I want to make brewing my career, can anyone help or point me in the r

[JDW81]

I live in a flat in Sydney, so sadly don't have the space for an all grain set up

I used to brew 3 vessel all grain in an apartment in Melbourne. Where there is a will there is a way.

I encourage you to check out BIAB. It is a great way to get into AG brewing with minimal cost. Also a great way to start learning about ingredients, brewing science and making great beer.

JD

 

[Moad]

The license for the event was possibly highlander games event where they were doing tastings. Can't remember who it was but if you search highlander games I would say you will find the thread.

 

[kaiserben]

Yeah - that was the one.

 

[luggy]

Think it was Yob

 

[Robin Nicholls]

So 'magically' a whole heap of cracked grain and hops have ended up in my kitchen. I wonder how that could have happened?...
Bring it on!

 

[jimmy_jangles]

Interesting. Further research necessary...

i live in a unit in newcastle, i have been doing brew in a bag for a fair while with great results ( in my opinion hehe) i just have a birko 40L urn, it's really easy. i also have a plate chiller that i gravity feed from the urn on the bench to a fermenter on the floor, meanwhile using an esky on the floor to pump the cold water through the chiller ( pump is a cheap bunnings fountain pump). This whole process is done in my kitchen which is very small, you should give it a go!

if your worried about the process and wanna give the gear a try before you buy, head up to newcastle and you can brew using my gear to see if it's for you

 

[PaleRider]

I've heard good things about theses courses.... they're in Sydney next month.

http://www.costanzobrewing.com/home-brewing-courses

 

[mckenry]

Just a quick reality check. If you want to work IN a brewery - expect to do a LOT of cleaning for not much money. I interviewed about a job as a brewer and was gobsmacked at the money on offer. It was less than we pay our trainees with zero experience. I looked around the brewery and its not all dancing among hops and rolling in grain. The guys and girls working there were just slogging it out. It could have been any product.
If you want the real money, you need to own the brewery.
But. If cleaning, lifting and more cleaning for 7.5 hours a day and mashing in, adding hops and pressing buttons for 0.5 is what youre prepared to do, go for it. Just have your eyes open.
In the bigger breweries, the above is automated. All you get to do is open grain bags, lift them and tip them in a shute. Oh yeah, and cleaning.

I really anted to get into it, but that kinda turned me off. I'd still like to own a micro with small food though

 

[Robin Nicholls]

Just a quick reality check. If you want to work IN a brewery - expect to do a LOT of cleaning for not much money. I interviewed about a job as a brewer and was gobsmacked at the money on offer. It was less than we pay our trainees with zero experience. I looked around the brewery and its not all dancing among hops and rolling in grain. The guys and girls working there were just slogging it out. It could have been any product.
If you want the real money, you need to own the brewery.
But. If cleaning, lifting and more cleaning for 7.5 hours a day and mashing in, adding hops and pressing buttons for 0.5 is what youre prepared to do, go for it. Just have your eyes open.
In the bigger breweries, the above is automated. All you get to do is open grain bags, lift them and tip them in a shute. Oh yeah, and cleaning.

I really anted to get into it, but that kinda turned me off. I'd still like to own a micro with small food though

Yeah sure. Right now, it's not about the money and I'm not afraid of a bit of hard work. I figure even if it was my own place I'd be doing all of that stuff anyway, it's got to get done.
I think it is the great Australian dream to own a brewery, the reality is its bloody hard work. I'm ok with that.

 

[Robin Nicholls]

I've heard good things about theses courses.... they're in Sydney next month.

http://www.costanzobrewing.com/home-brewing-courses

Yeah, I've seen this. From memory he is a master brewer with a chemistry degree, I've also heard good things.

 

[Robin Nicholls]

i live in a unit in newcastle, i have been doing brew in a bag for a fair while with great results ( in my opinion hehe) i just have a birko 40L urn, it's really easy. i also have a plate chiller that i gravity feed from the urn on the bench to a fermenter on the floor, meanwhile using an esky on the floor to pump the cold water through the chiller ( pump is a cheap bunnings fountain pump). This whole process is done in my kitchen which is very small, you should give it a go!

if your worried about the process and wanna give the gear a try before you buy, head up to newcastle and you can brew using my gear to see if it's for you

That's mighty generous of you, thanks. I might give you a shout.
From what you've explained, it sounds like a fairly simple set up and something I could replicate with out too much hassle or cash outlay.

