media timeline, Engel’s comforting, cat-eyed presence makes craft beer a better place.
Words,Holly Regan