ITO is the acronym for “It. Takes. Ovaries.” This project is a collaboration among seven women––six woodturners (Dixie Biggs, Sharon Doughtie, Jean LeGwin, Betty Scarpino, Andi Wolfe, and Lynne Yamaguchi) and a fine art furniture maker (Katie Hudnall). The name, ITO Brewery, is in homage to the history of beer making, in which women played a central role from the beginning of the invention of “liquid bread” – a by-product of yeast fermentation for bread-making. The invention of beer dates to about seven thousand years ago, in ancient Egypt, and has been independently derived in numerous cultures around the world. Most cultural traditions of beer making have women as the brew masters, or, more properly, brew mistresses. It has only been the past two hundred years or so of this 7,000-year history that men have dominated the brewing industry.
ITO Brewery produces many unique beers, including Persistent Pilsner (Dixie Biggs), Booby Trap Beer (Sharon Doughtie), Bluestocking Blond (Jean LeGwin), Menopause Malt (Betty Scarpino), Alewife Ale (Andi Wolfe), and Divine Stout (Lynne Yamaguchi). Our crates are made by Katie Hudnall.
The inaugural offerings of ITO Brewery
Crate made by Katie Hudnall
Our collaboration will be up for auction on July 12, 2019, at the American Association of Woodturners Benefit Auction in Raleigh, North Carolina. Online bidding will be available, with a link to the auction site posted on the AAW website. If you would like to be notified when the auction is online, sign-up is here.