Help me get a job at the brewery!

[fightguy]

I don't have any experience as a brewer, but I do have a passion and enthusiasm that cannot be matched when it comes to beer. Can someone help me with a cover letter for my resume that will help reveal how eager I am to learn the craft? The ad says that experience is not required.

By the way, this is for a brewer position at Alaskan Brewing Company

Thanks!

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

Experience not required? wow.

 

[fightguy]

They said it was preferred, but not required. I'm told that they will train you

 

[Bobby_M]

Yeah, why would you need experience to clean mash tuns and fermenters out? Crawl in, scrub out.

 

[RadicalEd]

How about instead of a cover letter, you drive by and drop off a bottle or six of HB? A taste is worth a thousand words .

 

[EvilTOJ]

RadicalEd, I think that's a wonderful idea! fightguy, drop off your resume, along with some of your HB. If you have balls, maybe do a clone of one of their brews, like their Alaskan Amber and include that with your resume.

 

[Fingers]

fightguy, drop off your resume, along with some of your HB.

That might be a recipe for disaster seeing as how he said he has no experience with brewing. Better to claim ignorance rather than demonstrate it.

 

[fightguy]

True that. Anyways, I went and dropped off my application already. I explained to them that I don't have any experience but that I am eager to learn and am excited to learn every aspect of the brewing process. The lady I spoke with said those were a lot of what they were looking for in a brewer. We'll see how it turns out, but I am not getting my hopes up.

I appreciate your responses

 

[zbeeblebrox]

making a living doing what you like is the best job you can get. good luck man.

 

[Catfish]

I would have said to bring some rubber boots and offer to start on the spot. Tell them that you'll leave if someone better shows up. Also take a shower and dress nicely but ready to work (aka clean carhartts) don't bite your nails or pick your nose when anyone is looking. Pay attention to what they tell you and take notes if you are liable to forget.

 

[Radarbrew]

Good luck. I've talked to a couple brewers from there at our HB club. Be prepared to start at the bottom, and get the grungy work. I'll bet this is where they started that term, "bottom of the barrel". Learn quick, and pay attention. Good luck again.

 

[Desert_Sky]

Experience not required? wow.

I hope you love bottling and scrubbing the mashtun

 

[ColoradoXJ13]

heh, I just did a quick phone interview for a scientist position at a large winery...sounds like more fun than cleaning mash tuns.

 

[McKBrew]

Good luck at Alaskan Brewing if you get the job. Let them know how great their smoked porter is, and tell them to cut back on the carbonation in their ESB (save that one until you get some time in).

 

[fightguy]

Thanks guys, they are accepting applications until the 29th and will be contacting people after that. I really shouldn't get my hopes up, but I have never been more excited for a job in my life. Brewing is something that I want to do as a career, and this sounds like an awesome opportunity for me. I really doubt that I'll get it though.

Even though this is Juneau, they will almost definitely find someone with some qualifications for the job (not near the enthusiasm though!!!)

 

[fightguy]

Good luck at Alaskan Brewing if you get the job. Let them know how great their smoked porter is, and tell them to cut back on the carbonation in their ESB (save that one until you get some time in).

The Smoked Porter is good this year, but it seems to get better with age. If you can't get any yourself, shoot me a pm and I am sure that I can help you out

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

Good for you chasing your dreams! If you have the ability an idea would be to do something like the American Brewers Guild Craft Brewer Apprenticeship Program, or one of their other distance programs. Or talk more to the folks at Alaskan and offer up some services free of charge to them. Sure, you may be sitting knee deep in a mash tun cleaning it out, but you'll be there, in the environment and seeing what it really is all about and getting that foot in the door.

 

[EinGutesBier]

With my limited experience, I was able to get a job on the ground floor of an up and coming brewery in Wisconsin. I feel very lucky for the opportunity and am looking to start the 5th of November.

For whatever it's worth, here's the process I did (which got me pretty consistent replies of interest) to get my foot in the door. I looked up a list of breweries in WI and found the ones whose area I preferred. Then, I called each establishment and asked for the head brewer or manager/owner. After having a discussion with them about my experience and passion (experience limited, passion, not!) for brewing.

If they liked how the conversation went, they'd ask me to e-mail my credentials to them. After writing a one-size-fits-all "love letter to beer," I sent that and a hand-tailored e-mail and my current resume to each prospective employer. In addition, I took it a step farther and bought my own domain and server space and my fiancee' who's very a very good web designer and graphic artist, worked with me to make a site that was essentially my online portfolio, complete with beer profiles.

