Does Your Boss Know You Homebrew?

Does Your Boss Know You Home brew?

I'm out looking for a new job and a recruiter told me that when it comes to hobbies not to mention this one.

They were thinking of teetotalers who would not understand.

I agree to some point, at least before getting the job.

Therefore I like to golf, fish and garden. (Grow Hops: )

I would like to hear you thoughts on this, and have you been in this situation.

Thanks!!!

By boss doesn't know yet, but he will. If my first AG turns out nice, then I'll give him and a few other people at work a bottle.

My boss just bought "How to Brew" upon my recommendation. Its only a matter of time before he's one of us.

I have to agree, though, that in an interview type situation it is probably best not to bring it up.

My boss knows but couldn't care less.

i've given mine samples

It's not something I'd bring up during an interview, unless you see a copy of Charlie's book on his/her desk. I'd be concerned that person may view brewing as the life of an alcoholic or something.

My boss knows I homebrew. She also knows I curse like a sailor, play hockey, and drink too much.

However, I worked there 20 years before she joined our corporation. I don't think I'd discuss any of those things in an interview.

At this point, she also knows I'm a damn good worker and work well without any supervision. She knew that before she knew that I use the f bomb routinely.

I used to talk with my boss about brewing. Then I got fired.
Then I set fire to his house and banged his daughter.


Worked out for me.

My boss knows and has sampled several of my brews. I didn't not bring it up until I had an idea of what the general consensus was with respect to beer and brewing in my work place. Overall, it's not something that I discuss in any detail with co-workers.

I also wouldn't mention it on an interview if asked what my hobbies/interests are just so it wouldn't lead to any possible incorrect assumptions.

Mine does, doesn't really care. He likes Sam Adams, so we talk about it here and there.

But if I was putting out resumes for anything other than a brewery, I'd leave it out. Homebrewing still carries negative connotations and isn't well understood by the general masses, and IMHO it's a discussion best left until after you're hired.

Good luck with the job hunt!

I must say that I was outed by a co-worker. I don't think he did with malicious intent. I will say that he thought I was crazy for growing hops, but had no problem drinking the beer & cider.

I didn't care for the, "Oh are you growing pot too." comments. I think the hop growing is even less understood than home brewing itself.

I think lot of people connect Homebrewing to moonshine too.

Mumms the word!

My boss is cellaring my Christmas gift to him, a selction of my strong ales.

My whole emergency room knows I brew and they love it.
My boss, the ER nurse manager has had some of my beer and keeps harping me about getting more!!!

my boss requests different beers. I've cooked/baked and taken it into work and he's loved that stuff. When he found out I was brewing, he couldn't wait to try my brew.

So far he's liked my imperial stout the best so far.

B

probably. I have chatted with my coworkers about it enough.

Although the mental health worker at the hospital I work at, thought it was odd.

At the Firestation, I have brought 3 people to the hobby. So I would assume that everyone else knew. I probably drink half as much as most of those guys do.

a little off topic but, I applied at a bigger cities fire department last year. One of the questions they covered was regarding assault rifles and pistols. I answered truthfully.

During the background investigation, they asked me why I owned them.

I really, really, wanted to answer. "because of the zombies"
But I did not.
I ended up not getting the job, so in hindsight. I should of gone on a 30 minute rant about the undead and preferred calibers.

My boss knows. I don't think he cares, but then he doesn't care too much about anything.

Plus, if you're a sports writer and don't drink beer or play golf, you get kicked out of the profession.

Just started a new job and when my boss asked me of my intersts outside of work told him i am a homebrewer and a wine maker he was amazed and said he always wanted to try it.
Said when he buys his new house I have to come show him how to brew.He has no room where he is at now to start brewing.
I told him why wait come on over and ill show him now and he can try some of my stuff already done but the garage is a little cold.He said when weather breaks he is gonna take me up on that offer.
A freind of mine who hasn't drank in years found out i was home brewing was so intrested he called just to ask about the process he is coming over next brew day to check it out.

