hey guys - i've been thinking about this for a while - i'm 26, no kids, mortgage or anything really holding me back. i've slowly come to realize that what i do (accounting) is not at all what i want to do (brewing). pretty much any downtime i have i'm either reading about brewing, talking about beer, drinking beer, or brewing. i'm a beginner at best - i've brewed 10+ batches in my nyc apartment, but i know that this is what i want to do. it's funny how something goes from being an interest to a hobby to a passion, and for me it happened pretty quickly. i think i'm ready to quit my job and focus full time on this - i know it's absolutely impulsive and the smarter thing to do would be to wait to build up savings (of which i don't have) and set out with a plan (mine is shoddy at best at the moment). that being said, i can't wait any longer. so my plan is to give my two weeks within the next two weeks, and then head into the great unknown. curious to see what you guys think - i know it's pretty crazy sounding, but oddly enough i've never been more sure about anything in my life.
time to become a brewer?
- Thread starter bsap
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First thing I would do is ask my boss for a 1-2 week unpaid leave of absence. Then volunteer at a brewery to see if it really is what you want.
There are a lot of great resources out there, starting with schools that will basically give you a degree in brewing. Some are even possibilities as online courses. A lot more than brewing goes into a brewery and these can give you an idea if you want do deal with all that "other" stuff. If you only want to brew (be prepared to not make much money), then you'll definitely need something that will set you apart from other applicants. A little experience in a real brewery and homebrewing is a start, but a piece of paper can say a lot...
There are a lot of great resources out there, starting with schools that will basically give you a degree in brewing. Some are even possibilities as online courses. A lot more than brewing goes into a brewery and these can give you an idea if you want do deal with all that "other" stuff. If you only want to brew (be prepared to not make much money), then you'll definitely need something that will set you apart from other applicants. A little experience in a real brewery and homebrewing is a start, but a piece of paper can say a lot...
whis121surfing
Well-Known Member
Have you been doing all grain batches?
whis121surfing
Well-Known Member
I caught the addiction/passion like you and many other brewers. Work the all grain batches for a while. Sometimes it brings people to the thought of keeping it as a hobby. I however am still pushing towards opening a small time brewpub in Jacksonville but I want to keep my day job, underwriting, while building it up. Money is important when starting it up. I have been talking with the Florida Brewer's Guild and I would suggest you find something like that in NYC. They will walk you through the steps.
thanks for the advice - i've been doing all grain batches since day one. money is definitely important, but my fear is that my day job (i work 60 hours a week) will really keep me from making this my top priority. i've got other options lined up (house sitting for about what i make now) to get me through the incubation stages - start up capital won't be a concern of mine for a while.
what schools / online schools are you talking about? i've been pouring over books and forums, but hadn't considered actual classes. i'm not too concerned about the "other stuff" right now since it's just a notion, but long term i know i'll have a good group helping me out. i'm definitely fortunate enough to know that this isn't going to be a solo project. thanks guys.
You'll never get hired without some type of experience or certified learning under your belt. I think a better idea for you us to volunteer on weekends at a brewpub, get experience, and work on some type of brewing education.
you could also do accounting work for a brewery to get your foot in the door and keep a nice salary. Brewers, especially ones with your skills, don't make squat.
I'm in a similar boat. I have a chemical engineering degree and working a job that I don't have any passion for. I recently got certified as a beer judge and am studying for a diploma in brewing science from the institute of brewing and distilling. That way I keep my income, hone my home brewing skills, and educate myself in order to look more attractive to breweries.
Don't do anything rash. Take your time. Study, get experience, foster that passionate brewing spark into a wildfire.
you could also do accounting work for a brewery to get your foot in the door and keep a nice salary. Brewers, especially ones with your skills, don't make squat.
I'm in a similar boat. I have a chemical engineering degree and working a job that I don't have any passion for. I recently got certified as a beer judge and am studying for a diploma in brewing science from the institute of brewing and distilling. That way I keep my income, hone my home brewing skills, and educate myself in order to look more attractive to breweries.
Don't do anything rash. Take your time. Study, get experience, foster that passionate brewing spark into a wildfire.
bsap said:
I haven't looked into it too deeply but UC Davis is the most well known in the US. There's also one in chicago and NY but I'm not sure of the name of those. The Siebel Institute has some classes online. And the oldest is Weihenstephan in Germany.
Here's a link but I can't look too much into it at work. It looks like it mentions the top ones though. http://beertobrew.com/brewing_schools.aspx
Oregon State University has a fermentation degree as well. And we have a ton of breweries and wineries in the area to work or volunteer at.
If you don't mind rain, it's a nice place to be.
If you don't mind rain, it's a nice place to be.
