Hill Farmstead (2021)

Well all the other posts in that "Sexism Pt 2" were either DM grabs from third parties, or posts in that format from Brienne herself (but not sexual assault/misconduct/harassment anecdotes, but instead informational stuff or posts asking things of her followers). So it's highly confusing. If I had to bet $, then given the format and the fact it was from Pils & Love 2 years ago, I would say this was her personal story, but that is 100% an assumption.

 

Since the anonymous post lacks many pertinent details, we really don't know anything other than it seems this woman was not interested in (or regrets?) having sex with SH, and she somehow (overheard? was told about by someone else?) heard that SH said he had set up his couch to have sex with her.

We don't know who she is, we don't know her relationship to SH, we don't know exactly what was said, we don't even know what happened! (we can probably assume they didn't have sex, but even that is not clear).

Maybe SH told his friend he was attracted to this woman, and had even set up a nice spot for them to have consensual sexual relations, in the event that she reciprocated his interest?

We just don't know.

Armed with that lack of knowledge, people seem eager to label him a sexual predator, who sexually harasses/assaults women.

 

I think all the posts in that font style are her personal ones.

The Good Beer Hunting quote is also confusing if "story" is being used in the traditional definition of "relaying an experience", or if it's being used to refer to the Instagram feature by the same name.

 

Thanks, @rozzom pointed this out too and it's a good point. I don't think it's 100% clear, but I can definitely see why people are labeling it as her personal story now.

 

I don't think anyone here has used that term other than when quoting one of the other accusations about a drunk girl (he was mentioned in 8 total).

 

Some of the allegations against Hill are that:

• He joked he was gonna fuck Brienne Allan at an industry event
• He tried getting blackout drunk woman to his hotel room at an industry event
• He acted like jerk to junior female employee at Tired Hands for his and TH owner’s amusement
• He ignored women, spoke to men, when introduced
• Other stories of him hitting on other women in person and online who did not reciprocate

Hill aside, I’d love to see Beer Advocates agree at minimum that (1) trying to have sex with blackout drunk people is predatory and wrong; and (2) that joking about how you’re going to fuck a fellow professional at an industry event is objectifying and wrong.

It’s disappointing so many guys seem so quick to forgive, downplay or excuse this behavior — and that’s exactly the broader “beyond Hill’s personal accountability” thing that we can each play a role in changing.

 

It should be obvious that talking about a peer in your profession, to others in your profession, as nothing more than a sex object is a bad thing. It shows a total lack of respect for them, both as a person and as a professional.

 

I would love for HF employees to speak out on this. If I’m picking an overall “side” then I’m 100% onboard with the second half of @thebeers post. But there are nuances between this and Tired Hands and some of the other repeat names/places.

 

Yeah. My impression is he hasn't been nearly so outwardly and especially toxic to employees, as none of the stories highlight that. However it highlights another divide I think in the BA community. Does bad behavior technically "off the clock" (hanging at industry events and other breweries) matter? I think it does, and I can't help but think such behavior leaks into your management of employees.
I also think people need to keep in mind with all this the power imbalances. From my perspective it's a case of, sorry Shaun, you're by brewer standards very wealthy and famous. That means there is a power imbalance and also certain behavioral expectations even in your semi private moments. You can cheat on your wife, but if he's demeaning women at industry events and being sexually aggressive that's problematic. If he can't handle the scrutiny maybe he ought not go to large public events with lots of drinking involved etc. Better yet, maybe as a very famous guy save your intoxication for home. Stick with the two drink rule, whatever you got to do. If you're the drunk guy at the industry conference and the face of the most revered brewery in the US in some circles, maybe you need to admit fault and not hide behind the old "maybe my behavior came off differently than intended."

 

1) Agreed. I mean, obviously.
2) I don’t talk that crudely about any woman and never have. It’s in poor taste, but I don’t think it’s shocking or unconscionable. I also don’t necessarily think it’s worse just because the person has the same job as you.

I don’t mean to come off as Shaun Hill’s white knight here, I just think a little perspective is in order. Of all the claims I’ve read about him, all but one was basically him being kind of a jerk, in circumstances that could be taken as sexist but not necessarily. I’d bet money if you started an IG thread asking men for Shaun Hill stories, he’s been a condescending prick to a lot of them too.
The one claim I find very serious is the coercion of the drunk woman. If that’s true, fuck that guy. But that claim is really thin and I won’t say he’s some kind of monster based solely on that.

 

Thank you for posting this. There are 3 main issues throughout the stories posted (not just HF): men 1) sexually assaulting women, 2) sexually harassing women, and 3) being dismissive of and/or treating women derisively, i.e. not as equals, being misogynistic.