My boss (the principal at my middle school) knows and she thinks it's great. I never put it in my application but we talk about it all the time.

It is definitely not an appropriate topic for a job interview. Just say you like cooking or something.

Most of the people I work with drink BMC so I found out that giving home brew to those kind of people is just a waste of good beer.

I hate my boss. He's so damn hard on me! He makes me feel guilty whenever I play hookie, drink too much, or get hungover. Yeah, he know's that I brew. Seems like he's always f***ing there! Oh wait, that's cause my boss is ME!

If i would be to search for a job, I would probably mention it, I want a boss that i have points in common and i can get along with, otherwise i don't even want to work there, but most people in Quebec drink beer like French drink red wine, so there is no problems with that here.

We had a tasting after work with 6 beers. They were surprised it tasted good.

I'm self-employed. My boss knows.

My old bosses (who I still rent office space from) know I brew and have told me I better bring them some of the finished product. And they make their own wine, so homebrewing beer is cool with them.

My boss and all my coworkers know. They scrounge for anything remotely beer related for me and give me a heads up when they find something I might be interested in.

For Secret Santa at work I received Ducks, hops and nice pint glasses.

Always getting requests and my supervisor is the worst.

That said, don't tell em till you got the job. Then they'll be really happy your part of the team, showing up with GOOD beer!

My boss knows, she probably thinks I drink too much. Probably because I have gotten hammered at work events in the past. Since I started Homebrewing I drink a lot less.

I brought a 6 pack of my first brew to my COO's house and he liked it. I go shooting with him during lunch on a regular basis. Good times!

I brought it up during the interview when I found out the controls position was for a waste water treatment company. Treating waste water has its similarities to brewing and both have rewarding results.

I don't agree with the idea that you hide it...sorry but if you hide it from the light of day like it's a cockroach, then you are perpetuating the myth that it is something to be ashamed of..actually Beer is all over the place now..it is the new black...or at least the new "wine."

The New York times does articles on beers and beer bars all the time, and review and beer food pairings.. the Canadian Broadcasting Company (never a paragon of the avant garde) has two beer experts, one in Windsor and one nationally....ANd they are on every week answering listener questions, and recommending new beers to try/

That perception of something to be ashamed of is changing as Craft beers rise in popularity, and names like Sam Adams are on tv...if you google beer food pairings you will find out how seriously popular beer is becoming...and not just to beer geeks like us...It may not seem like it in your "circle" but beer is hip right now...maybe more so than during the craft beer "revolution" of the 80's

Even Budweiser is trying to make it hip....WTF do you think Bud American Ale is all about??? .betcha it's all hoity toity on the superbowl commercials....no farting horses for that product....

Beer is being called the "New Wine" in places like the New York Times, or like this article from the Washington Post Heady Complements - washingtonpost.com

There are articles in just about every magazine and newpapers about food and beer pairings...You can take (and teach) classes on beer and food, and even homebrewing at adult ed and community colleges now....

Sam Cagilione was featured in the New York Times.

The Mayor Protem of my city is a homebewer and was in an article about it...

It is a great time to be a home brewer, and knowledgeable about beer in general. I'm on a couple of other non beer related forums (including a dating site) where I have homebrewer in my profile, and I get a lot of food/beer pairing questions from people, especially women on the dating site...It's usually the conversation opener when a woman writes to me on the dating site.

If a 40 year old women wants to know what beers to pair with chocolate cake for a dinner party...then you know there is a shift happening...

Don't be ashamed about it, be ambassadors of it, be proud about it..be intelligent about it, teach about it..show that this is different from drinking mad dog in a brown paper bags in the alley...Show how you are responsible...not some closet lush....Teach them that there is nothing to be ashamed of...

I think it depends on the situation.

The whole reason I asked this question was that the recruiter said in the first 20 seconds tell them something personal about yourself that they will remember you by.

I jokingly said, "I'll tell them I make my own beer. " She's like no, no, no don't say that!!

