So you want to be a pro brewer

Hard Core Truths in Brewing. Experiences of a brewery owner….

So, you want to join the pro brewing ranks? That is fantastic news, and welcome to the fast-paced and rewarding world of professional brewing! Here are some of my thoughts…

Having trained a large number of Cellarman and brewers, I can safely say that it takes a certain personality to become brew crew. First, it is plant work, plain and simple. A great attitude is a must! Summer months in the South are especially brutal with 100 degree days with 90% humidity. Don’t show up to work with your Cole Haan’s and skinny jeans. Be ready to get wet and dirty! The work is also incredibly rewarding. Imagine the feeling when you walk up to a cooler in a liquor store and see the beer YOU made on the shelves. It is truly special.

I love home brewers. They are meticulous with their cleaning and adventurous at heart. Throw in a little professional training at Siebel or even online and let us show you the rest on site. The hardest part is learning the process flow. Do not get overwhelmed by the number of pipes and valves. Take it systematically. In professional brewing, we mash, lauter, and boil, just like home brewing. Keep that in mind when things seem daunting.

This is where things get a little serious. A bad batch of home brew is a bummer. A bad batch of 160 barrels of beer is a financial problem measuring in the 10’s of thousands. Attention to detail and documentation is critical. Do not cut corners or you will have cans popping in the market or some other fiasco. Take your time and be systematic. Do not be afraid to say, “I don’t know.” I have noticed new pro brewers afraid to “look stupid,” and as a result create a problem that could have been avoided. “I don’t know” is a good phrase to learn. As a matter of fact, I encourage everyone in my organization to use that phrase to avoid a comedy of errors like the following:

Radio Host Question: “Why are cans better than bottles?”

Core Employee: “Because air can get under the cap and ruin the beer.”

My reaction: “AHH! Noooooo!!!”

As I mentioned before, cutting corners is a bad idea. I was out of town and received the sad news that my brewer efficiently lautered the beer down the drain. We have a 4-vessel system. Beer goes from the mash tun to the lauter tun to the kettle and then the whirlpool. Each vessel is equipped with a bottom drain. I imagine you can already see where this going. This individual began lautering to the kettle. Well, he did not think to check the kettle between texting, and as a result he systematically lautered the entire batch down the drain. To lose 20 barrels of beer when you are in the throes of bootstrapping is a disaster. If you do not follow process, you will dry hop the wrong beer, pitch the wrong yeast, and any number of issues that could have been avoided. Take your time. Be systematic and use your checklists. Checklists are your friends.

Dependability is arguably the most important factor. Dependability is a close relative to having a positive attitude which is required in my organization. I once had to fire a guy who showed up late 6 times in 2 months and decided to show up late to the meeting where he was being disciplined for being late. He left out that little tidbit of information when he started ranting on social media about how unfair I am.

Have thick skin. Social media can be unfairly brutal and personal. I have had to bite my tongue a lot! We had to let a guy go for telling a customer that he was not a “F*ing cocktail waitress” when asked for a beer. No mention of that when he went on a social media smear campaign. I had to let a person go for being passed out drunk at the pub the night he was supposed to be working. He left that critical piece out in his smear campaign. We fired a person for having a terrible attitude around customers, and this individual made hurting our company his lifelong mission! Social Media and rating sites became his weapons. You will pour your soul into making a beer that you are proud of. Someone who has a personal beef will go out of his/her way to tell the world how it is the worst beer in the world. Be a pro and take the high road. Admittedly, it is tough!

A part of being a professional is continual learning and improvement.

1.      Know how to brew at an in depth level. Home brewing is great. Be able to speak the language. There are plenty of fantastic books.

2.      Have a great attitude.

3.      Seek some professional training. https://www.brewersassociation.org/resources/schools-organizations/

4.      See number 2.

5.      Get your foot in the door. Our current Head Brewer started off as a volunteer in the company and quickly climbed the latter. Get in the company and show your value.

Be a good teammate and make high quality beer and your career will flourish. Have fun! You are brewing beer! If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions or just want to chat beer, shoot us an e-mail at [email protected]

Take pride!

Jesse