Trust Your Dopeness: Hannah Ferguson of DOPE Cider House & Winery

“People are seeing, ‘Hey, if this girl from Youngstown can do it, why can’t I?’ I think it just takes someone seeing someone who looks like them to see it’s a possibility.”In this episode we talk with Hannah Ferguson, a brewer of beer, a maker of cider and wine, and the founder of D.O.P.E. Ciderhouse & Winery, which will open soon in Youngstown, Ohio. Hannah was the first Black female professional brewer in the state of Ohio, and only the second Black female cidery owner in the entire country. Her enthusiasm and positivity have helped her push through the challenges involved in following her dreams, and I know you’ll find her story inspiring and encouraging.Breweries and beverage makers mentioned in this episode include Barley’s Brewing, Weathered Souls, Penguin City, Modern Methods, Woodland Cellar, Alematic Artisan Ales, and McBride Sisters.Specific beers discussed in this episode include Alematic/D.O.P.E. I’m DOPE Belgian Hazy IPA and Modern Methods Black Is Beautiful Imperial Stout.The music for this episode was sampled from an instrumental version of the song “Come Home” written and performed by indie folk musician Anna ps. You can find out more about Anna and get in touch about booking her for a show at her website.Hannah Ferguson was born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio, and graduated from Kent State University in 2004 with her B.S. and received her MBA from Keller Graduate School in 2011. Hannah has been a home wine and cider maker for 10 years. She started D.O.P.E. (Dwelling On Positive Energy) Brands LLC in 2017. To expand her knowledge in the industry in 2018 she became an assistant brewer for a local brewery and stayed in the position for 2.5 years. Hannah is the first female black brewer in the state of Ohio, she will also have the first black female owned cider and winery (which she will be the head wine and cider maker) in the state of Ohio when she opens DOPE Cider House and Winery this year. DOPE Brands, LLC is not only a cider and wine manufacturer, but also a lifestyle brand that takes pride in creating connections and experiences through cider and wine. Most importantly, D.O.P.E. is about Dwelling On Positive Energy and empowering underrepresented minorities in the industry. Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together.Follow Bean to Barstool on social media!InstagramFacebookPinterestSign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.