When Tonya Cornett came to Bend in 2002 to become brewmaster at Bend Brewing Company, she drew attention right away. Back then, the notice was mainly that she was a woman operating in a male-dominated industry. Twenty-plus years later, her gender is merely a footnote to the fact that Cornett has become one of the most award-winning brewers in the world.
Cornett’s rise to the top has been filled with highs, lows and no shortage of challenges. Whether trying to prove herself in those early years, riding the waves of the massive disruption the brewing industry has withstood in recent years, or navigating the startling events of last year, when her most epic award season ever was followed by a shocking layoff, Cornett has met each plot twist with a characteristic blend of work ethic, resiliency, modesty and skill. “Throughout my career, as each obstacle presented itself, it gave me the opportunity to prove myself in different ways,” she said. “I guess you could say it provided the drive to continue to constantly refine and make better beer than I made the day before.”
Cornett first made beer as a home brewer. She pivoted professionally to the pursuit of a Brewing Technology diploma through the Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago. Since those early days at BBC, she’s piled up the awards. Cornett’s first big win was the 2008 Brewmaster Award (with Bend Brewing Co. taking the Champion Small Brewpub award) at the annual World Beer Cup competition — the first woman ever to have received this top honor. She moved to 10 Barrel Brewing in 2012, as leader of an innovation brewing team. By April of last year, she’d accumulated 28 medals at the Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup; that month she won the 2024 Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Craft Brewing at the national Brewer’s Association Conference (the third woman nationwide to hold the award) while simultaneously becoming the first brewer to completely sweep an entire category at the World Beer Cup.
Which made it even more surprising when, later that year, in a move that shocked the industry, 10 Barrel’s new parent company Tilray Beverage eliminated Cornett’s position, along with those of her entire brewing team.
While admittedly unsettling, Cornett saw the abrupt end to her tenure with 10 Barrel as another chance to prove her resiliency. The outcome, just 8 months later, is UPP Liquids, which opened June 5 in the former Immersion Brewing space in Bend’s Box Factory. The endeavor is a partnership between Cornett, brewers Ian Larkin, Jose Ruiz and Ben Shirley, and Immersion Brewing owners Sean Lampe and Amanda Plattner. “Amanda and Sean have been running Immersion Brewing for nine years, which is an overwhelming task,” explained Cornett. “They needed help, and we needed a brewery. It was a win-win for all of us.”
The new name represents a lofty vision: Uniting People and Places (UPP) through unforgettable beverages. Cornett explains it like this: “I love the moments when someone brings up a beer I brewed years ago. They remember the name of the beer, where they were and who they were with. Seemingly, the experience of drinking this particular beer solidified an otherwise unremarkable memory. That was the basis for the name UPP Liquids.”
The word “liquids” is also intentional, reflecting the contemporary adult beverage market, in which consumers demand more than just beer on their drink menu. “We will have 14 beers on tap with a seltzer and a seltzer-based cocktail for the opening,” said Cornett. “UPP Liquids will eventually make everything from beer to packaged cocktails, hard seltzer, and cider as well as session mead once the licensing goes through.”
“I’m excited about getting the creative team back together,” said Cornett. “We are stronger together and push each other to create interesting flavor combinations that push the boundaries of what beer and other beverages can be.”
If history predicts the future, medals will be won under the UPP brand soon enough. “I’m most excited about gaining a connection with the consumers who choose to come in and share their time with us.”
This article appears in Source Weekly June 12, 2025.
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
For an article voicing how incredible and tough it is for a female to be a top brewer in a male dominated field shouldnt Tonya be in front for this photo? Shes literally hidden behind the guys