Most useful Professional Brewer Education to me?

[Jeremiah]

So a little background: I'm one of the probably million homebrewers dreaming of opening a brewery and working in it as the Head Brewer.

I'm an experienced Homebrewer, bunch of brewing books read, and a Mechanical Eng. I have an offer to work at a local brewery on brew days to learn more in that direction and have worked in a small Malt production plant. I have a partner to work the more business side who is a great accountant and manager. I'm a Veteran and consider myself very good with people. We don't plan to actually open a Brewery for at least 10 years currently.

My weak spots are Water and Yeast but am slowly but surely understanding and educating myself on them(Yes I have the books). I also plan to work a couple of years as an Assistant Brewer before getting started on a Brewery.

My TA will not cover an Associates Degree as I already have 2, but will cover a BA and some certificates up to 4500 per year. IO can also use my GI bill to pay up to 1857 per month as long as I'm full time. I've been looking at scholarships, but most of them are location based and only if you are in the same spot for 3 years or more, which is impossible in my current Military job. I've also been offered by my partner to just open a student loan for any professional training and upon 5 successful years I will be paid back with interest on it by the Brewery.

Here are the programs I've been looking at:

https://www.siebelinstitute.com/educ...rewer-program/ (Most widely recognized?)

http://www.fshn.chhs.colostate.edu/s...ation-science/ (Only BA I've seen)

http://www.abgbrew.com/index.php/programs/bip (Would work best as it is a distance learning course)

Thanks,

Jeremiah

[Fausto Yu-Shan]

Brewing Education

If you plan to be your own boss, it is better for you to be prepared with the knowledge that is required to plan for a successful business, as well to know the management and technical part involved in it.

There are other brewing education schools that you may consider too:

1. Virginia

http://www.undergradcatalog.registrar.vt.edu/0910/als/fst.html

2. Alabama

http://ocm.auburn.edu/newsroom/news_articles/2015/08/auburn-graduates-first-class-in-brewing-science-and-operations-program.htm

3. North Carolina

https://programsofstudy.appstate.edu/programs/departments/Fermentation-Sciences-Program

Gaining the knowledge permits you understand the type of equipment you may need depending on the size of your brewery, the chemicals you need and how to use them, etc..
Homebrewing is good more in the recipe learning and experimentation, but once you get to a small, mid size or bigger brewery things change.

Likewise, learn how to manage a business and the tools needed to make your business profitable. Not necessarily brewing beer is all, to be able to sell the beer fast is much better.

[mpilchuk]

I did a class at the American Brewers Guild last year. Good facility, Good people. I really liked their training. Don't know how good the online version is, but I'd be shocked if it wasn't as good as I found them.

I did a three month class in in the UK a few years ago. They had a lot of business based training included in the curriculum. I found that it took away from the fact that my main interest was brewing, not business. If your interest is in brewing, get training on brewing. If your beer sucks, the business training end isn't going to help you be any more successful.

[Fausto Yu-Shan]

Business Management Importance in a Brewery

As a Head Brewer, why business management is important in a brewery and not just focus on production:

If you plan to own or establish a brewery you will be able to plan, design, install and do your own business plan or feasibility study to determine if your project is reasonable viable, besides be able to prepare your monthly cash flow.
According to the size of the brewery, then you will need to make contracts with companies that supply the malt, hops, yeast, chemicals, buy spare parts for the equipment, etc., likewise, if there is a loan, how you plan to pay it to avoid running out of capital every month, as well, pay the salaries of your employees, or how can you attract investors to your company if required or request a loan at a bank.
Tax determination to be paid to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau for the beer produced.

As a Head Brewer you are responsible to forecast and plan to determine where the business is going, likewise, in the developing of new products to attract new customers and keep up your monthly sales.

[FourSonsBrewing]

I was in a similar situation as you, homebrewer to professional brewer, had a bachelor's and master's in non-brewing related fields. Based on my experience, I would say focus more on helping out at another brewery/getting an assistant brewer position over education. I'm sure not everyone would agree with that but in my experience that is what helped me the most. I took the class at Siebel (just the web-based brewing technology) and didn't really teach me anything too beneficial that I didn't already read and learn on my own. You learn much more doing the actual work than can be taught in a classroom as long as you start with the basic knowledge of how to brew which it sounds like you do.

[nohandslance]

Packaging Line Operator

I would suggest searching for a packaging line operator position as a start. If you are any good they will start working you up the "chain", in the interim you can take those online courses.
Pay sucks but it is fun to go to work. Maybe you might find the Maintenance side of brewery operations a fit. Look into a skill trade. Welding Electrical ETC....
Those positions are most wanted. And Pay Better.

Good Luck in Your Search.

Lance
Rebel Malting Co
Reno, Nevada USA

[vandalbrewing]

So a little background: I'm one of the probably million homebrewers dreaming of opening a brewery and working in it as the Head Brewer.

I'm an experienced Homebrewer, bunch of brewing books read, and a Mechanical Eng. I have an offer to work at a local brewery on brew days to learn more in that direction and have worked in a small Malt production plant. I have a partner to work the more business side who is a great accountant and manager. I'm a Veteran and consider myself very good with people. We don't plan to actually open a Brewery for at least 10 years currently.

My weak spots are Water and Yeast but am slowly but surely understanding and educating myself on them(Yes I have the books). I also plan to work a couple of years as an Assistant Brewer before getting started on a Brewery.

