Woman Crush Wednesday: Paige Martin

A Certified Cicerone, champion of sustainable brewing, co-chair of the Brewers Association Draught Beer Quality Subcommittee, and a quality professional with a penchant for singing to buckets while cleaning them, Paige Martin is in a brewing category all her own!

Some questionable information prompted Paige’s deeper dive into brewing. “I found out some of the training I received was erroneous, which was fun. I was told there are two kinds of beers: lagers and pilsners.” It was her first introduction to the variety of beer styles. However, due to diligent note-taking and curiosity, she naturally found out this information wasn’t correct, but she had the research bug now!

The curiosity has launched a career of learning, leadership, and flavor. These days, Paige is draughted into quality work by helping to update the Brewers Association’s Draught Beer Quality Manual. It hasn’t been updated since 2019, and there are so many new products on the market with crowlers, non-alcoholic, hop waters, and even THC beverages. Heated discussions, drafts on drafts, and legal reviews all go into curating the manual, but as Paige points out, “the main truth is that there is no solid science behind [these] yet.”

Beyond helping shape guidelines, Paige sets standards with her day job at Real Ale Brewing. Sustainability is a central concern beyond cost. Water conservation is essential in Texas since the brewery’s location is in an area that has suffered multiple drought years. The state doesn’t require wastewater treatment, but they take the initiative. They also explore additional options like yeast repitching, CO2 reclamation, and reusing products.

Paige balances the systems and quality work by utilizing her English degree for sensory. “I think it makes me a descriptive taster. I started on a sensory-driven route and then worked on incorporating more science and how the science impacts the flavors in the end,” she says. Especially with a market trending toward cleaner, lighter lagers, she has applied these skills “we did triangle testing on our malt steep to dial in the malt and hop choices… and it’s interesting to see in that light body how they can cause subtle shifts, trying them next to each other, and seeing what impact they make. That’s the stuff that really gets me geeking out.”

Geeking out and lifting others up, too! Paige knows she isn’t the only one presented with challenges as a marginalized individual in the brewing industry. Her advice? “Make sure you are getting your education, advocating for yourself, applying for scholarships, and looking for your next promotion. Hopefully, you can focus on yourself and put yourself out there. It’s going to inspire other people to go after those things.” No wonder she has turned even an adventure of bucket cleaning into a personal musical with that attitude!

Paige Martin proves that quality isn’t just about specs, it is about curiosity, collaboration, and a little bit of sanitizing karaoke. Get inspired today with one of her favorite pairings: a funky blue cheese and a doppelbock (Ayinger) because it can make those plum and cherry notes pop!