Getting a professional brewing job, necessary?

[Bruer]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently working as an archaeologist in Perth. I love my job and enjoy it, but I also love brewing. I've been brewing, cooking and making preserves, etc. all my life and am consistently told I should open a restaurant by friends and even those in hospitality. I have worked in hospitality before my current job.

I am actually starting to take what people have been saying seriously and am thinking about the prospect of opening a business. It would probably take the form of a brew-pub, with beer produced on-site. I know that there are several professional brewers on AHB and probably brew-pub owners too.

What i want to know from those who work in the industry is:

• Where should i start? Education (TAFE SA for example)?
• Do i need professional brewing experience to start a brew-pub?
• How does one get a job as a professional brewer?
• Any tips for how to get a job?

I'm a little bit older than most people starting a new profession (30) but I'm willing to work my ass off to make it happen.

I'm in Perth. If anyone has a job or paid internship - even just cleaning the brewery - I'd be super keen.

Any advice is welcome.

 

[sp0rk]

I've been trying to get into the industry for the past 2 or 3 years myself but still with no luck (Dave from Morpeth Brewery did offer to give me some tutoring, though)
I'm now looking at doing the brewing course at Sydney TAFE, and bugging all the local breweries in the Hunter Valley to put me on as a trainee
http://sydneytafe.edu.au/newsevents/news/craft-beer-boom-brews-course

 

[Coodgee]

I worry about all these people packing in their job and spending their life savings on opening a brewery. Good on you for following your dreams but craft beer seems like a bit of a fad outside of the core group of hobbyists like us. What happens when the hipsters move on to whisky or fruit cup cordial or whatever the next fad is.

 

[Kingy]

I dont see craft beer as a fad or dying out. Ive watched it grow for many years now. It would be good to work in the brewing industry but unless you know someone or you don't need to make much money in the beginning and have some coin to keep ya going ya should be alright.
If I could afford to take a pay cut and work in a brewery I'd do it, but on a single income with a family of four. I need to do many hours to keep my shit flowing happening. Maybe when my kids get older and my misses starts working a brew job will fall in my lap.lol.
I could see me opening a home brew shop when I'm older not to make money but to kill time with a little profit. But I like dreaming to.

 

[jimmy86]

Starting a brewery or especially a brew pub takes a lot of money. Nothing is cheap and do a business plan and be honest with it to see whether you can afford it.
Plus heaps of heaps of hard work and red tape.
But on the other hand if you love hospitality and all the sorts nothing is better than seeing people enjoy your produce.

 

[good4whatAlesU]

If you have a recipe or recipe (s) that you think may be commercially viable you may consider paying a contract brewer to make a marketing batch for you. Some brewers may even help you with the recipe for additional price. You'll need relatively deep pockets though as minimum batch sizes can be large. You'll also need a label and a marketing strategy and possibly a trademark. You'll also need ABN etc. and possibly insurance etc. & financials set up and pubs/restaurant/ whatever willing to take on the product to give it a try.