My TA will not cover an Associates Degree as I already have 2, but will cover a BA and some certificates up to 4500 per year. IO can also use my GI bill to pay up to 1857 per month as long as I'm full time. I've been looking at scholarships, but most of them are location based and only if you are in the same spot for 3 years or more, which is impossible in my current Military job. I've also been offered by my partner to just open a student loan for any professional training and upon 5 successful years I will be paid back with interest on it by the Brewery.

Here are the programs I've been looking at:

https://www.siebelinstitute.com/educ...rewer-program/ (Most widely recognized?)

http://www.fshn.chhs.colostate.edu/s...ation-science/ (Only BA I've seen)

http://www.abgbrew.com/index.php/programs/bip (Would work best as it is a distance learning course)

Thanks,

Jeremiah

Having been in the military for over a decade and have been in a similar situation here is what you should do in my opinion. Not stating a brewery for ten years sounds like you plan on retiring for the military. That's great and all but if you want to start a brewery you need to start at the bottom and work your way up. Education is paramount, but most great programs are resident programs only and have a huge waiting list. That being said this is what you should do in my opinion as it will get you to your goal:
1) Get out. You cannot hope to be as prepared as you should be to open a brewery without the flexibility of not being in.
2) Go to a brewing school like UCDavis or Siebel (the GI Bill will not pay for Siebel) to get your foot in the door. You can probably get a job at a smaller brewery but this shows you have commitment enough to finish a program.
3) Work you way up for the next ten years. After ten years you would likely be a head brewer for a while at a brewery somewhere.
4) Learn how to run a business.

Now I know what you're saying right now, I can't just get out, or man that's a lot of work. I know plenty of people that opened a brewery and did none of that. Yeah but all of them out say they would do thing differently if they could go back.

Oh and don't think you can open a nano and make money. You cannot. You will never be able to make enough beer.


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[finecreek]

American Brewers Guild is a great program.

[Catfish002]

ASU program

I did brewery coursework at Appalachian State University-Fermentation Sciences Department in Boone, NC. Fantastic experience with ASU and the professors there are top notch. I recommend that program for further education.

Also, PLEASE don't discredit the importance of having a very strong business education/skills as well. I see people in your situation that only focus on the brewing side of education, then open a small brewery, then either fail or very quickly have to hire (i.e. spend even more $$$!) to hire a brewer so that they can try to manage the business side of the brewery. I always recommend "for every one technical brewery book you read or class you take, read at least four business books!"

Good luck!

[Jeremiah]

Thanks very much for the in-depth responses and advice, it's very appreciated.

After some deliberation: I think I'm going to do the American Brewers Guild as my Brewer related education, continue working towards a BJCP cert, and look into a Business degree that is local to me here in Florida.

To Vandalbrewing: I agree, I cannot prepare myself for the industry fully. I will have to spend multiple years gaining experience working up through it. However I have a family and some debt that will make it difficult to exit the Military until approximately 6 years from now on good terms. 10 more years will allow me to retire, but I'm not certain that I can wait that long.

Anyone have any other suggestions or advice?

[B Gerovac]

Thanks very much for the in-depth responses and advice, it's very appreciated.

After some deliberation: I think I'm going to do the American Brewers Guild as my Brewer related education, continue working towards a BJCP cert, and look into a Business degree that is local to me here in Florida.

To Vandalbrewing: I agree, I cannot prepare myself for the industry fully. I will have to spend multiple years gaining experience working up through it. However I have a family and some debt that will make it difficult to exit the Military until approximately 6 years from now on good terms. 10 more years will allow me to retire, but I'm not certain that I can wait that long.

Anyone have any other suggestions or advice?

I (and my husband) took a similar path. Waited till 20 year Army retirement, got entry level jobs in local breweries while attending ABG online. Worked at several breweries over ten years before opening our own in 2011. Got an SBA-backed bank loan to open, which will be paid off in 3 more years. Having retirement pay makes it easier in those early months when cash flow is negative.

Best of luck,
Barbara Gerovac
Anaheim Brewery

[Doc_White]

Full disclosure for my $0.02 here: I am President/Founder/Maintenance Man at the Brewing and Distilling Center (BDC), so I am coming from a semi-biased position on brewing education. However, being an educator since 1993 and either director or owner of a brewing school since 2013, I have researched essentially all the US brewing programs.

2-year, 4-year and post graduate degree programs have their place (I have a doctorate and a master degree in 2 different disciplines); but I am a firm believer in trade schools. Does a person need those lengthy degrees, the time it takes and the school debt it takes to have a success career in brewing and distilling. No, is my answer. That is why I left a college for which I founded a brewing school and started the BDC-- privately owned, authorized by the State of Tennessee Higher Education Commission and approved by the Veterans Affairs for military veterans educational funding. Sometimes you might need (or want) an MBA, or a chemical engineering degree. . . Most times, probably not.

Our professional program: the 13-week, 154 contact hour, Professional Brewing/Distilling Technology certificate program (PBDT) is GI Bill/Post 911 and VA Vocational Rehabilitation approved. In addition to helping many civilian folks get the training and then get the job, we love helping our military veteran friends get trained and secure jobs. And we are good at it. Give me a shout via phone at 865-622-7511 or email at: todd@getbdc.com. Check us out at: Brewing & Distilling Center | Beer Brewing School – Distilling School – Knoxville, TN (brewinganddistillingcenter.com) I hope that wasn't too in your face promoting. But I am passionate about helping folks attain their goals. Doc White