Tuesday, 04 March 2025
Female brewing scientists from the University of Nottingham have worked in partnership with local companies to create a visually striking pink beer to celebrate the achievements of women in the brewing industry and raise awareness about the challenges they continue to face.
The new ‘Viva La Frida’ beer is inspired by the vibrant creativity and works of the artist Frida Kahlo and will be launched on International Women's Day (March 8th), this initiative also aims to inspire women to consider brewing as a fulfilling and enjoyable career path.
The brewing scientists have partnered with Blue Monkey brewery and Murphy and Son , a company who provide brewing supplies and consultancy for the brewing industry, to create Viva La Frida. Viva La Frida is a Belgian Wheat 4.5% ABV beer infused with coriander, orange zest and hibiscus for a vibrant pink hue.
Pink beer being brewed at Blue Monkey brewery
£1 from every sale of Viva La Frida cans will be donated to Juno Women's Aid, the largest domestic abuse organisation in Nottingham that works with women, children, and teens who have been affected by domestic abuse.
The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) recently reported that 30% of brewery employees are women and this drops to only 3% in brewing roles.
To shine a light on this, and the progress the industry and University is making in trying to encourage more women into the industry, PhD brewing science students, Christabel Smith and Giulia Roselli and Aline Brito (a Knowledge Transfer Partnership associate at Murphy and Son and researcher at the University) decided to create a new beer. Along with the support of Stephanie Brindley, Technical Sales Manager at Murphy and Son and the brewing team at Blue Monkey, this collaborative effort brings together a shared passion for creating a beer that not only tastes delicious but also embodies the spirit of inclusivity.
They said: “The original brewers were women, and we wanted to celebrate this history and highlight the need for more female brewers on International Women’s Day. We joined forces with Murphy & Son and Blue Monkey to craft a beer inspired by Frida Kahlo’s endurance, creativity, and connection with nature. We have taken a Belgian Wheat beer recipe and added our own twist with the addition of hibiscus which gives the beer a distinctive pink colour.
As female brewing scientists in a male-dominated field, we hope this beer and the collaboration highlights the possibilities that are available to women in this industry and the support there is for them should they choose this as a career path
Viva La Frida beer
Viva La Frida is being brewed and canned at Blue Monkey Brewery in Giltbrook, Ian Wesley, Commercial Director said: “We are extremely proud to be involved in this brewing project. We have great interest in supporting women within our industry. Let’s hope it tastes as good as it sounds.”
The International Centre for Brewing Science at the University of Nottingham is a centre of excellence for brewing education and research. They have a number of commercial partnerships with brewers who offer experience and career opportunities to graduates. The Centre recently launched an expanded partnership with Murphy and Son that will drive forward enhanced research and development. This partnership has already facilitated numerous graduates through apprenticeships, fellowships, post graduate placements, and a Knowledge Transfer Partnership co-funded by UKRI through Innovate UK.
Story credits
More information is available from Giulia Rosella on giulia.roselli@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 97 in the world and 17th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the third most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
More news…