I feel like I've started down a rabbit hole here, curious how deep it is.

 

[///]

I dunno if this changes anything, but the venue has a liquor licence and I'd likely just be supplying (ie not me serving it). And we'd be gypsy brewing ideally at an established brewery.

If in NSW, you can contract brew with a NSW Wholesale license. Varying amounts of council input, takes 3 months to get.

If you want a job in a brewery, volunteer. No breweries i know work on weekends, usually want to see the back of the place by friday arvo.

 

[Moad]

Edit: drunken post

 

[Robin Nicholls]

11pm Friday night. Time check.

 

[Blind Dog]

off the top of my head you need the following for it to be legal within NSW:

• RSA liscence - must attend the course and gain your service of alcohol licence
• Producers/Wholesalers Licence - Apply for this with Liquor and Gaming - must have RSA to get this
• Excise Licence - Apply for this with the ATO - must have RSA and Producers/Wholesalers liscence

If you can get these ducks in a row then you can make your product, when you make this product you have to pay the excise on the production before it leaves the premise of manufacture. If you want to know what excise is...read this link http://www.caseysbeer.com.au/?page_id=97 Basically its about a $1 per litre give or take.

Then you will have to pay tax on the sale of the beer which is paid when you lodge your tax return for the business you are now running which means you need a business name registered also with the ATO and other governing authorities.

Hope that makes sense and doesnt deter you from doing such, good luck.

Just be aware that if you get any of that wrong you're farked. Max ATO fine for producing alcohol for sale without a manufacturers licence is the greater of $85,000 or 5x the excise, or 2 years in prison. Fines for serving alcohol without appropriate licences, signs, RSA qualified staff etc are crazy. If you're serious about selling beer, get a lawyer / industry professional experienced in dealing with the ATO and the various bodies in your State to advise and guide you through the process. It's not cheap, but cheaper than getting it wrong.

If you just want to supply (as Yob did), appropriate State licences might be sufficient, but at least get an OK from the ATO.

 

[droid]

determination and passion will get the average bear where they want be

one day when I was a kid playing golf a new kid turned up and he couldn't hit the ball, he was unnatural and I thought he should probably try something else. He kept at it, still looking like it was completely alien to him months later I wondered why he was still at it.

12 months later it was a wet and windy day and I cancelled my spot in the comp and upon leaving the course I saw the guy on the range hitting balls in the rain and wind

he ended up a pro

Have a read of austins posts about interviews and the like with Breweries and brewers, one guy started out packing boxes for $6 an hour and a beer for every crate or something - he's the head brewer now

And I've yet to see a photo of a brewer where they didn't look cheery

Just get in there

 

[Robin Nicholls]

Have a read of austins posts about interviews and the like with Breweries and brewers, one guy started out packing boxes for $6 an hour and a beer for every crate or something - he's the head brewer now

And I've yet to see a photo of a brewer where they didn't look cheery

Just get in there

Yeah I will, it sounds like exactly what I need.
Thanks.

 

[Yob]

This thread is probably the best place for me to ask this:
I remember reading here about a guy who asked about and then organised a licence so that he could supply beer for some sort of event (sadly can't find it now). If someone could point me to the info, or just post up info if they know what's involved, I'd be very grateful.
Basically I have an opportunity to sell my beer at/to a venue (operated by a family member) and want to know how to go about jumping through the legalities of it.

Guilty as charged, shoot me a pm so as not to derail this thread.

 

[kaiserben]

So 'magically' a whole heap of cracked grain and hops have ended up in my kitchen. I wonder how that could have happened?...
Bring it on!

So ... did you brew something over the weekend? How did you get on?

 

[Robin Nicholls]

So ... did you brew something over the weekend? How did you get on?

Not yet, I was away over the weekend. Starting tomorrow, I'll have an American IPA on the go.
I will keep you updated.