Oskar Blues cellar woman, Kat Castro, recently traveled to Peru, where she brewed a collaboration beer with Barranco Brewing Company. Collaboration has been a major theme throughout Kat’s career in the beer industry. Since we installed a 1-barrel small batch system in our Brevard location, Kat has teamed up with coworkers across departments to make new, experimental beers for our taproom.

One of those beers is a small-batch gose, brewed by the ladies at our Brevard location and set to be released at the International Women’s Day celebration at our taproom on March 8. We sat down with Kat to get the lowdown on her trip to Peru, her development of the gose, and why International Women’s Day is an important day to celebrate.

How did you end up brewing in Peru?

I met my now friend, Sara, at a Pink Boots collab in Miami. She has a brewery in Lima named “Barranco Brewing Company,” and once I decided to travel there I linked up with the head brewer there and made some magic.

What beer did you brew there?

We brewed a farmhouse ale with all local ingredients. We used quinoa, miel de abeja de Oxapampa, semillas de culantro y cascara de naranja Huando (quinoa, honey from Oxapampa, coriander seeds and orange peel from Huando).

What was the most surprising thing about brewing in Peru, or something new you learned?

Honestly, how evolved the craft beer industry is in Latin America. They’re making strides and breaking barriers with their creativity, and bringing something new to the community.

Why did you pick the Gose style to release on International Women’s Day?

It holds a special place in my heart. It was the first style I brewed on a production scale at MIA Beer
Co.  It’s also a crushable beer style with a nice base that I enjoy playing with.

How would you describe your approach to recipe formulation?

Oh God, haha. I’m not sure that I have a specific method. Each time is different. Mostly, I just take a look at what’s lacking and take it from there. I personally like to brew crushable beers (beers people would enjoy drinking more than one of).

How would you describe Gose Before Bros?

It’s a dry-hopped Gose brewed with coriander and Fumee de sel (sea salt smoked on Chardonnay barrels). We used a simple base (white wheat and two row). We’ll use this beer for both Biere de Femme (a beer festival celebrating women in the beer industry) and International Women’s Day. So, for hops we used the Pinks Boots blend that included Mosaic, Simcoe, Loral, Glacier and Sabro. We were also fortunate enough to play around with a lactic-producing yeast which contributed to the acidity to the Gose. Essentially, all the ingredients marry well together and make for an easy-drinking beer made by the badass ladies of Oskar Blues Brevard.

Why is it important to brew a specialty beer for International Women’s Day?

It’s important to celebrate badass women everywhere always. This day is special because we are able to celebrate each other and the glass ceilings we’ve broken not only in the beer industry but in fuckin’ general. It’s important to note that we’re here and we’re making waves. Enjoy what we’re bringing to the table for you to crush.

Join us on Friday, March 8 for our International Women’s Day celebration from 4-8pm at our Brevard, NC, Tasty Weasel Taproom. We’ll have live music, a pop-up market featuring women-owned businesses and the debut of Gose Before Bros!