Shaun Hill was never accused of sexual assault. He was accused of the other two. I'm posting this simply to point out that there are various issues, not every one of them was sexual assault. I am not posting this to minimize the issues regarding Shaun. A pattern of dismissive behavior towards women is bad.

I took a few days after reading Shaun's statement several times to digest it fully. My conclusion: it is garbage. It's a word salad of obfuscation with almost nothing truly meaningful. One thing that was glaringly absent: the word woman. C'mon dude, just say I support women. You started 8 of the 10 sentences in your statement with the word "I". You could have added another one: "I support women in this industry and will do whatever I can to make sure they know that going forward." Simple, declarative sentence without all the surrounding bullshit.

 

The poster is Brienne Allan, the head brewer of Notch Brewing. The comment was made by a Brewery owner (Hill) about the another breweries employee at an industry event. Just normal behavior from normal professionals, right?

 

I remember that Pils & Love fest. I actually drove to it the day after attending the Friday session of VT Brewers Fest. Hotter than hell (97° underneath a single tent in full sun with a minimal breeze); people swimming in their clothes off the beach to stay cool; the entire HF management posse there, clearly all on R&R, along with a ton of out-of-town brewers with events all weekend showcasing their beers in Portland - all hosted by Oxbow Brewing out at Bug Light Park in SoPo. Heavy duty drinking scene that day in the heat, a lot of thirst & alcohol exacerbating the situation and plenty more partying afterwards. (I had to retreat back to a friend's house right down the street to recover in their AC for the evening.) Really intense weekend in general. Bri is now engaged to head brewer Mike Fava of Oxbow. Maybe the only positive thing that came out of that insane weekend? No judgment - only observations and memories. But...as for the 800 postings Bri curated? I cried reading them all...really painful and infuriating.

 

Yeah, the whole "I never wanted this attention" schtick is really grating. It's fine when you want people to wait several hours to buy a bottle or 2 of beer. It's fine when you put out calls for people to work on your farm for free to collect brewing ingredients. Oh, but then people also expect you to set an example because of your fame and high profile, and suddenly it's all "I just want to be left alone."

He went looking for the glory, and got it. If that was more than he bargained for, tough. Put on your adult pants and figure out how to be a decent person and set a good example. That's what someone of his stature can do.

 

Pretty much. I think this toxic refrain of cancel culture and Twitter mobs ignores the idea that you can't have your cake and eat it too. Maybe the stories are overblown to a degree, but they seem consistent with, at best, highly problematic behavior that can only contribute to the marginalization of women and abuse. Of course Shaun Hill (or Jean, etc) are being held (by some at least) to higher standards than a private citizen. One, they're employers, which means they can actively harm lots of people (and violate labor laws, which is a whole other discussion). Two, as i mentioned in a TH post, wealthy, powerful, public figures are NOT entitled to admiration nor success. You can own a brewery within certain legal confines and financial realities, but neither Hill, Jean, nor anyone else is entitled to having wildly successful breweries. If you violate social mores, people might not want to buy from you or associate with you. Tough luck, get a helmet. That's not a mob, that's society taking collective action and putting primacy on what it values (that respect and opportunities for women and minorities trumps my personal desire to buy a bottle of Damon or DDH alien church).

 

Lot of people bending themselves into pretzels to minimize the post about the couch. It was CLEARLY coming from Brienne herself and gives me the vibe that it was said with little thought paid to her opinion on the matter.

And whether Hill ever wanted it or not, he’s “famous” and the face of his wildly successful and well regarded brewery, so he absolutely should be held to a higher standard. I would say he is representing Hill Farmstead at all times and is never off the clock. Sure that sucks for him, but tough, it comes with the territory. So stop acting like a douche (at best) in public.

 

Shaun Hill has always been a maniac. It's not hard to believe he's an oversexed maniac smh

 

I wouldnt call that shit off the clock, pretty sure brewers would write those off as business expenses on their taxes.

 

[EDIT] I incorrectly used the term "curated" (denoted choosing of reports) rather than "archived" (collecting all and posting.) Important difference!

 

Fair. That's also in part what I'm getting at. Is he off the clock hanging with Jean demeaning women? Seems to me that between collaborations, fests, the close knit nature of craft beer bars/brewers etc. suggests that it's not professional or appropriate for these owner/brewers to consider getting wasted and being abusive at these places and assuming these nights out or beer related events fall under private time. Basically I think we're on the same page. Even if they did, it's not like an employee has never been fired for particularly bad behavior off the clock in entirely other industries.