What is it like working in a brewery?

[PakDat]

I'm very curious of what it is like working in a brewery. I have heard multiple opinions about it. From big to small, I would like to know the peoples opinion that have worked there.

 

[timpoulsen]

My son work at Miller in Milwaukee. Just like working any other factory job. You're not on your own to enjoy paradise. You have your job and it's the same day by day.

 

[oneandahalfshepherds]

My son work at Miller in Milwaukee. Just like working any other factory job. You're not on your own to enjoy paradise. You have your job and it's the same day by day.[/QUOTE

There is a massive difference working for inbev vs a much smaller brewery or brew pub say wynkoop or strange brewing co. To answer the OP it really depends, the job of working in a brewery depends not only on the size of the brewery but the experience of the employee. Big difference between spent grain cleaner vs assistant brewmaster

 

[gbx]

Last year I did a "ride along/scared straight" brew day with a friend from my homebrew club who is a brewer in a brew pub. It seemed like a fun gig. It was very similar to homebrewing except less lifting ...but still way more lifting than I do in my office job. I'd love to do it professionally but I have 2 kids and wouldn't be able to pay the bills. If you are interested, approach your local brewery and ask if you can help out on a brew day. I don't know if you could do that at a macro, but might be possible with a smaller brewery.

 

[Chadwick]

I've never worked at a brewery. But I did work as a batching guy at a place that made vitamins, skin creams, and other nutritional suppliments. I would imagine that job wouldn't be too different from working in a brewery. We used much of the same equipment you would see in any brewery and a lot of other stuff too. My job was so much fun that I could go off on a rant all day about the cool stuff we did, both on the clock and off. But this place was a small business and not in the realm of giant corporate America. The owner/CEO was super cool and a good friend. While that place existed, life was a daze. Really. If it were a large corporate ISO 9000/bottom-line-dollar place, the job would have sucked.

Working in a brewery is more likely to be fun if it isn't a large brewery. If it's the kind of place where you drink too much with the CEO on the company holiday and the wives giggle at you, you'll have a fun time. If it's a large corporate setup with supervisors standing by the clock, you may want to look elsewhere for enjoyment.

 

[raabs]

Working at a larger craft brewery right now. It's a factory setting and you are definitely working. If you want an easy (and large) paycheck and don't like to get dirty stay away. That being said I'll take it any day over my corporate job I got right out of college. It's been said many times before, it's a labor of love.

 

[PakDat]

Probably being a master brewer in a macro brewery would be time consuming and stressful. Also, I've read that they don't get paid that much either, $100,000 a year at the national level. It seems like a person would have to start from the bottom cleaning and sanitizing equipment and it can take a very very very long time to reach that position.

 

[Chadwick]

To add some more interest to your original question. I would wonder what it would be like to actually open your own micro brewery and run it. That would be my desire. Go large or go bust, or possibly both at the same time. lol

 

[PakDat]

I know it. I ask myself the same question. How hard, how difficult, when is the best time, how will I succeed, etc, etc, etc.

 

[gbx]

I think now is definitely the wrong time to start a brewery. Its a huge bubble that going to burst. I don't know what its like where you are but here there has been a dozen new micro and nanos opened in the last couple years here and they won't all survive. Its not just the local competition either but all the craft imports they need to worry about too. My current "going pro" dream involves buying a failed brewery for next to nothing but now I'm pretty happy with being amateur.

 

[PakDat]

I think now is definitely the wrong time to start a brewery. Its a huge bubble that going to burst. I don't know what its like where you are but here there has been a dozen new micro and nanos opened in the last couple years here and they won't all survive. Its not just the local competition either but all the craft imports they need to worry about too. My current "going pro" dream involves buying a failed brewery for next to nothing but now I'm pretty happy with being amateur.

It's been crazy in the past few years living in Minnesota. I seen so many micro breweries opening up within short period of time. Especially when I travel to Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, and in Indiana. There is just so many and just like what you said it's going to eventually burst.

I guess that's why I ask what's it like in a brewery, any kind of brewery. If I'm making beer I'll be happy.

 

[raabs]

I think now is definitely the wrong time to start a brewery. Its a huge bubble that going to burst. I don't know what its like where you are but here there has been a dozen new micro and nanos opened in the last couple years here and they won't all survive. Its not just the local competition either but all the craft imports they need to worry about too. My current "going pro" dream involves buying a failed brewery for next to nothing but now I'm pretty happy with being amateur.

Agree 100%. In San Diego we just hit 81 breweries last time I checked with 30+ still in the works. There is no way that will be sustainable for very long. Business Insider just did a piece on the topic a few weeks ago here.

 

[Punity]

Hot/cold sticky wet.....that's only fun in certian situations.

 

[gbx]

I guess that's why I ask what's it like in a brewery, any kind of brewery. If I'm making beer I'll be happy.

I agree with you on that. A brew pub definitely seems like the best place to brew - free food, small batches, lots of seasonals and opportunities to experiment, hanging out and drinking after work, waitresses and women in the pub who might be impressed that you are a brewer (thats the dream, right?) I looked into it seriously but the pay wasn't near what I would need for even the most basic family expenses. If I had no dependants I probably would have pursued it. ...but that said, i'm sure being an employee at a brewery pays better than being the owner.

