Getting a job at a brewery

SSBrew - 728
Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Grod1 said:
... i need to sound educated . Even tho nun of you know me wish me luck! :mug:
Click to expand...

This is pretty funny dude. Seriously.

Cleaning grain out of mash tuns, dumping trash, scrubbing brewery floors, etc. though - none of that takes an education. Good luck and hope you get it.
 
I applaud your passion.
You're working but not knowing what (or if) you get paid?
Early you stated your passion for homebrewing, so you want to work in a brewery.
You hopefully realize the two are poles apart. It will be years before you ever design a recipe.
It reminds me of campers who love camping so much, they go and buy a campground.
I do wish you the best of luck.
 
Sounds to me like you didn't get a job...you just volunteered! If he didn't mention money it's probably because there is none! Just my two cents, anyway!
 
Ah to be young again and to agree to 3 weeks of work with no care if I'm getting paid....

Honestly this will be good for you I think you have romantic fantasies of the beer industry. 3 weeks of hard labor will get that out of your system.

Even as a home brewer the only part about beer brewing I really really enjoy is when its time to serve the finished product. The lugging, lifting and all the other sweaty hard labor? I wish I had minions for that ;)
 
People might be mocking, but just don't get taken advantage of. It might be fun for a week. But if they're making money, you should make money.
 
Typically folks with half the qualifications that pros want on paper can command far more in a different industry. Brewing work is hard work, it's long days, and in a big brewery you'll start at low, low pay (minimum wage or barely above) with the most menial stuff (literally assembly line stuff). A larger brewery (even by craft standards) will probably start you packaging operator (literally working bottling/canning line), or cellarman if you're lucky (washing kegs, filling kegs, doing transfers, cleaning tanks, general manual labor). Small brewers may give you extra responsibility and maybe even a slightly bigger paycheck, if they can afford it, but may stick you on salary and work you 50+ hours a week. Or if they can't afford it they'll call you a "volunteer" or "intern" and pay you f*** all, or just put you on part time at minimum wage. It sounds like you might be in that latter camp. And yes, it's a large measure cleaning and lifting. Grain out is rough. Milling is potentially rough. Grain deliveries are absolutely rough. Keg deliveries are even rougher (even unloading empties when you have to do it by hand). Oh, and the chemicals are nothing to play around with, so there's the danger element too. If you want to go for it, go for it, because I actually love working in the industry (I got lucky enough to land an assistant brewer gig), but as everyone has said, it's a LOT of work for little pay.
 
well i'll let you all know if its worth it. This particular brewery is making money and my four friends who work there are not fools i think they are going to pay me a decent wage.Maybe my hopes are to high. All i know is i don't mind working hard for good money. I have no want to have any of my recipes brewed so i have nothing to worry about there.If i feel like they are taking advantage of me i would leave.
feel free to keep commenting
 
akthor said:
I think you have romantic fantasies of the beer industry. 3 weeks of hard labor will get that out of your system.
Click to expand...
All i ever said that i hoped for was to make at least $13.00 an hour 2$ less then what i have been making for the past 4 years.If this is your idea of a romantic fantasy you need to dream bigger my friend.
i have done physical labor outdoors my entire life.The only difference between the hard work ahead of me and the hard work behind me is that now there is a roof over my head.
The romantic fantasies you are envisioning are built up in your own head.I have been grounded the entire time,just high hopes.
 
Grod1 said:
All i ever said that i hoped for was to make at least $13.00 an hour 2$ less then what i have been making for the past 4 years.If this is your idea of a romantic fantasy you need to dream bigger my friend.
i have done physical labor outdoors my entire life.The only difference between the hard work ahead of me and the hard work behind me is that now there is a roof over my head.
The romantic fantasies you are envisioning are built up in your own head.I have been grounded the entire time,just high hopes.
Click to expand...

The thing is, I've never started a job where I didn't know how much or if I would be paid...and I've worked for a lot less than $13, though not for quite some time.
 
Report back to us. I'm intrigued by your venture.

Just don't get married or have any kids yet.

13$ an hour is brutality if you're going to be a breadwinner.
 
Grod1 said:
All i ever said that i hoped for was to make at least $13.00 an hour 2$ less then what i have been making for the past 4 years.If this is your idea of a romantic fantasy you need to dream bigger my friend.

i have done physical labor outdoors my entire life.The only difference between the hard work ahead of me and the hard work behind me is that now there is a roof over my head.

The romantic fantasies you are envisioning are built up in your own head.I have been grounded the entire time,just high hopes.
Click to expand...


Yep, I think you seem grounded. Ignore the ones that knock it.
 