I thought that amusing and at the same time interesting. I think the job is heavily in agricultural construction. I think it'll be good ol' boys. At least that's kind of how they make them out to be.

I don't volunteer that I brew because I know the moonshine stigma comes with it. People who are ignorant think its illegal.

I just got a coworker into homebrewing, going to bottle her first batch this weekend in fact, and a couple of days ago I brought her two cases of bottles, bottling bucked, and some various odds and ends. Her boss comes over and says, "what you going to start making moonshine at work now?" and then proceeds to waste his time finding a picture of a old redneck still on google and prints it out and posts it in her cube. He's a real ******.

Revvy, I could not agree more. People that I work with (Docs and nurses) love hearing me talk about beer. They have told me I have turned so many of them onto better tasting beer that you can buy in most stores. One nurse told me that she hates beer but when she talks to me about beer I make her want to run out and have one. People say they see more passion in me when I talk about beer in general than anything else that I talk about, its like my eyes light up as a kid on christmas.

I know 3 people I can name that I now work with that I have turned on to homebrewing. People love it!!! A 50 something year old female nurse asked me what kind of beer would go with a peanut butter sandwhich and I brought her in a stout, she fell in love with me.

I will never, ever be ashamed that I am a homebrewer, that I love beer, and its my passion (like fishing)

I don't think I "hide" anything. I'm a pretty open person and won't ever lie. But I also don't volunteer personal information in a job interview! I mean, I homebrew, curse, love porno flicks, kayak, play sports, etc. I can also quote Kierkegaard and Nietzche. None of those hobbies qualify me for my position, and in fact can make me seem quite odd when taken out of context.

If I was applying for an artistic position, maybe I'd share that side of my personal life. But, since I'm managerial, I would only discuss that part of myself. Whether I homebrew or read Danish philosophy doesn't at all correlate as to how well I manage my department or staff.

Revvy said:

I don't agree with the idea that you hide it...sorry but if you hide it from the light of day like it's a cockroach, then you are perpetuating the myth that it is something to be ashamed of..actually Beer is all over the place now..it is the new black...or at least the new "wine."

The New York times does articles on beers and beer bars all the time, and review and beer food pairings.. the Canadian Broadcasting Company (never a paragon of the avant garde) has two beer experts, one in Windsor and one nationally....ANd they are on every week answering listener questions, and recommending new beers to try/

That perception of something to be ashamed of is changing as Craft beers rise in popularity, and names like Sam Adams are on tv...if you google beer food pairings you will find out how seriously popular beer is becoming...and not just to beer geeks like us...It may not seem like it in your "circle" but beer is hip right now...maybe more so than during the craft beer "revolution" of the 80's

Even Budweiser is trying to make it hip....WTF do you think Bud American Ale is all about??? .betcha it's all hoity toity on the superbowl commercials....no farting horses for that product....

Beer is being called the "New Wine" in places like the New York Times, or like this article from the Washington Post Heady Complements - washingtonpost.com

There are articles in just about every magazine and newpapers about food and beer pairings...You can take (and teach) classes on beer and food, and even homebrewing at adult ed and community colleges now....

Sam Cagilione was featured in the New York Times.

The Mayor Protem of my city is a homebewer and was in an article about it...

It is a great time to be a home brewer, and knowledgeable about beer in general. I'm on a couple of other non beer related forums (including a dating site) where I have homebrewer in my profile, and I get a lot of food/beer pairing questions from people, especially women on the dating site...It's usually the conversation opener when a woman writes to me on the dating site.

If a 40 year old women wants to know what beers to pair with chocolate cake for a dinner party...then you know there is a shift happening...

Don't be ashamed about it, be ambassadors of it, be proud about it..be intelligent about it, teach about it..show that this is different from drinking mad dog in a brown paper bags in the alley...Show how you are responsible...not some closet lush....Teach them that there is nothing to be ashamed of...

Click to expand...

So if I understand you right...

