- Joined
- Jan 17, 2017
- Messages
- 266
- Reaction score
- 143
It's been almost five years exactly since I brewed my first batch of beer on a frigid December day in 2016.
I fell in love. I brewed almost every other week, joined up with two local clubs, competed beers in about a half dozen competitions, read books, read forums, listened to podcasts, ran experimental batches, and started yeast banking and collecting strains.
In April 2019 I found out my wife was expecting. We found ourselves in financial desperation. I hated my job and I knew that I wanted to brew beer. I had almost no connections in the craft beer scene so I did the only thing I could, I fired up the old resume and I hit the streets. Every week I would dress up and personally drop my resume off at two to three breweries in the area. Every time I was not successful I would spruce up my resume. I bought a resume book, I printed it on the most exquisite paper I could find, heck I even bought a wax seal with my initials on it to stamp on every resume. I ended up hitting up sixteen breweries total, got interviews at two, and finally got hired at one. I was hired at Mother Earth Brew Co. in August 2019, the largest brewery in terms of production and distribution in my state. The pay wasn't enough so I had to work two full-time jobs to make ends meet. Mother Earth daytime Monday through Friday washing kegs and packing out on the end of the canning line, and my original job working twelve hour shifts weekend nights.
Right before my son was born I was promoted and able to quit my weekend job. Since then I've received a few more promotions and completed my IBD General Certificate in Brewing with the highest possible grade (less than one percent achieve this). I'm currently enrolled in their Diploma modules now.
I am writing this because I two weeks ago I was promoted to brewer. I have wanted this so bad. Two years ago I would've thought this was an end goal and now I'm now realizing my journey is just beginning. I love my job and I feel relieved everyday that I've finally found a career and I can proudly tell people what I do.
Cheers to everyone! Happy Thanksgiving!
I fell in love. I brewed almost every other week, joined up with two local clubs, competed beers in about a half dozen competitions, read books, read forums, listened to podcasts, ran experimental batches, and started yeast banking and collecting strains.
In April 2019 I found out my wife was expecting. We found ourselves in financial desperation. I hated my job and I knew that I wanted to brew beer. I had almost no connections in the craft beer scene so I did the only thing I could, I fired up the old resume and I hit the streets. Every week I would dress up and personally drop my resume off at two to three breweries in the area. Every time I was not successful I would spruce up my resume. I bought a resume book, I printed it on the most exquisite paper I could find, heck I even bought a wax seal with my initials on it to stamp on every resume. I ended up hitting up sixteen breweries total, got interviews at two, and finally got hired at one. I was hired at Mother Earth Brew Co. in August 2019, the largest brewery in terms of production and distribution in my state. The pay wasn't enough so I had to work two full-time jobs to make ends meet. Mother Earth daytime Monday through Friday washing kegs and packing out on the end of the canning line, and my original job working twelve hour shifts weekend nights.
Right before my son was born I was promoted and able to quit my weekend job. Since then I've received a few more promotions and completed my IBD General Certificate in Brewing with the highest possible grade (less than one percent achieve this). I'm currently enrolled in their Diploma modules now.
I am writing this because I two weeks ago I was promoted to brewer. I have wanted this so bad. Two years ago I would've thought this was an end goal and now I'm now realizing my journey is just beginning. I love my job and I feel relieved everyday that I've finally found a career and I can proudly tell people what I do.
Cheers to everyone! Happy Thanksgiving!
