Beer Brewing Internships?

[Beer4U]

Hey guys,

I'm relatively new to beer making, but I can already tell that this is something I want to do for the rest of my life. I'm graduating in May, and I'm really looking for a brewing internship or job. I'm having a hell of a time finding anything though. I'm more than willing to start from the bottom and learn the ropes, but I can't find anything that is being offered. Any advice, tips, links ect. would be greatly appreciated. Or hell, if you own a brewery and want to take on a dedicated young beer enthusiast, well, when can I start?

Thanks a ton gents

 

[rocketman768]

Find your local breweries and tell them you want to help them clean their fermenters and filters

 

[carnevoodoo]

Go to probrewer.com. Look around, offer your services, and see what is available.

 

[schweaty]

Good luck with this. I've tried at a few pubs and micros and never had any luck. A lot of empty promises but that was about it.

I even offered to do it all for free and was shot down, go figure!

 

[JKoravos]

Are you graduating from college, or HS? Assuming college, what's your degree?

 

[Mountainbeers]

Don't mean to take over the thread but I'm also in a similar position.

I'm graduating from West Virginia University in May with a BS in Industrial Engineering. I am also an avid home brewer and would love to get into the industry if I could.

I'm currently looking for a job in technical sales or process engineering. I checked out www.probrewer.com and that seems like a great resource. Does anybody else have any other similar resources?

 

[pdbreen]

Also check out http://www.abgbrew.com/ - for info on apprenticeships (unfortunately, this means you pay $$) either in a brewery or via distance learning. If you're serious, this is a good way to set yourself apart from other wanna be's.

 

[Mountainbeers]

Also check out http://www.abgbrew.com/ - for info on apprenticeships (unfortunately, this means you pay $$) either in a brewery or via distance learning. If you're serious, this is a good way to set yourself apart from other wanna be's.

Do you know any graduates of this program?

Engineers?

 

[pdbreen]

Do you know any graduates of this program?

I don't know them personally, but the alumni placement looks decent:

http://www.abgbrew.com/wherearethey.htm

I would think it'd be pretty easy to track down a few of these folks for reference. I do know that Otter Creek brewery is involved and they have a very good rep.

 

[Bsquared]

UC Davis has an intensive extension program, I think they have a 8 week course 8hr a day 5 days a week at one of the local breweries there Sudswerks for under 10k.

the university also offers masters level degrees in food science/brewing.

 

[Mountainbeers]

UC Davis has an intensive extension program, I think they have a 8 week course 8hr a day 5 days a week at one of the local breweries there Sudswerks for under 10k.

the university also offers masters level degrees in food science/brewing.

The extension program looks great. It seems to me like it starts in January and 2010 is full already so the earliest would be Jan 2011.

The purpose of the class is to get you ready for the IBD's Diploma in Brewing Exam that's offered in June.

I wonder how impossible it is to study for this test on your own. It looks pretty intense.

 

[olllllo]

Comer over and rack my beer and clean some carboys.

I'll give you 2 CEU's.

 

[Mountainbeers]

Yay! And I'll give you 4 CEUs in return for Teaching/Education/Slave Labor...

 

[Beer4U]

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the recources. I've already contacted quite a few breweries. I will be graduating with a major in Biology/Toxicology. I think the biological and science aspects will help me in the long run. Keep the suggestions coming!

 

[JKoravos]

Check out Siebel, as well. Taking some courses will definitely separate you from the guys who walk into breweries every day begging for a job: "Hey, cool, I love beer, can I get a job?"

 

[farmbrewernw]

Beer4u: I'm doing just that right now. I just happened to move because of a job that my Wife got up in Washington, this allowed me some free time to look around at my options. By chance I talked to the owner of the brewery up here, I asked him if i could volunteer in the brewery. He was more than willing to let me do that and the next day first thing in the morning I was milling grains with the head brewer. It's been two months now, I was just offered (I acceped) a full time position as the assistant brewer.
Now let me tell you it's hard work, you have to be willing to work and work hard. But if your dedicated it will work for you, one thing in the brewing world that brewers appreciate is someone that is knowledgeable and willing to work hard. My recommendation to you is to go to your local brewery and offer to volunteer, make sure you show up and make the effort, far too many people I have talked to that want to help out never show up. You could go to school but I think volunteering is a good way to see if you like it before you spend all that money, and honestly if you get hired on you'll get as much if not more experience working for a brewery versus going to school, not too many brewers I know even have brewing degrees, I have a geology degree so there you go.

 

[chefmike]

Beer4u: I'm doing just that right now. I just happened to move because of a job that my Wife got up in Washington, this allowed me some free time to look around at my options. By chance I talked to the owner of the brewery up here, I asked him if i could volunteer in the brewery. He was more than willing to let me do that and the next day first thing in the morning I was milling grains with the head brewer. It's been two months now, I was just offered (I acceped) a full time position as the assistant brewer.
Now let me tell you it's hard work, you have to be willing to work and work hard. But if your dedicated it will work for you, one thing in the brewing world that brewers appreciate is someone that is knowledgeable and willing to work hard. My recommendation to you is to go to your local brewery and offer to volunteer, make sure you show up and make the effort, far too many people I have talked to that want to help out never show up. You could go to school but I think volunteering is a good way to see if you like it before you spend all that money, and honestly if you get hired on you'll get as much if not more experience working for a brewery versus going to school, not too many brewers I know even have brewing degrees, I have a geology degree so there you go.

Sounds like culinary work.

And I think you hit the nail on the head. All of them. Hard.

the glory in brewing as in cooking comes less frequently (and long after) much hard work. And you start on the bottom.

regardless of if you went to school or not.

 

[SourHopHead]

Do you know any graduates of this program?

Engineers?

I graduated the ABG back in Nov 08. Did 1 month between 2 breweries here and had to go back to my real job. Still look at probrewer and alumni site for openings. I've gone on 1 interview local so far, but wasn't for me. It cost some $$$, but I am happy I stuck with it. Now just have to find that one brewing job for me.

 

[farmbrewernw]

Look I'm going to be honest if you need to make a decent wage your not going to do it being a brewer especially if your starting at the bottom. I'm lucky because my wife is the bread winner other wise I'm not sure I could do it. Do I sometimes feel like I'm wasting my degree to work in a job that pays crap? Yes, but I think someone that is dedicated can overlook that and look forward to the ultimate goal of being a great brewer and some day owning your own brewery and being successful.