Mary Izett, Fifth Hammer Brewing
Did you know that New York City has the highest number of women entrepreneurs in our neighborhoods? According to New York City Small Business Services, women across the five boroughs employ over 190,000 people and generate approximately $50 billion in sales. This month, we’re proud to present our annual Women’s issue—dedicated to all the innovative women chefs, food entrepreneurs, restaurateurs, bakers, mixologists and more who help feed the borough everyday.
Coinciding with the print issue (you’ll be able to pick up a copy soon!), every weekday throughout the month of May, we’re featuring a different Queens woman in the food industry. From Flushing’s dumpling maestro Helen You, to Long Island City’s Brazilian baker, Daniela Martins-Schwarzbauer and Last Dragon Pizza’s Nicole Russell in Rockaway, each woman reflects the diverse and independent spirit of Queens. Oh, and did we mention that our woman-owned magazine produced this women’s issue with a team of all-women writers, photographers, illustrators, designers and editors (save for our photo editor, Ed Lefkowicz)? No big deal.
Mary Izett, Fifth Hammer Brewing
A verified fermentation sensation, Izett’s biology and horticulture background has served her well in the world of beer. Especially renowned for her speed ferments (formulating concoctions such as bacon, banana and peanut butter mead in the span of 10 minutes), she’s served as president for the Malted Barley Appreciation Society and the New York City Homebrewers Guild, was nationally ranked by the Beer Judge Certification Program, authored the book Speed Brewing and co-hosts “Fuhmentaboudit” on Heritage Radio. And while she and husband Chris Cuzme counted themselves as gypsy brewers for quite a long time—using borrowed facilities to make their creations—they set down stakes in 2017 with Fifth Hammer Brewing, a 15-barrel brewery and taproom, in the heart of Long Island City.
