Toast to Female Friendship with These Women-Made Drinks on Galentine’s Day
Photo by Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash Drink Features Galentine's Day
Depending on what is—or isn’t—happening in your personal life during any given February, Valentine’s Day might be the most exciting or dreaded day of that particular month.
But Galentine’s Day? It’s always a winner for the ladies. An unofficial holiday held on February 13th, the day before the thirstily anticipated/dry-mouth-inducing V-Day, it celebrates the platonic love between the female, non-binary and, what the hell, also the cisgender male BFF allies in our lives.
Because news flash: Women often have different needs and different ways of thriving than men. Spending time with friends can reap huge mental health benefits, helping women deal with loneliness and depression, according to a report in Psychology Today. Another study backs it up, indicating that social connections are one of the best ways to boost our happiness.
But it’s not all about the softer, rosier side of life. Female friendship can also help women reach their career goals. A recent study published in the Harvard Business Review showed that women on the executive track were more likely to soar into the C-suite if they had a close circle of female friends they depended on. (The study’s authors hypothesized that women might face cultural and political hurdles than men do not and that having a tight group of female friends helped give them the strength to persevere.)
There are no hard-and-fast rules for Galentine’s Day, but may we suggest toasting your besties with some of these female-made drinks? We spoke to the producers behind them and quickly found that a few themes—ones that just happen to back up the findings of scientists—emerged when they talked about why female friendship is important to them.
Toast to Community
Experts say that depending on a community of women to thrive and survive has been a hallmark of human evolution since the dawn of civilization.
Sofia Deleon, founder of Guatemala’s Tenango Rum, says that her great-grandmother’s example of single-minded entrepreneurship and open-handed generosity paved her approach to business and life.
“I grew up inspired by the stories of my great-grandmother, who was a distiller herself,” Deleon says. “I see rum as a vessel for cultural celebration and sustainability, and I hope to give back myself by employing women and craftspeople to hand make the vibrant covers on each bottle. More often than not, women have it harder in the world, which is why genuine friendship allows us to come together and build each other up.”
Rosemarie Certo, the creative director at Philadelphia’s Dock Street Brewing Company, which was founded by her mother, Rosemarie Certo, in 1985, says for their family, girly beer has always been strong and balanced—just like the women who run their company and brew their beer.
“Our Citrahood in particular is the liquid equivalent of the ‘We Can Do It’ poster for me,” she says, “and the cans feature gorgeous artwork that reflects the spirit of the diversity among womxn beer drinkers and the Dock Street Woman. I think there’s a temptation for brewers or marketers to make everything pink or overly sweet [for] women, but that can be really myopic.”
Entertainment execs-turned-spirits entrepreneurs Anna Axster and Wendelin von Schroder founded Lodestar Whiskey with a primary goal: bring people together, especially after the pandemic, when all of our communities were so fractured, von Schroder explains.
“We wanted to create a spirit that embodies the laid-back California lifestyle where Lodestar is based,” Axster says. “Our golden rule is simple: bring joy to the journey, which means inviting friends and creating a spirit to satisfy the palates of many while serving as a backdrop for creating moments with the women in your community.”
Toast to Unconditional Love and Support
The love between friends—unlike the love and support of romantic partners or family members—is one that exists purely by choice. You’re not bound by commitments, convention or codes of conduct.
For Jessica Mozeico, winemaker and cofounder of Et Fille Wines in Newburg, Oregon, the ride-or-die friendship she has with key women in her life has made all the difference in her personal and professional development.
“Over the past 34 years, my core group of 10 girlfriends from Hamilton College has helped each other navigate illness, marriage, divorce, children, infertility, empty nesting, death of parents, job interviews, job losses and more,” Mozeico says. “I’ve learned so much from the Ham Fam about love, loyalty and lifelong friendship. And we all know that no matter what happens in our lives, we’re supported.”
Claire Jarreau likens her community of women, meanwhile, to the come-as-you-are support she needs, much like the right glass of wine at the end of the long day.
“We gather to share stories and meals,” Jarreau, who serves as associate winemaker at Brooks Winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, explains. “We can all be ourselves, no pretenses. It’s not always fancy, but it’s real and invigorating.”
Toast to Empathy
Empathy governs the way people act socially, and—apologies to the many sensitive men out there—overall, women seem to score higher on empathy scales, according to studies.
Not surprisingly in the male-dominated world of alcohol, many of the producers I spoke with lean hard on their female comrades when they need an empathetic ear.
Ana Rosenstein, co-founder and CEO of Rome’s Amante 1530, says that while “Amante” literally translates to the word “lover,” it was started “by a group of friends around a table filled with love.”
That love, she says, allows her to see her perceived flaws as strengths.
“Female friendships foster such a unique sense of intimacy and empathy rooted in both understanding and feeling understood,” Rosenstein says. “My girlfriends celebrate me — especially the parts of me that I once deemed imperfect — in a way that has allowed me to love myself more.”
For Ellie Loustalot, winemaker at Monterey County, California’s Grandeur Wines, the women in her life have walked the same path she’s on, and are therefore just that much more able to relate, advise and provide support.
“My relationships with women in my circle are built on a profound understanding of the challenges and triumphs specific to womanhood,” Loustalot explains. “They foster a sense of solidarity and support for me. My female friendships are also one of my greatest sources of inspiration, empowerment and encouragement. As a woman working in a male-dominated industry, along with growing up in a household of brothers, my female friendships enrich my life most incredibly.”
