Bombshell Brewing Company

t might sound cliché, but the beginnings of Bombshell Brewing Co. in Holly Springs literally started on a golf course. Bombshell owners Michelle Miniutti, Ellen Joyner and Jackie Hudspeth all knew each other originally from Devil’s Ridge Golf Course in Holly Springs, where the three met playing golf. And through the twists and turns of fate and hops, the three opened Bombshell Brewing in 2013. But don’t let the name fool you. Bombshell might harken back to the days of Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield and Jean Harlow, but Miniutti, Joyner and Hudspeth are all business when it comes to brewing beer. “It’s about the hops, not the hype,” Miniutti said. With gold medals in the 2018 N.C. Brewers Cup and Beer Army Wars competitions for its H Town lager, Bombshell’s true beauty is inside its kegs and cans. The ladies also have won awards for their Hipster Handshake wheat ale, Lady in Red ale, Oktoberfest and Woman Full o’ Trouble porter. And their best-seller is the Head Over Hops IPA, a traditional IPA with plenty of fruit tones. “We wanted to make it about the beer, not the hype,” Miniutti repeated. But when the partners were brainstorming for a name, they decided to cash in on the fact that Bombshell Brewery is owned by three women — something unique in the male-dominated craft brew industry, said Miniutti. “We didn’t want it to be so much about the sexy part, but we did want it to have some femininity to it,” Miniutti said in reference to choosing a brewery name. “Here are three

IBY J. ERIC ECKARD women in the brewery business. Wow. Who expected that? “That’s the definition of bombshell — something shocking and amazing.” And it’s true. Fewer than 4 percent of the nation’s craft breweries are run by women, according to the Brewer’s Association. And another study indicates that 25 percent of craft beer drinkers are women. "I was brought up being taught that I could do anything," Joyner said. "Going into a 'man's world' I was brought up being taught didn't faze me. I hope that starting Bombshell that I could do anything. Going shows other women not to let gender get in the into a ‘man’s world’ didn’t way." faze me. I hope that starting Joyner and Miniutti first hatched the Bombshell shows other women not Bombshell plan almost a decade ago. When rain to let gender get in the way. washed out their weekend rounds of golf, they ventured out to breweries in the region to sample - Ellen Joyner the craft beer fare. They were friends and co-workers at Siemens Healthcare, but the two dreamed of running their own business and controlling their own destiny, Miniutti said. “There are (hardly any) women in the brewing

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industry, and we wanted to change that,” Miniutti said. “Ellen had been a home brewer, and I grew up in Maine, drinking Allagash and Sea Dog beers.” For a few years, the two focused on brewing beer at home to hone in on specific recipes. In 2012, they decided to come up with a business plan and add a third partner – Hudspeth, a neighbor and fellow Devil’s Ridge golfer. Construction on the brewery and taproom began in 2013, and the first Bombshell beer hit the market in December of that year. A month later, the taproom opened. Later in 2014, Miniutti and Joyner left Siemens to focus on the brewery full-time. Today, Bombshell Brewery produces 2,000 barrels of beer each year and distributes to 15 North Carolina counties throughout the Triad, Triangle and Sandhills. And head brewer Devin Singley now handles the brewing operations. “We’ve grown a lot,” Miniutti said. “We have 15 employees — seven full-time. “And we bought our own canning line.” Each partner oversees a different part of the company. Miniutti handles marketing, social media and outside sales; Joyner runs the dayto-day operations; and Hudspeth supervises delivery and distribution of the product. "I love seeing people having a good time in our taproom and enjoying our beers,” Hudspeth said. “Even though decision-making can be difficult at times, everyone in the room wants what's best for the company and our brand.” Part of what they’ve decided is best for the Bombshell brand revolves around community involvement, charitable giving and empowering women. Part of the profits go to local charities each month. The brewery also is involved in the Pink Boots Society, an organization that assists, inspires and encourages women in the beer industry. Bombshell donates a 25-barrel batch to the organization regularly. “I’m proud of who we are and what we’ve accomplished,” Miniutti said.

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