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czaccaria

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I'm guessing there are many of you out there that aren't too fond of their desk jobs. I'm doing the grind. A 20 something living at home, working in Manhattan, doing what I studied. Making OK money.....BUT

ID RATHER BE BREWING.

I need some insights into the industry. I'm calling out to anyone that has any experience in the commercial brewing industry.

What are some positions available? (Not just the obvious....brewer, bottler, etc.)
Are you at risk to completely kill your passion because your making it into a job?
How practical is it to start a brewery and have it be successful? (I'm not talking Sam Calagione status...Just make a living out of it)


I guess my deal is that I have passions elsewhere in life, not in my 8-6 grind. I realize these are big questions, could probably be in multiple threads, so nothing too deep, just advice for a guy looking to get something more outa life.
 
With the amount of effort you've put into researching the topic, and the fact that it gets asked about 10 times a day, I'd say you have 0% chance of succeeding at anything but feeling sorry for yourself.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/i-went-pro-what-actually-takes-do-so-386476/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/going-pro-whose-got-what-takes-54559/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/what-takes-go-pro-240937/
http://www.probrewer.com/
http://discussions.probrewer.com/forumdisplay.php?29-ProBrewer-Message-Board
 
wow, nothing like trying to stomp on some kids dreams when he's just looking for some info.

Check out the links that he posted, albeit preceded by an opinion that wasn't needed, there could be some good info there. Hopefully u'll get some more feedback from people that asked that same question themselves once before and gone pro.
 
I'm doing what I studied for, making crap money but at least I get to live in the country and play on HBT when work is not busy.

Brewing professionally is a huge undertaking and government regulations alone would be enough to drive most of us mad if we went down that road. I'd rather keep this at a hobby that I can afford to do because of my desk job.
 
ShootsNRoots said:
With the amount of effort you've put into researching the topic, and the fact that it gets asked about 10 times a day, I'd say you have 0% chance of succeeding at anything but feeling sorry for yourself.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/i-went-pro-what-actually-takes-do-so-386476/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/going-pro-whose-got-what-takes-54559/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/what-takes-go-pro-240937/
http://www.probrewer.com/
http://discussions.probrewer.com/forumdisplay.php?29-ProBrewer-Message-Board
Click to expand...

Thats a bit brash to say, don't you think since you wouldn't really know the answer to that. I wasn't trying to write an essay, just trying to get some peoples ideas on different aspects. My apologies for posting something more than once on a forum. Because that's never happened before......

(Aluminum vs Stainless, Fly vs Batch, Carboy vs Better Bottle...there are dozens of each.)
 
czaccaria said:
Thats a bit brash to say, don't you think since you wouldn't really know the answer to that. I wasn't trying to write an essay, just trying to get some peoples ideas on different aspects. My apologies for posting something more than once on a forum. Because that's never happened before......

(Aluminum vs Stainless, Fly vs Batch, Carboy vs Better Bottle...there are dozens of each.)
Click to expand...

The correct response, one that shows you have the initiative and attitude to undertake something different, would be to effect of, 'Yes sir! Thank you for those links. I'll start my research immediately.'

All other responses are directed toward apathy.
 
ShootsNRoots said:
The correct response, one that shows you have the initiative and attitude to undertake something different, would be to effect of, 'Yes sir! Thank you for those links. I'll start my research immediately.'

All other responses are directed toward apathy.
Click to expand...

I'll leave you with some advice from good old Papazian. Relax, Don't worry! Have a homebrew! I'm sure there are tons of people on this site who'd be willing to share.
 
czaccaria said:
I'll leave you with some advice from good old Papazian. Relax, Don't worry! Have a homebrew! I'm sure there are tons of people on this site who'd be willing to share.
Click to expand...

Hrm... Try formulating a more appropriate response, one that demonstrates responsibility, assertiveness and a positive attitude! It's the only way.

Imagine you go on the show 'Shark Tank', and you pitch to them what you have in your first post. They're gonna chew you a new one!

You might think I'm mean spirited or that I'm being mean, but I'm not. Just trying to get you to see beyond your own nose.

Take these things into consideration before you respond with a wishy-washy "come-back". This isn't about one-uping the other guy, it's about giving you the edge.
 
