It takes courage to strike out on the entrepreneurial journey, but it takes a bit of insanity to do it in a niche as specific as brewing QA/QC. One could say that would make her a mad scientist, but Dana Garves is a TTB-certified brewing chemist and founder of Oregon BrewLab!
Since Garves left her role at Ninkasi Brewing Company in 2014, she has been at the forefront of the microbrewery quality revelation. Referred to by some as the “Queen of Quality Fermentation,” she set a new standard with accurate results that could give breweries actionable insights in a timely manner. Her offerings have constantly evolved as demand grows and changes, illustrative that she is always on top of relevant brewing (and kombucha and cider) needs.
This Queen didn’t stop at being a chemist; she pushed beyond the bench to become an educator and authority in sustainability and sensory. Sought out for her engaging presentations, sensory kits, and innovative perspective on microwave use, it seems like she always has a webinar on tap!
Wait, the Queen has pushed beyond just a presenter: Garves founded the Brewing Science Symposium! No registration fee, just a requested donation to support presenters, and any extra profits go to the Women’s International Beer Summit; she is determined to break down the barriers to quality education.
“We believe in affordable education,” proclaims Garves. “The Symposium stands for removing barriers to science education – barriers such as registration costs, travel expenses, and the ability to take time away from babysitting beer. Therefore, it is 100% virtual, and registration is 100% free.”
The inaugural Brewing Science Symposium is November 10-11th, 2022. See this Queen in action with fellow royalty Jen Blair, Amy Todd, and Fermly's own Emily Wang.