Thinking of Moving to Oregon for beer. Looking for Advice

[mcjake]

Maybe you could call these 98 breweries and get a better feel: Beer Expedition (tm) - Oregon Breweries - Breweries and Beer Information

Honestly dude, if you are going to up and move out there. I really would suggest calling all of them.

 

[maztec]

Connections are everything in this business. Meet as many brewers as you possibly can. This is why the van/vagabond idea might not be the best. Sure, you open yourself up to many more breweries, but you will never really make many connections.

Chris, I agree with everything you said, you have some great recommendations, except I do not think the van/vagabond idea is mutually exclusive from your suggestions. If you take it slow enough, you can meet people along the way, keep brewin' in the van (or whatever, hell couch surf), and make sure you get to know the people at each place. At the very least, by the end of the trip, you will have some awesome contacts and awesome stories. And odds are, if you keep in touch with all those people (networking - just like you suggested), one of them will give you a tip to get a job. So you might not make it on your first trip north, but you might find it on the way back through.

At least, that is how I think .

And yes, I was originally from Oregon. Love it, but man the unemployment sucks.

 

[z987k]

I did this actually, about 2 years ago. I was in a graduate program that wasn't making me happy, and I wanted to brew, but living in Northern Florida is about the same as living in Alabama, so I thought I would move. With no job. Knowing nobody out there.

I was deciding between Portland and Denver/Front Range. I chose the Front Range, moved within a month of making the decision (rather surprising, since I had a significant other of about 3 yrs at that point that I was living with, who completely supported my decision). I moved to Denver, found an apartment, got a job as a pizza delivery guy (since it is the easiest way to make $15/hr consistently, which is plenty to get by on living alone), and started job searching.

The job search was very slow at first. But here is how you job search in the brewing industry. You go to the local brewpubs/breweries, and you drink their beer, and you make friends with the brewers/bartenders. This is not to get THEM to get you a job (though that is certainly possible), but so they can tell you about the jobs they have heard about. Many of the jobs that you should be "applying" to seldom make it to the ProBrewer forums. Somebody starts asking around about needing an assistant, your buddies at X brewery/brewpub hear this, think of you and let you know.

I got extremely lucky, since I moved in November 07, and by January 08 I had an assistant job at a local chain brewpub. I heard about the opening from a buddy who owned another local brewpub, I called the brewer that day, set up an interview, brought a liquid resume (very important in my opinion, particularly if you are making good beer), and got hired on the spot.

Connections are everything in this business. Meet as many brewers as you possibly can. This is why the van/vagabond idea might not be the best. Sure, you open yourself up to many more breweries, but you will never really make many connections.

So, in my opinion, pick a place to move, set up shop with an easy, tip based job (like delivering pizzas, serving, bartending whatever you want/can get), and start looking. Start drinking at the local places, ask to speak to the brewers, get your name out there, make friends. These friends are the ones that will get you a job.

Oh, and homebrew the entire time. Homebrew a lot. Join the local homebrew club out there. Liquid resumes can be quite persuasive and can differentiate you from the others out there applying for the same entry level positions.

I, again, got very very lucky. I had a part time brewing job within 2 months, and within a year was running my own (very very small) brewpub.

If you are at the point in your life where you have fairly little to risk (no house, no kids, an understanding SWMBO), I say go for it. What is the worst that can happen? Brewing may or may not be for you, but if you are at this point in your life, this is the best way to find out.

You have to tell us what brewpub you own. Have to support! :rockin:

 

[thataintchicken]

McMenamins in Portland is hiring Pubstaff for several of it's locations.
It's a foot in the door. If you want to chance it.


Just some advice.
I grew up there.
I went back last year for a contract gig with the hope to sell my condo in SF and move home. Then the economy tanked.

I am back in SF, back in restaurant work ( my fallback position ).
Portland Unemployment sucks. Apartment availability sucks.housing costs suck. Older homes are charming, and most will require TLC. this is realtor code for never maintained.

Portland is a beautiful and wonderful place. Not if you are unemployed.
or underemployed.


/bitter

 

[BrothersBrewing]

I was there this past August for about 3 weeks on vaca. Went to Portland, Hood River, Pacific City, and a few other places. Had the Time of my life i didnt want to come home(NH).

Check out Hood River OR

Full sail brewing Co
Pelican Brewing Co

 

[SmugMug]

Stop in some of the Montana places as well. Have a buddy who did the same thing (moving without a job) and ended up staying in Billings. I don't think you could drag him out of there if it was on fire.

 

[ChrisKennedy]

You have to tell us what brewpub you own. Have to support! :rockin:

Sorry to mislead, I don't own a brewpub, I just run the brewery at a brewpub, the Yak and Yeti in Arvada, CO.

 

[EvilTOJ]

*checks to make sure the OP isn't in California*

OK good, I can let you move here. All the other Oregonians said everything I would have said, so I won't repeat it. Keep in mind minimum wage out here is 8.40 an hour, but there's also the standard of living to go with that....

If you do go to the beer festivals (and this goes for everyone, not just the OP) do NOT go on the weekend! Go on Thursday or Friday, when there's a lot smaller crowd and you can schmooze.