The Women of Steel Bonnet
By Julie Horner
Leslie Buchanan became lead brewer at Steel Bonnet Brewing Company in June 2020. Involved with the business since its early days, she earned the position. “When Donald and Susan asked if I’d like to take over the brewhouse, I was excited – and terrified.” From brewing to kegging, in an industry dominated by men, Buchanan quickly reached full stride at this family-run nanobrewery tucked into a corner of Victor Square in Scotts Valley.
It’s becoming more common to see women brewers. Emily Thomas, who established Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing Company, comes to mind as a local pioneer. Buchanan said, “More women are feeling it’s an available option. I think it’s awesome.”
Originally from Scotland, Susan and Donald Cramb established the brewpub in the fall of 2015. Home to a palette of British and Scottish ales, and American IPAs, Susan remembers the first day she was asked to hold down the fort. “Donald still has a day job over the hill and does a lot of traveling. He said, I’m going to Boston for a couple of weeks and you are now head brewer. You can do it, you just follow the recipe.”
Cramb said Donald and their son, Callum, developed most of the recipes during their home brewing days. Now Steel Bonnet keeps about 20 recipes in rotation, a mixture of traditional English-style recipes and American recipes. “The Cream Ale is a wonderful base,” she said, from which some of their first brews, the Coffee Cream Ale and Ginger Snap, were derived. And there are more to come. The latest, Knickerbocker Glory Cream Ale, with hints of hibiscus, “is extremely popular.”
It takes two weeks to finish brewing a batch of ale. Buchanan explained the process: The grain is added to water, it steeps for an hour. “You’re basically making tea,” she said. The grain is where you get the flavor and color of the beer. The liquid is then strained off, and that becomes wort. The wort then goes into the boil kettle, to which certain hops are added at different times. Adding hops early in the boil, you get your bitterness. Adding hops later, you get more flavor. After the boil, the mixture goes into the fermenter. Dry hopping occurs during fermentation, which produces the beer’s aroma.
“One of the best things is opening up a fresh batch of hops,” Buchanan said, “When you’re mashing it and adding the water to the grain and you’re stirring it.” Depending on the type of hops, you might detect hints of pipe tobacco or chocolate. “Suddenly you’re hungry for oatmeal or a big bowl of muesli. It’s a very sensory experience.” And as the lead, Buchanan is responsible for tasting the beer throughout its lifespan, from wort to the finished product. “You have to learn to taste beyond the yeast,” she said, “To taste for the flavors you’re trying to bring forward and ignore the flavors that will be boiled away in the process.”
Experimental ideas are encouraged. “Donald and Susan are supportive, they say go ahead and give it a try.” They’re working on brewing a hard seltzer now. And the latest brew is called Unknown Pleasures, a hazy IPA.
Buchanan says it’s way more than just a job. “None of this works without all of us working together. There’s such a sweetness where all of this feels like family. We all play roles in keeping this place running. We’re all pretty essential.” She feels like the pub has succeeded in its vision. “We couldn’t have done it without the wonderful staff we have,” agrees Cramb. “It makes it easy to work through the occasional grit that comes up or to cover for someone when they’re in need,” Buchanan added.
There’s a distinct symbiotic relationship with the community, and the women of Steel Bonnet have brought this about. “Brewing here feels like cooking for a big family. We’re going to see familiar faces throughout the month, and they remember the variables of each batch.” Cramb said, “We have a family whose baby took his first steps here. It’s so fun to see these families grow, you know the neighbors.”
“As the newbie, I can testify,” Kristen Carranza said. Carranza joined the team in March of 2021 to help with marketing. Known locally for her PR and promotions work at Felton Music Hall, she filled in as DJ and personality at large for “SamTheRam” Peacock, who had been with Steel Bonnet since its inception. Sam and his wife Keli, also a longtime brewery alum, recently moved back east to be with family, and Carranza said the timing was right so she melted into the role, hosting vinyl Sundays at the pub and coordinating the live music lineup for concerts on the patio. Whether it’s dogs or grandbabies, Carranza said “We’re all family-oriented. I feel blessed to be on board. It’s a really down to earth type of vibe.”
The pub is thriving. “That’s why we have to make more beer,” Cramb said. “And that’s where the Salinas facility will come in.” The Crambs have invested in a production brewhouse in Salinas so they can keep on top of their more popular brews. They’ve begun barrel aging the brews using whisky and wine barrels at the Salinas location. Look forward to Atholl brose with raspberry tones soon, and the seasonal Clooty Dumpling on tap for Christmas.
Buchanan welcomes first-time tasters to the pub. “The bartenders are all super stoked about the beer, and we have great communication between the front and back of the house; they know what’s going on with the beers, they know how to describe it to people.” So you can walk in and tell them what you usually like to drink, and they can help you find a beer that suits your palate. “That excites me, helping people find a beer that they didn’t know they liked. Craft beer has so many nuances.”
Steel Bonnet Brewing Company
Victor Square, Scotts Valley
steelbon.net
Photos by Julie Horner
Featured photo: The women of Steel Bonnet Leslie Buchanan, Susan Cramb, Kristen Carranza
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