If I get invited to lunch after the interview and they ask me what beer should I get with the pork chops & mashed potatoe special, its ok to say the following;

"Dunkel, Abbey Dubbel, Doppelbock, Altbier, Oktoberfest, Marzen or Biere de Garde."

Well now maybe a job interview is different....

My boss just approached me today about his MrBeer kit that he got for Christmas and I've had a flat of corny kegs shipped to the office.

I think it's a fairly safe bet that he knows I brew.

Schlenkerla said:

I think it depend on the situation.

The whole reason I asked this question was that the recruiter said in the first 20 seconds tell them something personal about yourself that they will remember by.

I jokingly said, "I'll tell them I make my own beer. " She's like no, no, no don't say that!!

I thought that amusing and at the same time interesting. I think the job is heavily in agricultural construction. I think it'll good ol' boys. At that's kind of how they make them out to be.

I don't volunteer that I brew because I know the moonshine stigma comes with it. People who are ignorant think its illegal.

Click to expand...

Well I would more than likely believe that is the recruiter's own personal bias about alcohol than anything more...I would then have jumped in and taught her something about brewing and beer....like mentioning what I mentioned in my last post about it...I would have politely turned it into a teachable moment...and she would have seen how knowlegable and articulate about something you are..

ANd to teach people that it is not illegal, nor that you can go blind...but that it is a blending of art, craft, science and cooking...

Knowing what i know about you buddy, YOU could have easily won her over with YOUR knowlege of pairing beer and food and cooking...She would have been blown away by it...and may even have reconsidered her postion on that issue...

In the 4 years of ministerial school I had to go through twice a year something called Licensing and Ordination...to best decribe it imagine you have to present and then defend aurally your Master's thesis to a group of 6-10 ministers for over an hour...then do it again to another group of minsters about 2 hours later and if you don't win over both groups you do it again a third time to a different group of minsters that day...

AND you do it again 6 months later..8 times in 4 years...

If you are passionate about something, anything, even if it is not related to the topic at hand, that will shine through, and win people over...ANd they will judge you on your passion and intelligence...and figure if you can talk that articulate about something..then maybe you have the capability of doing that same thing for them...

I didn't brew back then..but I cooked (but if I did, I would have talked passionately about it), and I loved music and had a background in radio production...so often the interviews would sidetrack, when they asked about my hobbies and intersts. into one of those topics...food and music...and inevitably there would be at least one person who was as geeky about it as well...and that would be what was the defining factor of the L&O conference, not whether I remembered a particular bible verse or not..

I was once told by a minister on my committee that I really HAD to before I came back in 6 months rent the Enimen Movie "8 Mile" since it had come out while I was in school and I hadn't seen it...but he related it to me living in Detroit and being part of the music scene...we're talking a minister suggesting to watch a movie about RAP music for christ sakes...

SO I guess I'm saying....take what she said with a grain of salt..if you feel passionate about it...about anything..if it comes up don't down play it...use it as an opportunity to let YOU shine through...to let your intelligence, your passion, and your wisdom shine through...and if they are smart enough to look beyon any biases, they may be able to see that if you routed 10% of than energy to their endeavors...you would be an asset to them....

Anyway, that's my 2 cents buddy.

BrianTheBrewer said:

Well now maybe a job interview is different....

Click to expand...

I agree...I betcha like I said, that was HER bias...maybe her dad was an alky or something...but again, you might have been able to re-pattern her views on it...

I can think of something better to tell them in the first 20 seconds about myself. That doesn't have to be about brewing.

I can talk about my new son! He is crying for a bottle.... can't type so good with one hand.....

be back soon....

... he's quiet...

I'm not ashamed to mention it in the right setting though...

I keep being reminded about a certain scripture that the "little big guy" once said...it was something about NOT hiding your light under a basket, but letting it shine through....

I wrote a blog about my view on hiding stuff we're passionate about..I dunno if you have to be on myspace to read it or not...but here it is.

MySpace.com Blogs - Being Real - Michael MySpace Blog

Yes, and he wants me to teach him how.