Austin Woman Magazine Honors Local Brewery Co-Founder
Amy Cartwright, co-founder, and President of Independence Brewing Co. takes home the first-ever Austin Women’s Way award in the Beverage and Culinary Arts
Austin Woman magazine hosts the Woman’s Way Business Awards annually, recognizing and promoting women business owners and community leaders across a variety of categories. In its 7th year, the event reflects the magazine’s vision to “uplift and cultivate our community of inspiring women” by celebrating the work of women-owned and women-led businesses that are disrupting the status quo through innovation.
Award categories cover a wide variety of local industries from heath and wellness and product innovation to makers and social impact. This year, a new category was added to highlight women in the Beverage and Culinary Arts: “From impressive leadership to innovative flavors and/or products, this business has left its mark on the Austin food & beverage scene.” Amy Cartwright, Co-founder, and President of Independence Brewing Company took home the first award at the May event, marking the first time a woman in the alcohol beverage industry was recognized at the award ceremony.
I caught up with Amy to talk about her historic win:
When you were nominated, were you surprised? How did you feel?
“It was a nice surprise to be nominated for the Austin Women’s Magazine Woman’s Way Award. I didn’t get into making beer to win awards. I got into brewing to create amazing beers for people to enjoy. Along the way, I realized the positive impact we could provide our community by contributing beer to local non-profit events, working with fellow business owners, and creating opportunities for people to learn and advance their careers at Independence Brewing. So, it was an honor to be recognized amongst such an amazing group of Austin women.”
When you won, what was that like? Especially knowing you are the first in the industry to receive an award?
“I was so happy to have actually purchased tickets to this event (not something I’d have splurged on pre-Covid, but now I appreciate getting together to celebrate your peers) and brought Shelby Lehor, our Sales Director, and Kate Dhennin, our head of Accounting, with me to the awards ceremony. It made winning the award so much more special to see the pride in their faces, and to celebrate our collective contributions to the Austin craft beer community.”
