Brew Pub / Brewery Employment
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Ivan Lendl
Well-Known Member
start at the bottom...a friend of mine started off in the bottling room at pyramid in berkley, and a year later he was wearing a lab coat and looking at yeast with a 'scope all day.
or you could go to college and major in fermentation science, i think oregon state has a program as well as some other schools.
or you could go to college and major in fermentation science, i think oregon state has a program as well as some other schools.
Brewpastor
Beer, not rocket chemistry
Thoughts from an old fart brewmaster:
Where do you live, what experience do you have and what financial obligations are you under?
Unfortunately the brewing business is not financially strong. Most brewers make just enough and most breweries are stretched pretty thin. Also, there are not a lot of opportunities, seeing how it is generally a brewer who starts or is an original partner in a brewery operation. Some areas have more opportunities, given a greater number of breweries, but still it is hard to get your foot in the door.
Possible tracks are volunteering to do grunt work. No pay, but you get in the door so others possibilities might come about. This gives you hands on experience so when you try for a paid position you have something on the old resume. Another whole avenue is education. Go to school at Siebel in Chicago, or UC Davis. Go to England as a brewery slave, go to Germany.
The bottom line in all of this is brewery work is hard work. I know only a few Gentleman Brewers, most have sore backs, sticky hair, and are really sick of hoppy, malty beers. I wouldn't trade my years as a brewmaster for anything. I loved it, but it was hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and people very freely tell you how much your beer sucks.
Then again, you go to the Great American Beer Festival and you are part of the inner world. If you win a medal there you feel like a God.
Move ahead with your eyes open, but remember, when you become a pro it is no longer a hobby, it is a job. It took almost 3 years for me to get back to the kettle after I left my brewery, but in the end, I still love it!
Where do you live, what experience do you have and what financial obligations are you under?
Unfortunately the brewing business is not financially strong. Most brewers make just enough and most breweries are stretched pretty thin. Also, there are not a lot of opportunities, seeing how it is generally a brewer who starts or is an original partner in a brewery operation. Some areas have more opportunities, given a greater number of breweries, but still it is hard to get your foot in the door.
Possible tracks are volunteering to do grunt work. No pay, but you get in the door so others possibilities might come about. This gives you hands on experience so when you try for a paid position you have something on the old resume. Another whole avenue is education. Go to school at Siebel in Chicago, or UC Davis. Go to England as a brewery slave, go to Germany.
The bottom line in all of this is brewery work is hard work. I know only a few Gentleman Brewers, most have sore backs, sticky hair, and are really sick of hoppy, malty beers. I wouldn't trade my years as a brewmaster for anything. I loved it, but it was hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and people very freely tell you how much your beer sucks.
Then again, you go to the Great American Beer Festival and you are part of the inner world. If you win a medal there you feel like a God.
Move ahead with your eyes open, but remember, when you become a pro it is no longer a hobby, it is a job. It took almost 3 years for me to get back to the kettle after I left my brewery, but in the end, I still love it!
Glibbidy
Well-Known Member
I agree with the "Ice Man" you are better off starting at the bottom and working your way up. The practical experience that you would gain could help you make the decision if brewing is really for you. I imagine once you do go PRO you may eventually want to attend the Siebel institute or UC Davis, which are probably the two premier schools in the country for brewing science.
to get started try these classifieds.
http://probrewer.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=27
to get started try these classifieds.
http://probrewer.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=27
Lounge Lizard
Well-Known Member
To add to what has already been said, there was an article in BYO magazine back in December or so, that covered this topic. I don't know if it is online or not.
Or you can move to Oregon, join the Brew Crew, win a few awards, get your ale done up as a Collaborator (and get a spiffy leather jacket). At that point, you can start looking for a brewery job. Unfortunately, most brewery jobs are in the bottling and distribution areas.
BeerRenter
Active Member
This may not sound as sexy, but if you are willing to relocate, there are opportunities at some of the larger "chain" breweries (Hops, Gordon Bierch, etc). Otherwise, move to Colorado or Portland....throw a rock and you will hit a brewery.
Keep in mind too it isn't as glamorous as it sounds. I help out in a brewery a few times a week and it is TOUGH work. Yeah, you get to sample all day long and it is neat being around it, but it has loads of heavy lifting, cleaning, repetitive work. Parts of it can also be dangerous. You'll get wet. I had an IPA shower the other day that wasn't very fun. 
Dude said:I had an IPA shower the other day that wasn't very fun.
what? no jokes about a golden shower?
you folks have got to step up your game!
-walker
El Pistolero
Well-Known Member
He already used it in another thread...catch up.Imperial Walker said:
chelero
Well-Known Member
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reviving an old thread-
I am very interested in a job in the brewing industry. I've been homebrewing for a little over a year, and would love to learn more about the process. how much does a cellar boy or grunt level position pay? can you pay the bills? that's all i really care about. brewpastor, I am very interested in your experiences. the classified section of probrewer.com is also intriguing. I guess I should just start sending some emails out to those guys. I understand most people on here would not be willing to leave their dayjobs, but i've been doing what I do for awhile now, and am looking for a change. brewing beer is the only other thing (besides my current profession) that i've ever really been excited about. thanks for any thoughts/advice/direction, and happy new year!
c
I am very interested in a job in the brewing industry. I've been homebrewing for a little over a year, and would love to learn more about the process. how much does a cellar boy or grunt level position pay? can you pay the bills? that's all i really care about. brewpastor, I am very interested in your experiences. the classified section of probrewer.com is also intriguing. I guess I should just start sending some emails out to those guys. I understand most people on here would not be willing to leave their dayjobs, but i've been doing what I do for awhile now, and am looking for a change. brewing beer is the only other thing (besides my current profession) that i've ever really been excited about. thanks for any thoughts/advice/direction, and happy new year!
c
Talloak
Well-Known Member
I don't think brewpastor resides here anymore. I could be quite wrong.
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