Harrogate’s Rooster’s taproom at Hornbeam Park is set to host a pioneering one-day event, ‘Summer Hop’, on July 4th. Designed as a gender-inclusive symposium, Summer Hop welcomes all individuals with an interest in the UK beer industry.
The event will unfold across three distinct sections—Talks, Tastings, and Social—each offering separate ticketed sessions. Beginning at 10am and running until 3pm, the day kicks off with industry-focused talks featuring activists, leaders, researchers, and experts from the beer sector. Highlight segments include iscussions on gender disparities within the UK beer industry, featuring insights from beer sommelier Annabel Smith and Inka Kosonen’s research on inclusivity in British craft beer.
A pivotal roundtable discussion titled ‘The UK Beer Industry is Failing Women. How Can We Drive Real Change?’ will delve into critical issues and explore actionable solutions. Esteemed panelists such as Rachel Auty, Isobel Cameron, Jessica Mason, Lauren Gilbert, Heather Griffin, Catherine Webber, Bex Painter, and Katie Wynne will lead this dialogue.
Following the talks, the event shifts to a ‘WOT Topics’ hour, showcasing activism projects and practical strategies from the Dea Latis 10-point manifesto, presented by Annabel Smith and Rachel Auty.
Tickets for Summer Hop are priced at £15, which includes access to all sessions, networking opportunities, a light lunch, and a beer. Limited subsidised tickets at £10 are also available, supported by Barthhaas.
In the afternoon, from 3.15pm to 4.30pm, attendees can participate in a guided beer tasting led by Annabel Smith, featuring four Rooster’s beers paired with snacks. Tickets for this tasting experience are £12.
The day culminates in the ‘Beer Social’ starting at 5pm, hosted by Women On Tap CIC and open to beer enthusiasts of all stripes. This segment includes spoken word performances by poet Jem Henderson and live music by Waihuka Matekuare and Amber Ra. Tickets are £5, covering the first drink and a Women On Tap pin badge, with entertainment running until 7.30pm and continuing in a reserved area of the taproom.
Throughout the event, attendees can enjoy the ‘Raging!’ photography exhibition by Grace Wilkinson and Sarah Oglesby, addressing the visibility of women+ in society. This exhibition will be accessible all day, with a special talk by the artists during the WOT Topics session, and an interactive ‘Board of Rage’ where participants can share their frustrations.
Summer Hop promises to be a dynamic blend of education, entertainment, and community engagement, celebrating diversity and progress in the beer industry.
