Getting a job in a brewery

I've been having issues deciding what I really wanna do with my life. I started out going to school for fire science (to become a career FF) and then 2 years into the program said screw it. Then I started going for my computer graphics degree and got screwed over by my college for having "too many" credits for an associates degree so they terminated my fed. loan (only have about a semester and a half left).

Currently I'm employed full time as a web developer and I'm making **** money doing it. While the people I work with are cool, the money is far from it. I'm at the point where I just wanna scream...I have almost no motivation to get up in the morning and go there to sit in front of a screen all day.

Recently, I've been thinking about getting a job at a brewery. I know I'd probably start off as the guy scraping gunk out of fermenters and mash tuns, probably making less than I make now...but part of me feels like it'd be worth it to be working with my hands...only problem is, none of the breweries around me are hiring

...i'm so torn i have no idea wtf to do. What's the best way to get into a brewery?

SteveMillerTime said:

What's the best way to get into a brewery?

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1. Take the free tour at Budweiser, or any other brewery.

2. Next best thing know somebody with some serious pull at the brewery.

Everybody wants a job at a brewery, they can pick and choose more than most other industries all the time, not just in a bad economy.

Honestly the work is not glamorous, fun, or interesting. Just because brewing is your hobby and you enjoy it, working in a brewery makes it a whole different deal, and from the rest of your post it sounds like you would not be homebrewing in the near future if you were able to get a job in a brewery.

Keep your eye on these postings

http://probrewer.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=27

Airplanedoc said:

Honestly the work is not glamorous, fun, or interesting. Just because brewing is your hobby and you enjoy it, working in a brewery makes it a whole different deal, and from the rest of your post it sounds like you would not be homebrewing in the near future if you were able to get a job in a brewery.

Click to expand...

Thing is, i prefer working with my hands over sitting at a desk which i've been doing for the past 6 years now.

If you want to do it, go for it. It's a repetitive, demeaning slog of a job as an entry level brewer. You would have no chance without some sort of a degree at a lot of microbrews. However, there are always lots of start ups that consist mostly of friends, brew buddies and investors with more money than sense. Rising out of the ranks of homebrewing is where a lot of people get their start. And, let's be honest, anyone can make a mediocre (or better) product. The real challenge is in the marketing and distribution of your beer.

If I were you, i'd either go back to school and complete a degree in the field or I would work on my social game and join a local brewing club/society and then network yourself into a job. If you get in tight with some other like-minded home brewers, you might be able to collaborate and put together enough momentum to find some capital and open your own brew operation. Start living at your favorite breweries or brew pubs and get to know everyone there like family, then volunteer to help (for free) during brew days. Rarely will you get turned down. Then, when a job does open up, you'll be first on the scene.

The front door, seriously. Unless you are rich or know somebody there is no secret way to get into brewing.

Going to brewing school is one option. Or, as you mentioned, get a basic entry level job and move up. Realize that most breweries have relatively little turn over in their production staff so it is likely that you will not get hired directly into that department with no experience. Most do have lots of turnover in their front end workers, like any other retail job, the folks doing tastings and tours etc come and go constantly.

Start there & help out in back whenever an opportunity presents itself, then you can graduate to tank cleaning.

Well i looked into getting a degree through the American Brewer's Guild...not badly priced either. Sent them an email with some questions...waiting to hear back.