Beyond that, it was just a matter of meeting the brewers/owners and making a good impression. For the record, even if you're turned down, it's not necessarily a totall loss; I happened to get a 6 pack from one of the brewers just for coming by. Can't go wrong with that!

Long story short, some combination of that must've worked because it looks like I'll get a chance to do my dream job in short order. I could never get tired of that smell of delicious mash throughout the place.

If you like, I can send you a link to my website and maybe that'll help give you one idea on how to approach that, if it's something you're up to.

Either way, best of luck my friend in beer!

 

[fightguy]

That would be great, along with your generic love letter!

 

[EinGutesBier]

fightguy - I sent you a PM. :cross:

 

[jesse]

With my limited experience, I was able to get a job on the ground floor of an up and coming brewery in Wisconsin. I feel very lucky for the opportunity and am looking to start the 5th of November.

For whatever it's worth, here's the process I did (which got me pretty consistent replies of interest) to get my foot in the door. I looked up a list of breweries in WI and found the ones whose area I preferred. Then, I called each establishment and asked for the head brewer or manager/owner. After having a discussion with them about my experience and passion (experience limited, passion, not!) for brewing.

If they liked how the conversation went, they'd ask me to e-mail my credentials to them. After writing a one-size-fits-all "love letter to beer," I sent that and a hand-tailored e-mail and my current resume to each prospective employer. In addition, I took it a step farther and bought my own domain and server space and my fiancee' who's very a very good web designer and graphic artist, worked with me to make a site that was essentially my online portfolio, complete with beer profiles.

Beyond that, it was just a matter of meeting the brewers/owners and making a good impression. For the record, even if you're turned down, it's not necessarily a totall loss; I happened to get a 6 pack from one of the brewers just for coming by. Can't go wrong with that!

Long story short, some combination of that must've worked because it looks like I'll get a chance to do my dream job in short order. I could never get tired of that smell of delicious mash throughout the place.

If you like, I can send you a link to my website and maybe that'll help give you one idea on how to approach that, if it's something you're up to.

Either way, best of luck my friend in beer!

Remember remember the 5th of november

 

[Jetsers]

good luck, don't ever give up on getting a job in your dream industry.
it makes life great when your work is something you love.

 

[coyotlgw]

Big question is, though, what do these entry-level jobs pay? I heard it was in the $20k range ad damned near impossible to live on...

 

[El_Borracho]

Where can you go to brew school? What is the proper term for it, so I can search local options.. Higher education INDEED!

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

Where can you go to brew school? What is the proper term for it, so I can search local options.. Higher education INDEED!

See my post earlier in the thread...That's one option, then there is Siebel in Chicago, UCDavis in CA, and Germany!

Big question is, though, what do these entry-level jobs pay? I heard it was in the $20k range ad damned near impossible to live on...

Um...$20k could very easily be the brewer's salary! But yes, please don't think it's a lavish lifestyle with a huge salary. I did a lot of research, interviews, etc when I was looking in to working at a brewery as well. Low pay, hard work, long hours. There are peerks too of course. It's all in what you want to do and what makes you happy. I took a huge pay cut moving from the east coast back west and from an office job at a law firm to a very low level position at a winemaker, but I'm a hell of a lot happier.

 

[Dude]

See my post earlier in the thread...That's one option, then there is Siebel in Chicago, UCDavis in CA, and Germany!

Their is also ABG. I am considering applying there when I get out of the AF.

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

Their is also ABG. I am considering applying there when I get out of the AF.

Yep, that's what I was talking about in the earlier post I mentioned. I applied and was accepted for this years program. Sadly the funds were not there to pay for the program and I wasn't gonna pay 22% on a loan.

Maybe in the future. The folks there were great to speak with and work with. I had to return books, etc etc etc, but it was no problem.

 

[El_Borracho]

Damn I want to go to school, but I don't want to leave Miami for it.. I have a family and career here (unix admin)..

ABG does online courses, i think?

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

ABG does do a distance program. I believe you still need to plan on spending a week or two in VT though.

 

[Desert_Sky]

ABG does do a distance program. I believe you still need to plan on spending a week or two in VT though.

they do vermont and california for the labs portion.