[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 123 (Tuesday, July 28, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S4294]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO BARBARA GROOM

 Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today to honor a remarkable 
California entrepreneur, trailblazer, and pioneering small business 
owner whose retirement marks the culmination of an extraordinary career 
but leaves behind an enduring legacy in the world of California craft 
brewing: Ms. Barbara Groom.
  After more than three decades as the owner and founder of Lost Coast 
Brewery--one of the most recognizable brands of beer in Humboldt 
County--Barbara has chosen to retire at the young age of 80 to travel 
the world.
  Known as the Beer Queen of Northern California and dubbed by at least 
one magazine as ``Craft beer's original female gangster,'' Barbara's 
story is uniquely Californian. Raised on a farm near Stockton, she grew 
up wanting to become a skier. So as a teenager, she went door-to-door 
selling Avon makeup, even though she doesn't wear makeup, to pay for 
lessons at a ski resort--only to discover after arriving at the slopes 
that she didn't actually enjoy skiing.
  Barbara spent the next two decades working as pharmacist, building a 
successful career that nevertheless left her longing for an outlet for 
her creative side. She tried making furniture. She even built a cabin 
by hand. But she still hadn't found the work she truly wanted to devote 
her life to.
  It was a fateful stop on her way home from the pharmacy one day that 
changed Barbara's future and finally give her the chance to unleash her 
creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. Seeing a sign for one of 
California's earliest craft breweries in the rural town of Hopland, 
Barbara was intrigued and decided to stop and check it out. She later 
recalled thinking to herself as she walked in the door, ``This is what 
I want to do for the rest of my life.''
  She spent the next 6 years studying brewing techniques, learning the 
business, and preparing to take a giant leap of faith before buying a 
century-old former lodge in downtown Eureka, transforming it, and 
finally opening the doors to Lost Coast Brewery in 1990--becoming one 
of the Nation's first female microbrewery owners at a time when women 
brewers were almost unheard of in the industry.
  The early years were anything but easy. Building a customer base took 
patience, persistence, and an unwavering belief in the quality of what 
she was creating. Those qualities paid off. What began as a small 
brewpub grew into one of California's most respected independent 
breweries, producing award-winning beers--including favorites like 
Downtown Brown, Great White, and Tangerine Wheat--that are enjoyed 
throughout the United States and around the world.
  But Lost Coast Brewery became more than a successful business. 
Through its unmistakable labels created by Humboldt County artist Duane 
Flatmo, its commitment to local craftsmanship, and its deep roots in 
the north coast, it became an ambassador for the creativity, character, 
and entrepreneurial spirit that define California.
  Barbara never let expectations--or the fact that she was entering a 
male-dominated industry--dictate what she could accomplish. When others 
questioned whether a woman belonged in the brewing business, she simply 
kept building. ``I never really worried about being a woman,'' she 
said. ``I just did what I wanted to do.'' Her success opened doors for 
future generations of women entrepreneurs and helped demonstrate that 
innovation and leadership know no gender.
  Over the past three and a half decades, Barbara has created jobs, 
supported her community, welcomed visitors from around the world to 
Eureka, and helped establish California as a global leader in craft 
brewing. Her remarkable journey reminds us that it is never too late to 
pursue a new dream and that some of our greatest contributions come 
only after we find the courage to reinvent ourselves. California is 
richer for the risks she took, the business she built, and the example 
she set.
  Now, as Barbara prepares for retirement, she is looking toward new 
adventures--traveling to places like Iceland and Azerbaijan with 
cameras and drones in hand, pursuing the travel photography that has 
become her newest passion with the same curiosity and determination 
that defined her career as a brewer.
  On behalf of the people of California, I thank Barbara Groom for her 
vision, perseverance, and extraordinary contributions to our State. I 
congratulate her on an exceptional career and wish her every success 
and happiness in the adventures that lie ahead.

                          ____________________