Except he wasnt pitching any ideas. Just asking some gentle questions that a ton of people have asked before. Is it a hard industry to get into? yes. Impossible? no. Lighten Up!!!
 
faithfull44 said:
Except he wasnt pitching any ideas. Just asking some gentle questions that a ton of people have asked before. Is it a hard industry to get into? yes. Impossible? no. Lighten Up!!!
Click to expand...

Does your empathy help or hurt? People ask these things daily but when they're called out on it, they stumble. They want affirmation that they can or can't do it. Normally they get affirmation that they can't. I'm giving this kid affirmation that he can! with the right attitude.
 
ShootsNRoots said:
Hrm... Try formulating a more appropriate response, one that demonstrates responsibility, assertiveness and a positive attitude! It's the only way.

Imagine you go on the show 'Shark Tank', and you pitch to them what you have in your first post. They're gonna chew you a new one!

You might think I'm mean spirited or that I'm being mean, but I'm not. Just trying to get you to see beyond your own nose.

Take these things into consideration before you respond with a wishy-washy "come-back". This isn't about one-uping the other guy, it's about giving you the edge.
Click to expand...

boy who pissed in your wheaties today!
 
honestly if u wanna keep going with ur opinion, post it in the drunken rambling. This forum is about providing people with help and info about brewing. Did u post some links to help, yes. You could have left it at that and everyone would have been fine. but instead his thread asking for some info has turned into a people going back and forth with ridiculous rants that no one wanted to hear about in the first place. This isn't shark tank, this isn't a tony robbins book, there isn't a motivational speaker running around amping people up in random forums trying to get people to go find their own cure for cancer or cure malaria. he asked a question cuz he prob spent all day in a cubicle doing work and trolling on HBT and would rather be doing something more enjoyable. Move on.
 
Anyway! I think I could have framed my question differently. I was given some advice from a pretty successful business man. He said that in life, you want to choose your stink because you'll carry it with you. He chose sales, and grew by learning the industry and all the inner workings of his particular product (tech sales). He went on to make his own name, and start his own tech sales company.. He suggested I stop wasting time in whatever it is I don't want to do (Like what I'm doing now) and get into what I actually want to smell like.

I think by now you all can tell I'd prefer to smell like beer ;). So are there any ways that you can break into the industry without actually (or immediately) trying to start your own brewery. It seems like there is a gap here. Do people go from Homebrew to Microbrew? Are there steps in between that might be worth taking before such a large investment is made/risk is taken? It will definitely be a thought I keep in mind, but what are some potential jobs, other than physically brewing beer at a brewery, that might help me learn a bit more about how the industry works. (Distributors? Brew Pubs? Beer stores?)

And yeah, trolling in a cubicle on HBT is pretty accurate

Thanks for the advice.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Pratzie said:
honestly if u wanna keep going with ur opinion, post it in the drunken rambling. This forum is about providing people with help and info about brewing. Did u post some links to help, yes. You could have left it at that and everyone would have been fine. but instead his thread asking for some info has turned into a people going back and forth with ridiculous rants that no one wanted to hear about in the first place. This isn't shark tank, this isn't a tony robbins book, there isn't a motivational speaker running around amping people up in random forums trying to get people to go find their own cure for cancer or cure malaria. he asked a question cuz he prob spent all day in a cubicle doing work and trolling on HBT and would rather be doing something more enjoyable. Move on.
Click to expand...

Hibby Habby Hooby Heeby Hibey Habba Hoby Heeby!

czaccaria said:
Anyway! I think I could have framed my question differently. I was given some advice from a pretty successful business man. He said that in life, you want to choose your stink because you'll carry it with you. He chose sales, and grew by learning the industry and all the inner workings of his particular product (tech sales). He went on to make his own name, and start his own tech sales company.. He suggested I stop wasting time in whatever it is I don't want to do (Like what I'm doing now) and get into what I actually want to smell like.

I think by now you all can tell I'd prefer to smell like beer ;). So are there any ways that you can break into the industry without actually (or immediately) trying to start your own brewery. It seems like there is a gap here. Do people go from Homebrew to Microbrew? Are there steps in between that might be worth taking before such a large investment is made/risk is taken? It will definitely be a thought I keep in mind, but what are some potential jobs, other than physically brewing beer at a brewery, that might help me learn a bit more about how the industry works. (Distributors? Brew Pubs? Beer stores?)

And yeah, trolling in a cubicle on HBT is pretty accurate

Thanks for the advice.
Click to expand...

A troll eh? Well hell, I'm not much better in that regard. :mug:
 

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