I hope you are not giving up a good paying corporate job to go work at a brewery. The industry is not known to pay a whole lot. Even here in San Diego the head brewers at the big houses are making sub 6 figures. I can't imagine what they pay the worker bees.

On the plus side every brewery worker worth it's soul gives a case of beer every friday or payday.

I see the money and your expectations have already been discussed.

One other perk I failed to mention. A few years back when I stepped up to All grain a coworker hooked me up with his brother who had worked in breweries for years and still helped out on occasion. He had his own keys and carte blanche to swing by and fill a keg, grab some grain, hops and yeast when he felt like it.
 
Last edited:
High hopes is the same thing as I said I worked in a small 3bbl brewery for a day I no fantasies of what it entails.

You seem resigned to the fact its hard work so that's good. Working with your buddies might even make it more enjoyable than it normally would be.
 
I've made mistakes in my life not being willing to work a little for free. If you love that job and you love that industry, your hard work will bring you great rewards down the road. Seeking too much up front, is a way to find yourself out. Congratulations on procuring at least an opportunity of some kind and don't be afraid to work hard, if you love it. It would take a hell of a lot of money for me to personally take and do the jobs you are doing. Because I have no passion for it. But I would be the guy handing towels to professional football players as they enter the locker room for free, if it could lead to working in the field that I love, down the road. Consider a job like hair cutting. My friend loves to cut hair and she is very wealthy because of it. Learning how to brew commercially has potential for similar rewards for those who love it. Best of luck to you. Confuscious says man who loves job never work again.

On a side note, it makes me want to start a brewery if that many people are willing to work for free. I mean what a deal, free labor. Thats pretty awesome.
 
OK, so you're young, no wife, no kids, no mortgage. Your lifestyle seems to have a reasonably low overhead. You've found something about which you feel passionate and you're willing to pay your dues to get a foot in the door. Even if it all turns out to be a pipe dream, you'll never know if you never try.

Like many of the folks here, I'm an engineer. But music has always been a huge part of my life. When I got out of college I had the chance to move to a resort area and sing night clubs for about 6 months. I had no idea how many gigs I could get or what they would pay. All my friends were out in the "real" world getting real jobs. Fortunately, I realized this could be my one chance to find out if this was what I wanted to do so I went for it. I worked retail during the day and sang gigs at night. Between working, rehearsing and gigs, it basically meant 16 hour days, 7 days a week. I loved the gigs and, more importantly, proved to myself that I could do it. And, at the end of the 6 months, I realized that as much as I loved it, I didn't have the all-consuming passion it would take to make it in that business and I wasn't willing to make the sacrifices I would need to make (like eating) to pursue it.

It's over 30 years later and I have never regretted taking that chance. And I am certain I would still have that nagging doubt in the back of my mind if I hadn't. I say go for it. The downside risk is minimal and the upside is the potential of finding your life's passion. If you never try, you'll always wonder, "What if?"

Oh, and today I have a very good, well paying job that I love, a wife and two kids (that I also love), a house (that sucks up way too much time and money) and I sing for pleasure and for pay almost every day of the week. Life is good.
 
BlueHouseBrewhaus said:
OK, so you're young, no wife, no kids, no mortgage. Your lifestyle seems to have a reasonably low overhead. You've found something about which you feel passionate and you're willing to pay your dues to get a foot in the door. Even if it all turns out to be a pipe dream, you'll never know if you never try.

Like many of the folks here, I'm an engineer. But music has always been a huge part of my life. When I got out of college I had the chance to move to a resort area and sing night clubs for about 6 months. I had no idea how many gigs I could get or what they would pay. All my friends were out in the "real" world getting real jobs. Fortunately, I realized this could be my one chance to find out if this was what I wanted to do so I went for it. I worked retail during the day and sang gigs at night. Between working, rehearsing and gigs, it basically meant 16 hour days, 7 days a week. I loved the gigs and, more importantly, proved to myself that I could do it. And, at the end of the 6 months, I realized that as much as I loved it, I didn't have the all-consuming passion it would take to make it in that business and I wasn't willing to make the sacrifices I would need to make (like eating) to pursue it.

It's over 30 years later and I have never regretted taking that chance. And I am certain I would still have that nagging doubt in the back of my mind if I hadn't. I say go for it. The downside risk is minimal and the upside is the potential of finding your life's passion. If you never try, you'll always wonder, "What if?"

Oh, and today I have a very good, well paying job that I love, a wife and two kids (that I also love), a house (that sucks up way too much time and money) and I sing for pleasure and for pay almost every day of the week. Life is good.
Click to expand...


Well said sir!

