Emma Penny

Emma was born in the English Westcountry, home of traditional cider, cheddar cheese and Devonshire cream teas. She attended university in Cardiff, Wales, and amongst extensive travelling in Europe, South America and Asia, lived on the French Riviera for three years before upping sticks and moving to Melbourne in 2015.

Her passion for craft beer was first sparked by a bartending gig working 12-hr shifts at GABS Beer Festival in 2016 as a broke backpacker - that first introduction to the weird and wonderful world of craft beer opened her eyes to the breadth and depth of beer styles, and she's never looked back since.

With a background in marketing and hospitality, Emma is today a Certified Cicerone®, and works at Stomping Ground Brewery Co. and Beer Mash craft beer bar in Melbourne. She has had experience judging and stewarding at such national and international judging competitions as the Indies (Independent Brewers Association), Australian International Beer Awards and Australian Cider Awards.

She is a Victorian State Coordinator for Pink Boots Australia (assisting, inspiring and encouraging women and non-binary individuals in the fermented/alcoholic beverage industry), has run guided tastings and matched Cicerone® dinners, and trains hospitality staff in the fundamentals of beer skills, knowledge and styles.

It's no secret that craft beer has exploded onto the scene in recent years, and today, Australia's beer industry is exciting, dynamic and fast-moving. From crisp German Pilsners to chewy Imperial Stouts and everything in between, Emma is keen to share her passion for this broad, rapidly-growing section of the alcoholic beverage landscape.