Good spirits were all around at the Rubicon Brewing Company, located at 2004 Capitol Ave., on Saturday for their annual Women in Brewing event. The event, which features women brewers from the area and around the world, with proceeds from the sales and a silent auction supporting WEAVE, drew several thousand beer enthusiasts throughout the day to sample some good brews.

Several of the brewer s attended the event, including Denise Jones, the Brewmaster for Moylan’s Brewing Company, who brewed the Hell’s Export Lager for the event.

“Usually, beers are turned over in 14 to 21 days, whereas this beer took probably about six to seven weeks before I released it to the public,” Jones said of the lager that she brews only once or twice per year. While brewing wasn’t her first career, it’ll probably be her last. “I enjoy getting up every day and going to work,” Jones said. “It’s not a 40-hour kind of week for me, it’s a lifestyle.”

Jones noted that while men still dominate the brewing world, women are increasingly becoming a part of that world. While she admits the work takes a lot of physical and mental strength, Jones said there are practically no barriers for women in the brewing field. “If you think there are barriers, there will be barriers, if you make them for yourself,” she said. “There’s no barrier that I ever saw that should matter.”

Participating in the event since its inception, Jones said, “I do a lot of charity events, take beer a lot of places, and there are good causes everywhere, and (this is) a really nice community event.”

The Sac City Rollers roller derby team was also there to support the event. Participants for three years now, the derby donates tickets, T-shirts, stickers and signed posters for the event’s silent auction. H. N. Icy, the manager of the team, said the team likes to stay for most of the event, inviting all its fans to come out and enjoy a beer. “We love to come out and support the cause… it’s good for us to be out here, it’s good for WEAVE and it’s also supporting a really good cause,” Icy said. “It’s also supporting women in brewing, which is a really important part. And we are all about women and empowerment, so it’s just kind of all coincides.”

Many agreed, enjoying the sunny weather on the Rubicon’s patio while having a beer with friends. Sacramento native Patrick Mabie, 30, drank his Urthel Samaranth brewed by Belgian Hildegard van Ostaden while chatting with friends.

“It’s a great cause, and a good excuse to drink before five,” Mabie joked.

The event was started four years ago after a Rubicon employee was attacked on her way home and WEAVE stepped in to help her out. Glynn Phillips, the owner of Rubicon, said the local charity helped to get her back on her feet. “They treated her with kindness and respect and helped her out,” he said.

The idea formed after talking one night with friends and employees about beer. “We talked about how years ago it was woman’s job to make beer for household,” Phillips said of the currently male-dominated career. In fact, women were dominating the brewing field as early as 3150 B.C., and remained in that position until the Industrial Revolution and the onset of commercial brewing prompted men to take over.

Phillips then took the idea to WEAVE and formed a partnership.

“They brought the idea to us,” said Beth Hassett, executive director of WEAVE. “They really wanted to dedicate the money to the sexual assault program.” While it’s still unknown how much money was raised through the event, Hassett noted that, last year, they raised several thousand dollars.

“The community supports us a lot, and we should support the community as well,” Phillips said.

“We feel like it’s a great partnership with women who are breaking into a mostly male industry, brewing beer and doing something good to help other women in our community,” Hassett said. “We’re so grateful they’ve chosen WEAVE to benefit from this fun fundraising effort.”

Be sure to watch for the other fundraising events the Rubicon has planned. One of the biggest events is the Midtown Community Festival, benefiting the Boys and Girls Club of Sacramento, where streets are closed for the day to let people have fun and enjoy their community. The Rubicon is also planning a new fundraiser, called 501c Wednesdays, where, Phillips said, “Every week we’ll have a benefit for different charity or nonprofit.”

Image 1: The Hell's Export Lager from Denise Jones

Image 2: Denise Jones, Moylen's Brewmaster

Image 3: Patrons enjoy beer and sunshine on the Rubicon's patio

Image 4: Urthel Samaranth, brewed by Hildegard van Ostaden

Image 5: Patrick Mabie, left, and friends, Ryan Kile and Matt Kretzmann toast for charity