@Grod1 I'm pretty sure you know exactly what you're getting into here. I applaud you for taking the chance while you can. You never know it may work out fantastically and become a lifetime career that you do very well in, it may not. I'm hopeful for you though - I took a similar chance about 3 years back, took about a 50% pay cut to break into the industry I wanted to be in - today I sit in a fantastic job, that I enjoy and make about 15k more a year than I ever made previously. Sounds like you've got the mentality of "I'll work my arse off to prove I can, and get noticed and move up" - that does still work for people, and is incredibly important in an industry like brewing (IMO).

Good luck - keep us all posted
 
There are worse things than $8 or $10 or $12 an hour..... yeah - that is a low hourly wage for sure. However, I have known breweries that put their people on "salary" in the $20,000-$30,000 range..... and then they end up working them 60-80 hours a week..... you don't want to start doing the math on $27,000 salaries and 80 hour weeks....

Hopefully after a trial run of a couple weeks the gig works out for you, you enjoy it, it ends in a job with a concrete hourly wage and maybe even some back pay for doing a good job. At least if it is hourly you know that you will get "x" dollars for "x" hours.

If I was able to, and had the opportunity - I would absolutely go work in a small brewery for a couple weeks for free..... I would never quit my job to do it, but I would love to see the day to day workings of commercial brewing in a smaller (7bbl-15bbl type) place.
 
GregsB said:
Heck, a case of some good craft beer might be worth haulin' bags of hops...for a day
Click to expand...

What about carrying 50 pound sacks of grain around. Then shoveling \ the spent grain out of the mash tun? Washing, washing, washing......

It sound like it might be fun if they truly rotate positions.

When talking of advancement, remember that there is only one head brewer and that position is taken until he either moves to another brewery, quits or retires.

There may be an assistant brewer position, but the rest are laborers.

But get in there, have some fun, learn and see where it leads. There are more and more start-up breweries.
 
Hey guys im enjoying this thread,very entertaining .I worked today... a lot, 10 hours. It wasn't hard work at all just time consuming.
I got there at 630 by 632 the second brewer in commanded showed up and started to show me the ropes.He showed me what needs to be turned on in the morning lights,pumps, compressors,hot water tank,Glycol chiller.
next we sanitized/prepped a bottler. Washed and filled some kegs.An assistant brewer showed up and the 3 of us bottles close to 2,000 bottles.
cleaned some fermentors for a couple hours.Then helped the assistant brewer weigh out grains for tomorrow.
I then saw the head brewer who told me tomorrow i work with him.So i will bring up money and i'll see how that goes. I'l keep you all updated. Fel free to keep criticizing or sending some encouragement.
 
It's a fine line to decide when to ask about the money. Too soon and you look like the money is all you're interested in. Too late and you risk being taken advantage of. That said, I don't think it would hurt to wait a few more days to ask about the money. Just my $.02.
 
BlueHouseBrewhaus said:
It's a fine line to decide when to ask about the money. Too soon and you look like the money is all you're interested in. Too late and you risk being taken advantage of. That said, I don't think it would hurt to wait a few more days to ask about the money. Just my $.02.
Click to expand...


I need to respectfully disagree. The time to ask about money is before you show up to work!

OP - curious, but didn't you have to fill out paperwork before starting? If not, you are probably a volunteer and not an employee.

Either way, good luck and hope you gain the experience you seek!!
 
Grod1 said:
Hey guys im enjoying this thread,very entertaining .I worked today... a lot, 10 hours. It wasn't hard work at all just time consuming.
I got there at 630 by 632 the second brewer in commanded showed up and started to show me the ropes.He showed me what needs to be turned on in the morning lights,pumps, compressors,hot water tank,Glycol chiller.
next we sanitized/prepped a bottler. Washed and filled some kegs.An assistant brewer showed up and the 3 of us bottles close to 2,000 bottles.
cleaned some fermentors for a couple hours.Then helped the assistant brewer weigh out grains for tomorrow.
I then saw the head brewer who told me tomorrow i work with him.So i will bring up money and i'll see how that goes. I'l keep you all updated. Fel free to keep criticizing or sending some encouragement.
Click to expand...

Hah. If they're not running glycol 24/7....

You'll find some days are harder than others. If your place is big enough to have a grain silo and a loading dock with a forklift, you may have it easy. Some of us aren't so lucky.

