I have just taken a new job… as an assistant brewer at a local brewery! I’m taking a fair pay cut to do this, but I am one step closer to my goal of my own brewery. Any of you pro guys have any advice for a new guy? Do’s and don’ts? How not to piss off the head brewer?
If you’re not sure, ask. Double check valves before removing clamps. Don’t hurt yourself. Volunteer into the grunt work, after a brew session you will get an idea of what the real laborious tasks are, make it a point to offer to do those tasks. Be careful with grain additions, make sure you’re grabbing the correct malt for the recipe. Don’t try to fill every moment with conversation, sometimes you’re both going to be busy cleaning and you won’t be talking and that’s ok.
Also, don’t suggest to change anything about how anything is done/brewed/etc. until you have a decent amount of context, this might be 2 weeks, 2 months, 2 years into it.
Awesome, congratulations!
Pay attention to the task at hand - a brewery is a dangerous place. Follow checklists for tasks to make sure you don’t miss anything. Learn what is top priority, and if you don’t know ask. You’re never done working, just done for the day. There will always be other stuff to do.
Also, pay attention to not just what the brewer says, but what he/she does. If the brewer skimps on important stuff, you might not want to remember too much of what you learn. I know of one local brewery who will not hire people who have ever worked at another local brewery . . . wrong mindset, bad habits, etc.
As other said do not hurt yourself.
There are three major ways how to get hurt in the brewery.
Heat and burns.
Chemical exposure (caustic/acid)
Weight / lifting.
A other overlooked area is pressure vessels. Make sure that tanks/kegs are depresurized before you open them.
Work smart and safe.
Good stuff, thanks guys! I am really looking forward to this. I had begun to truly hate my current job. Feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders!
Buy yourself a decent pair of eye protection. Never remove or move chemicals without at least wearing eye protection. A chemical burn on your hands is bad, in your eyes can be life altering.
If the brewery is using plastic kegs be extremely careful and keep the pressure under 40 psi on the keg cleaner.
Get some good boots. Your feet will be touching water or beer for a big chunk of the day. Nothing worse than sloshing around with wet socks and shoes at the end of a long day. My personal preference is muck boots.
Have an extra set of clothes at work.
Be really careful with valves and hoses. Always deliberately check that when you take a hose off of a connection, nothing is going to come shooting out at you.
Bring all your homebrew recipes, and talk to the head brewer about changing his line-up to match your recipes. LOL. Just kidding.
Looks like others gave way better advice than I could. Congrats and good luck. I hop it’s everything you dreamed it would be.
Interesting, my son is a navy pilot, and they like getting guys in the flight training who do not yet have flight experience as opposed to guys who already have there private liscense for the same reasons
Totally awesome! I know that feeling… Nothing lights the way before you like the burning bridge behind you. :
+1 to good boots and a change of clothes, all the way down to underwear. Worse burn I ever got at brewery was on my foot, stupidly wearing tennis shoes. Make sure the boots you buy have excellent support. I used to run 30 miles a week but my feet never hurt the way they did standing on concrete for a year in piss poor shoes. You might want to look into some inserts, too.
Bwahahaha!
What boots do you recommend? I haven’t found any that I love.
Definitely a change of clothes and eye protection.
I wear pretty basic calf-height work boots. The key (for me at least) was to get some with decent support. The disposable insoles really help me too. Guardian III - Black - Tall Steel Toe Work Boots - Shoes For Crews
I love the pair I have now. I’ll send you the name tomorrow (I think they are called “Rocky” or something, I’m off today). Totally water proof and I can stand in them all day.
I had a pair of Red Wings and they were comfy as hell on concrete but they fell aprt under a year.
I like the price :) I also like that they are slip-on, I don’t want to have to lace up boots.
Thanks, let me know.
My pair are slip ons, too. They were about $100, but well worth it.
I don’t mind the money if they are good and will last.
Once again, thanks to all of you. I am embarking on a new stage in my life, and a big part of it is the advice and help I have gotten from this forum throughout the years. You are all a part of this, and I will not forget my roots in home brewing. So, good boots, and pester the head brewer with my own recipes… got it! 8)