Apprenticeship Hard to Get?

[PakDat]

I was wondering how hard will it be to get an apprenticeship from a brewing company. I would really love to learn the world of brewing and more. I am planning to go to school to brew but it feel like it isn't enough to educate me beyond brewing.


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[joelrapp]

I've found nothing works better than just going in a talking to the brewers. I've never met one that wouldn't spend time talking to you (and if they won't do you really want to work with them?). I'd identify a few breweries close to where you live and just start going in and building a relationship with the brewery staff.

60% of the time it works everytime.

 

[shoreman]

You could start with just volunteering - go in and ask if you can help out on a brewday. You will be doing schlep work but it will get your foot in the door-then have the conversation about mentoring/apprentice - hope that helps.


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[Renoun]

Where do you live? Are you willing to move?

As far as I can tell there aren't any formal brewing apprenticeships in the US unlike for other skilled trades. If you are strategic you can find opportunities to work for good mentors for low wages. If you are ambitious you'll make the most of your opportunities and might be in a position to eventually open your own brewery.

 

[masskrug]

Do you like to clean?

 

[PakDat]

I live in middle of America where the choices are Budweiser and more Budweiser. Not much of innovative breweries in the state nor people that think outside of the box. I'm planning to move out of the US and into Europe. So I'm hoping good things will happen.

I don't like cleaning and I think lots of people don't like it either. But if it has to be done for me to understand and learn the process of becoming a master brewer. I am willing to make that commitment.


I didn't know if there was a formal way of getting an apprenticeship or will it be a search for one.


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[shoreman]

Look up the American brewers guild in Vermont they have a program if you want to fast track it.


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[thisisbeer]

All I have heard from commercial brewers I have met is 90% of brewing work is cleaning. That may be overstated, but they seemed like the really wanted to get that point across.

 

[Hello]

You will clean, a lot. If you are the head brewer then hopefully there are minions below you, but you'll clean. You should not shy away from AB and the likes if that is what you are near. You won't be in craft brewing but you will be around brewing on a large scale. Snub the beer if you don't want to drink it but if AB can give you valuable experience, take it.

 

[tmendick]

I live in middle of America where the choices are Budweiser and more Budweiser. Not much of innovative breweries in the state nor people that think outside of the box. I'm planning to move out of the US and into Europe. So I'm hoping good things will happen.

I don't like cleaning and I think lots of people don't like it either. But if it has to be done for me to understand and learn the process of becoming a master brewer. I am willing to make that commitment.


I didn't know if there was a formal way of getting an apprenticeship or will it be a search for one.

Two things, If you dont like cleaning you might not want to look into brewing, listen to the 2 episodes on The Brew Strong podcast about working at a brewery, "Get a Brew Job" parts 1 and 2.

Secondly, I live in MIDDLE America, you dont get much closer to middle than Omaha, there is likely a brewpub or brewery somewhere close.

 

[kh54s10]

Be prepared for a lot of cleaning. Unless you get to be the head brewer of a larger brewery, big enough that the head brewer doesn't have to clean, that is going to be at least half the job.

Look at home brewing for example. You clean all your utensils, measure and mill the grains, measure the hops, mash, drain, clean the mash tun, boil the wort, pitch the yeast, clean the boil kettle, clean all the utensils. After the ferment you clean all the utensils and fermenter. You clean a keg or bottles, sanitize and transfer. Then clean all the utensils. After the beer is gone you clean the bottles or kegs. And clean beer lines etc. Then you clean up to start all over again.

 

[dobe12]

You will clean, a lot. If you are the head brewer then hopefully there are minions below you, but you'll clean. You should not shy away from AB and the likes if that is what you are near. You won't be in craft brewing but you will be around brewing on a large scale. Snub the beer if you don't want to drink it but if AB can give you valuable experience, take it.

+1! A lot of head brewers from craft breweries started at one of the big BMC plants. They learn then move on to do their own thing on a much smaller scale.

And yes, you will clean and clean and then clean some more. Especially if your doing some sort of apprenticeship. Brewing is like 80-90% cleaning.

 

[thisisbeer]

Knock AB if you will. But something has to be said about how good these guys are at consistency. These guys know what they're doing.

 

[jessup]

All I have heard from commercial brewers I have met is 90% of brewing work is cleaning

i think they say brewing is 90% cleaning and 10% paperwork. the actual brewing doesn't even make it into the equation