Bring up money or at least seek clarification of your role. If they're going to have you involved in cleaning tanks and brewing and what not, its in both your interests to be on the payroll as an employee. As far as they should be concerned, if you're "volunteering" and take a caustic shower or take the brunt of a boilover or something, you could sue the crap out of em (since workers comp wouldn't cover it). On the flip side, if you get hurt it's on you unless you want to deal with it in court. At least that's my understanding. Point is, legally safer for both parties if you're an official employee in which case you have to be paid (even if it's an unpaid internship, I believe they have to be able to demonstrate the "education" you're receiving is worth more than minimum wage based on work. Again, that's my understanding).

I'm not a lawyer though, so what do I know.
 
BlueHouseBrewhaus said:
It's a fine line to decide when to ask about the money. Too soon and you look like the money is all you're interested in. Too late and you risk being taken advantage of. That said, I don't think it would hurt to wait a few more days to ask about the money. Just my $.02.
Click to expand...

Agreed! Its a fine line, but either way just keep working hard. Make yourself valuable.
 
The glycol chiller is on all the time. I meant to say just check the temp and levels. not turn it on.
i did not fill out any paper work. He did not even ask me if i had ever been arrested.I mentioned money today and he said we will talk tomorrow.But it will be on the books.
Today i learned how to wash/maintain the keg washer then i cleaned and filled 30 kegs.
 
I am sure the breweries are just like the restaurant industry. If you filter them out by criminal records they wouldn't have a work force.
 
Grod1 said:
The glycol chiller is on all the time. I meant to say just check the temp and levels. not turn it on.
i did not fill out any paper work. He did not even ask me if i had ever been arrested.I mentioned money today and he said we will talk tomorrow.But it will be on the books.
Today i learned how to wash/maintain the keg washer then i cleaned and filled 30 kegs.
Click to expand...


Good deal man - sounds like you're enjoying it so far. :mug: Important question now - how much sampling have you done?
 
Grod1 said:
The glycol chiller is on all the time. I meant to say just check the temp and levels. not turn it on.
i did not fill out any paper work. He did not even ask me if i had ever been arrested.I mentioned money today and he said we will talk tomorrow.But it will be on the books.
Today i learned how to wash/maintain the keg washer then i cleaned and filled 30 kegs.
Click to expand...

That sounds a little more like it. On the books is good. Sounds like you've just about got it sorted. Have fun and good luck.

Oh, and a word of advice I learned the hard way, always bleed the lines after running cleaning/rinsing/sanitizing cycles on tank CIP and blowoff arms before you move the hose around. Always. If you guys don't have a tee with a butterfly permanently affixed to your cart expressly for that purpose, call your head brewer an idiot. Seriously. You don't want that stuff coming down on you when you disconnect the hose, regardless if it's chemical or just rinse water.
 
I have had a few samples from a zwickel before they showed me how they use a zahm c02 meter.I have always been able to drink for free there since my good friends were in the tap room.You guys really might think im crazy now but i dont drink much.I drink like a beer a day maybe a few on sundays with friends.I might go a week with out craving a beer at all.
 
Sounds like it's working out. 1 week showed him you'll work hard. Good job!
 
100$ a day 5 days a week for the next 3 weeks. Thats what i was told.Seems pretty fair. i mean its about 10$ an hour so as a job i couldn't do it but for a month of training i think its perfectly fair.Today they kept handing me drinks and samples, i might have had 5 beers.Fridays seem to be a bit more lax.
 
Grod1 said:
100$ a day 5 days a week for the next 3 weeks. Thats what i was told.Seems pretty fair. i mean its about 10$ an hour so as a job i couldn't do it but for a month of training i think its perfectly fair.Today they kept handing me drinks and samples, i might have had 5 beers.Fridays seem to be a bit more lax.
Click to expand...


I thought we decided you could scrape by on $9 :)
 
I am glad that this has already come up recently. I am actually hoping to make a similar jump next year. Like everyone has said, its a lot of work for little pay. I hope to get on board with one of a larger breweries in the area(seattle/everett). Its not something i can do now because I just cant handle that big of a paycut right now. But after the new year, my living situation should change and i can handle making that big of a jump. I'm excited to see how it goes.
 

Similar threads

T
For Sale Complete Turnkey Professional grade Brew set
Replies
5
Views
1K
leoatslt
L
JaggersBrewingCo
Panel of Professional Brewers and Brewery Owners Questions
Replies
0
Views
385
JaggersBrewingCo
JaggersBrewingCo
Zwerg
American craft brew versions of European styles
Replies
10
Views
1K
madscientist451
madscientist451
P
What happened to IPA?
2
Replies
49
Views
3K
Clint Yeastwood
Clint Yeastwood
3 Dawg Night
FotHB XIX: Legal to Drink in Canada
2 3
Replies
86
Views
3K
3 Dawg Night
3 Dawg Night

Latest posts

Back
Top