Female friends push Carmen Perr, managing partner at Lompoc, California’s, Pali Wine Co. to accomplish more than she ever thought possible, she says. They also give her room to fail.
“My female friendships serve as mirrors, reflecting my strengths and encouraging me to grow,” Perr says. “My friends have also stood by me through challenges with unwavering solidarity. This synergy fosters an environment where creativity flourishes, achievements are celebrated and setbacks are met with collective resilience.”
Toast to Empowerment
Women are genetically wired to help and befriend each other in times of extreme stress, a UCLA study found. (Men are more likely to exhibit a fight or flight response.)
That soldier-in-arms approach to life—with a few very select women—is what makes master distiller Marianne Eaves tick.
“Female friendship is different than any other relationship; the bond built between trusted women comrades is an opportunity to really connect and be seen,” Eaves, who is also a master blender for Kentucky’s Forbidden Bourbon, says. “Personally, I build walls with everyone, so the few female friends I entrust all of myself to give a sense of safety and freedom that in my personal experience can’t be found anywhere else. The true acceptance, accountability, acknowledgment and celebration of each other can only come from our innate empathy and ability to move mountains in all stages of life.”
At Widow Jane in Brooklyn, head distiller Sienna Jevremov admits that they do things a bit differently by hand-assembling straight bourbon and rye whiskeys from non-GMO heirloom ingredients like Baby Jane heirloom corn, proofing their spirits with pure limestone mineral water from the Rosendale Mines 100 miles north of the distillery. The courage to flout norms is easier with the encouragement of her friends in and out of the spirits industry, Jevremov says.
“My circle of female friends gives me new ways to view life and its challenges,” she adds.
Lee Lord, head brewer at Narragansett Beer in Providence, Rhode Island,, says she garners inspiration and empowerment both from the women in her circle and the women who came before her.
“I named our Jakobine Danish Lager after my Danish mother-in-law,” Lord says. “She was part of the resistance movement in Nazi-occupied Denmark during World War II and went on to become a famous world traveler, artist and art teacher.”
While her mother-in-law inspires her, Lord says her friends in the beer world sustain her. Lord says she is part of a problem-solving female chat group where the women come together from all over the world to help each other troubleshoot recipes and mechanical issues.
“I very likely wouldn’t be in this industry or have made it nearly as far as I have without the women who have given me countless advice over the years,” she says. “There’s a huge, very tight–knit community of women in the beer industry who are there to help. It’s so nice to know that we’re not alone and we have friends all over the country who will drop everything to help us with a problem or talk us off the edge.”
Only the best of friends can push you to the edge of your abilities but then save you from going over it.
Spirits, Wines and Brews to Toast with on Galentine’s Day
Tenango Rum: Distilled in the traditional Spanish style method on a column still, resulting in rich notes of cocoa, banana, coffee, almond, and tropical fruits, plus butterscotch and caramel imparted by the second use barrel. $49.99.
Dock Street Citrahood: New England-style IPA celebrating sisterhood and womxn of all sizes, shapes, backgrounds, beliefs, gender identities and expressions from a women-owned brewery. A simple grain bill of barley and oats is hopped in the kettle exclusively with Citra, then fermented with our house hazy strain along with a few hundred pounds of tangerine purée. Dry hopped predominantly with Citra, propped up with a touch of Wilamette and Amarillo hops. $15 for a 4-pack.
Lodestar Whiskey: An unconventional blend of Straight High-Rye Bourbon and American Single Malt Whiskey that has notes of caramel, citrus and warm baking spice. $45.
Et Fille 2022 Rosé of Pinot Noir: Offers an aromatic fruit and floral nose with a lively body wrapped in the perfect pink hue. This year’s rosé hits that mark as a delicate yet energetic rosé that is the perfect way to enjoy the spring and summer. $32.
Brooks Wine 2018 Extended Tirage Sparkling Riesling: A dazzling and complex Champagne method sparkler with notes of lemon, yuzu, apricots; bright and salinic. $60.
Amante 1530: Aromas of candied orange, oolong tea, ginger, honeysuckle and baked apples, this amaro possesses an underlying sweetness that is well-balanced by a pleasing vegetal bitterness. Its elevated mouth-smacking acidity gives way to layers of citrus flavors that evolve over time. $34.99.
Grandeur Rosé: Wine with notes of peach, pear and watermelon. Light with a medium body and crisp finish. $19.99.
Pali Wine Co.’s 2022 Pét Moon White: This lively Pétillant Natural sparkling wine is made with Chardonnay grapes from Pali Vineyard. Best served chilled, this bubbly wine is brimming with the freshness of green apple, a hint of white flowers and a subtle chalky minerality. $40.
Forbidden Bourbon: Aroma leads with vanilla bean and crème brûlée, dried fruit, hazelnut, light sweet citrus notes and gentle layered spice. The palate: caramel, citrus oil and delicate floral notes along with baking spices and oak sugar. It’s soft, chewy and sweet with a hint of grain. The finish lingers with a creamy sweetness featuring oak and spice notes. $149.99.
Narraganset’s Jakobine Danish Lager: A classic Danish lager utilizing a historic yeast strain that originated in Denmark. It makes for a crisp, elegant and highly approachable beer. Clocking in at 4.75% ABV, it drinks easy and pairs amazingly with good food and conversation. $13.99 for a six-pack.
Widow Jane Lucky 13: An intriguing and different take on the standard bourbon profile with a bit of burnt orange, sweet tobacco and cream. This bourbon always provides surprising flavors, leaving you thirsty for another sip to break down and analyze the flavors—again. $129.99.