 

[PakDat]

That $100,000 is only for the big timers. The macro breweries. That position is few and figure it to be hard to fill. A person would be the best of the best and if lucky enough to be that master brewery within that brewery. There's nothing wrong with that amount of money, but this is a being a master brewer. The go-to-guy, the care taker, the man, Bob the builder, the chief in command. He/she should be respected he's the one that handles each and every process of the brewing. He/she dedicated his life for the love of beer and worked their way up from the bottom of the company chain. I really don't care of what think. The brew master is the man. If a multi million dollar company is willing to pay them that much than that's not much at all. But that's my opinion....

 

[Yooper]

Probably being a master brewer in a macro brewery would be time consuming and stressful. Also, I've read that they don't get paid that much either, $100,000 a year at the national level. It seems like a person would have to start from the bottom cleaning and sanitizing equipment and it can take a very very very long time to reach that position.

Oh, I would have to guess but I'd guess than less than a handful of brewers make anywhere near that.

Most brewers in smaller breweries wear rubber boots, clean mash tuns, and do other grunt work all day long for about 25,000/year or thereabouts in smaller breweries and brewpubs.

I have a couple of friends in the industry. One is a brewmaster, one is an assistant brewmaster, and one owns a micro. I make far more money on my retirement money than any of them, and I'm definitely not well-off!

 

[gbx]

That $100,000 is only for the big timers. The macro breweries. That position is few and figure it to be hard to fill. A person would be the best of the best and if lucky enough to be that master brewery within that brewery. There's nothing wrong with that amount of money, but this is a being a master brewer. The go-to-guy, the care taker, the man, Bob the builder, the chief in command. He/she should be respected he's the one that handles each and every process of the brewing. He/she dedicated his life for the love of beer and worked their way up from the bottom of the company chain. I really don't care of what think. The brew master is the man. If a multi million dollar company is willing to pay them that much than that's not much at all. But that's my opinion....

$100K for the top salary in industry that maybe 10 guys in the world are making, who all have PhD's in brewing IS crap money. ...and those guys are not "brewing". The bit of research I did led me to believe that you are doing really well if you are making $40K as a brewer.

 

[twst1up]

Watch what u say!

 

[Jacob_Marley]

I think now is definitely the wrong time to start a brewery. Its a huge bubble that going to burst. ... here there has been a dozen new micro and nanos opened in the last couple years here and they won't all survive. Its not just the local competition either but all the craft imports they need to worry about too.

I would not be so quick to entirely count-out the brewing boom.

I’ve wondered if the large number of micro & nano breweries, brewpubs etc as well as homebrewers (and vintners) might be somewhat of a slight return to the way things used to be.

Once upon a time you generally only attended the bar or tavern very near to you ... and you probably walked or rode. The tavern was nearby and the beer was made in the brewery relatively nearby, assuming it was not your uncle Fritz that was making the beer, in which case it was even closer.

With the increasing awareness of the problems of drinking and driving ... and with the increasing trend toward locally produced goods and the “local food movement”; smaller, more numerous local brewers, brewpubs, taverns, pubs and homebrewing could at least partially be a more permanent trend.
There once was a saying in business: “small, fat and happy” ... and there’s a lot to be said for being close to your customer.

People don’t go to the tavern or brewpub just to drink ... they could do that in their front rooms in front of the tube. Just as it was back then, the experience is more than that.
Consider the period where so many European immigrants were arriving, and what their communities were like, and what their lifestyle was like. More personal, more personable, a greater appreciation of craft, greater tradition, a better product ... a better experience.

As a little kid I caught the tail end of that type of immigrant-community-life. I’d sure like to see things go a bit more that way ... and I'd think the local brewpub is a good place to start.

 

[gbx]

I would not be so quick to entirely count-out the brewing boom.

I’ve wondered if the large number of micro & nano breweries, brewpubs etc as well as homebrewers (and vintners) might be somewhat of a slight return to the way things used to be.

Once upon a time you generally only attended the bar or tavern very near to you ... and you probably walked or rode. The tavern was nearby and the beer was made in the brewery relatively nearby, assuming it was not your uncle Fritz that was making the beer, in which case it was even closer.

With the increasing awareness of the problems of drinking and driving ... and with the increasing trend toward locally produced goods and the “local food movement”; smaller, more numerous local brewers, brewpubs, taverns, pubs and homebrewing could at least partially be a more permanent trend.
There once was a saying in business: “small, fat and happy” ... and there’s a lot to be said for being close to your customer.

People don’t go to the tavern or brewpub just to drink ... they could do that in their front rooms in front of the tube. Just as it was back then, the experience is more than that.
Consider the period where so many European immigrants were arriving, and what their communities were like, and what their lifestyle was like. More personal, more personable, a greater appreciation of craft, greater tradition, a better product ... a better experience.

As a little kid I caught the tail end of that type of immigrant-community-life. I’d sure like to see things go a bit more that way ... and I'd think the local brewpub is a good place to start.

I too would love a world like you are describing but I don't see that happening (at least not here anyways) We haven't had any new brewpubs open up, just packaging breweries. The "scene" doesn't seem to be going that way. People don't want full pints or 6-packs, they want sampler flights with "something new" and bombers of the latest greatest seasonals.

 

[landlockedbrewer]

You don't get into beer for the money. A lot of us in the industry say that. I have worked for and built a few breweries. I would never do anything else. It is long long hours. Sometimes 24+. Done that more than I can count. Your hot, cold, wet, dirty, and tired 90% of the time. If you're married it probably won't work. I was lucky and my wife put up with the crazy night and day hours sometimes with only a few days off in a year and in the beginning very low pay. Without her understanding and letting me chase my dreams it wouldn't have happened. With that said. The worst day working in a brewery is still better than the best day at any other job. It is a special and fun career if you can make it work.