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  • Questions for a Commercial Brewer

    Hi all,

    I have some questions for any professional brewer out there willing to answer:

    1. What is your name/title/brewery and experience level
    2. what is the one thing you wish someone told you before you starting working in the brewing industry?
    3. what is the one tool you always have with you on a brew day?
    4. what is your favorite bad brew day story you want to share?
    5. do you have any advice for someone entering the field?

    Thanks!

  • #2
    Originally posted by dendron8 View Post
    Hi all,

    I have some questions for any professional brewer out there willing to answer:

    1. What is your name/title/brewery and experience level
    2. what is the one thing you wish someone told you before you starting working in the brewing industry?
    3. what is the one tool you always have with you on a brew day?
    4. what is your favorite bad brew day story you want to share?
    5. do you have any advice for someone entering the field?

    Thanks!
    I'll bite and answer at least 4 of your 5 completely.

    1. I am titled Brewmaster although I prefer Head of Brewery Operations. My mom always said drinking too much would make you a HOBO. Been professionally brewing for about 7 years, but brewed my first homebrew at 13 in 1997. More experienced than most, but not as much as some. Never enough either way.

    2. I wish someone had told me this industry can consume your personal life as well as your professional. It can be difficult to maintain healthy family relationships with long hours and unusual schedules.

    3. I always bring a fresh mind. Every other tool is no good without this one. It also makes up for a lot if you use it properly.

    4. The first time I harvested yeast I took the wrong tri-clamp off. Luckily it wasn't the back of the tank valve and I was wearing coveralls, but lets just say I had to go to the beer dinner that night commando. The coveralls went into the dumpster. Good thing we had merchandise shirts. Yeast made it into the can first, and we didn't loose much beer, but I showered in at least a full pitch for 20BBL. Lesson - ALWAYS double check the tri-clamp you are taking off and be ready to react quickly!

    5. Expect long hours and low pay. Learn to like it. If you can live with that, the rest is fun. Learn something new every day. Direct yourself towards your areas of interest. You can specialize and make a career out of any given process, so be sure work towards what you want. Think as much as you drink!

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by dendron8 View Post
      Hi all,

      I have some questions for any professional brewer out there willing to answer:

      1. What is your name/title/brewery and experience level
      2. what is the one thing you wish someone told you before you starting working in the brewing industry?
      3. what is the one tool you always have with you on a brew day?
      4. what is your favorite bad brew day story you want to share?
      5. do you have any advice for someone entering the field?

      Thanks!
      1. Jonh, Head of brewery Ops, been brewing for 8 years professionally . Level of experience? there still a lot to learn but let's say my first home brew system was a 15 hL. system
      2. That I wouldn't be the same person with the pass of years and that my level of patience for bulls* was going to drop significantly.
      3. A fresh clean head. I mean you are creating a new child.
      4. Well having a stuck mash is always a bad brew day story when it does happen. I have had yeast and beer shower numerous times so is always good to have some extra clothes handy.
      5. If you are getting into this career, make sure you love it and have a passion for hard work. DON'T FANTASIZE!!

      Comment


      • #4
        1. What is your name/title/brewery and experience level
        - Matthew Steinberg, Co-Founder/Head Brewer, 20 years

        2. what is the one thing you wish someone told you before you starting working in the brewing industry?
        - Don't listen to the naysayers, there is actually a decent living to be made in brewing.

        3. what is the one tool you always have with you on a brew day?
        - multi-tool and a flashlight
        - and my assistant brewer (hahaha)

        4. what is your favorite bad brew day story you want to share?
        - stuck a mash so bad had to open the mash tuned let it all come out at once.

        5. do you have any advice for someone entering the field?
        - get experience, don't open brewery without plenty of experience in a production environment, consider for a moment that this job has zero glory and is literally back breaking work. get the best pair of boots money can buy, don't expect to be home much at first.
        ________________
        Matthew Steinberg
        Co-Founder
        Exhibit 'A' Brewing Co.
        Framingham, MA USA

        Head Brewer
        Filler of Vessels
        Seller of Liquid
        Barreled Beer Aging Specialist
        Yeast Wrangler
        Microbe Handler
        Malt Slinger
        Hop Sniffer
        Food Eater
        Music Listener

        Comment


        • #5
          afternoon
          1. What is your name/title/brewery and experience level
          2. what is the one thing you wish someone told you before you starting working in the brewing industry?
          3. what is the one tool you always have with you on a brew day?
          4. what is your favorite bad brew day story you want to share?
          5. do you have any advice for someone entering the field?


          1 matt zuk / owner/ head brewer/ 7 years professional 14 years home brewer
          2. was told a lot but what stuck was ( so you want to become a glorified janitor) I Laughed and now I know what he meant. Also don't start a business with partners
          3. The best pair of boots you can afford, flash light
          4. not so much bad brew day. but bottling day 16 hrs because some one for got to turn off the stone the day before
          5 love what you do, fuck the internet trolls, make the best beer you can and you will find yourself in the beer you brew, & if you don't know some thing find that one person who knows it the best and ask, make friend with your local machine shop/ welder and other crafts men they can be life savers. hint lots of people help out for beer.

          Comment


          • #6
            1. What is your name/title/brewery and experience level
            2. what is the one thing you wish someone told you before you starting working in the brewing industry?
            3. what is the one tool you always have with you on a brew day?
            4. what is your favorite bad brew day story you want to share?
            5. do you have any advice for someone entering the field?

            1. Jay Kendig - Plant Manager - Stony Creek - 12 years
            2. Find a woman who can put up with this lifestyle.
            3. Ears/Hearing. I can hear a pump pitch change 100' away.
            4. Everything breaks all the time. Favorite was a stuck mash that I opened the man-way and let it go... 2300#s of mash.
            5. Start at the bottom, pay attention, become a sponge for information. Its just beer.

            Comment


            • #7
              Questionaire

              Sure, I'm in.

              1. What is your name/title/brewery and experience level
              2. what is the one thing you wish someone told you before you starting working in the brewing industry?
              3. what is the one tool you always have with you on a brew day?
              4. what is your favorite bad brew day story you want to share?
              5. do you have any advice for someone entering the field?

              1. David Smith, Co-Owner and Brewer at LyonSmith Brewing. 17 yrs homebrewer, 7 yrs commercially, 2 1/2 as the owner and brewer at my place.
              2. A lot of people told me a lot of things. I wish I heard prior to starting my own brewery "Take your estimated build time and double or triple it. Your build cost, double or triple it. Divide in two or three your expected beginning revenue. Learn to love Hot Dogs and Ramen again. Do some of it yourself, but not all. Keep homebrewing while you build."
              3. Mash spoon and Sanitizer spray bottle
              4. Was scrubbing under the tank in which I was carbonating the most beautiful Summer Ale I had turned out yet when I caught the Triclamp on the dump valve. The valve came off the tank, and all 3.5bbls of beer went down the drain. My wife, who runs my tasting room, was alerted to the issue by the loud and inventive swear words that issued forth from my mouth.
              5. If your worst day brewing isn't better than anything else you could do, this job isn't for you. There are no magical elves in this industry, and no ompaloompa's. A 150 degree brewday sucks, now keep working. You aren't finished milling until you've vacuumed the floor. Stay hydrated (with water).

              Comment

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