New female brewer in town to give guys a run for their money

By Todd Connor of TheIndyChannel.com

MCCORDSVILLE, Ind. – The craft brewing industry in Indiana has grown tremendously in recent years, and one of the latest entries into the market promises to give the guys a run for their money.

Eilise Lane not only talks the talk, but she walks the walk. She’s a brewer and the CEO of the newly opened Scarlet Lane Brewing Company in McCordsville – which just started making and distributing beer this spring.

Lane stands out in a male-dominated industry, where beards are almost considered an essential tool of brewing, but she’s OK with that.

“I don’t have a beard, so I don’t automatically fit in the stereotype of being a brewer, but once I’m able to talk to people or work with them, a lot of times I’m able to show that I do belong in this world,” Lane said.

Lane caught the beer-brewing bug after falling in love with a stout in Oregon. She asked if she could speak with the brewer who made it.

“The staff said I’m sorry, SHE’S not here today. And something clicked!” Lane said. “So I went to fermentation school and I learned more about the science behind it and how to brew.” 

Lane is working with Scarlet Lane’s head brewer to come up with their first beers. Her husband works on marketing and close friends make up the rest of the company.

“So we got female investors, all but one. And then Eilise is the CEO, brewer and then Monica’s her president and then the rest of us just kind of answer to them,” brewer Nick Servies said.

Kelly Hartman is one of those willing to bet her money on a female-run brewery.

“I love the fact that it’s a brand-new business and it’s beer, and it’s really fueled by women which I think is awesome,” Hartman said.

Lane knows of a couple other female brewers in Indiana, but she might be the only one leading a company.

It’s almost like taking a step back in history to how the beer used to be brewed hundreds — even thousands –of years ago.

“The women were the ones who owned the breweries and would make the grog and the beer and men weren’t involved in that. And there was even period of time when men weren’t allowed to touch the production of beer because it was considered unlucky,” Lane said.

In the end, the men and women who run Scarlet Lane all want one thing — to produce the best beer possible.

Scarlet Lane currently only sells its beer by the keg, but they hope to have a tap room open soon.