Brewers

Employers

The Brewers Association reported that, as of 2022, craftbrewers provided an estimated 190,000 jobs (including serving jobs in brewpubs) in the United States. Brewers work for large and small breweries throughout the country. They may start and run their own microbreweries or brewpubs, or work as brewing supervisors, brewmasters, or brewing directors for other breweries. They may also work as freelance consultants for brewing operations.

Starting Out

The best career path for an aspiring craftbrewer is to begin as a homebrewer, learning the basic methods and science of brewing and possibly developing a personal style. Until recently, many brewers still learned the trade through hands-on experience as an apprentice at a microbrewery or brewpub. Although this is still an option, an increasing number of brewers are completing formal postsecondary training, making the market more competitive. Due to the recent renaissance in American brewing, employers are looking to hire highly qualified brewers who will not require years of on-the-job-training but can immediately begin producing quality beers. An added benefit of getting postsecondary training is the job placement assistance any respected school provides to its graduates.

Currently, however, there are not enough trained craftbrewers to fill the demand, so many breweries still employ apprentices who have some experience in brewing—generally as homebrewers. Apprentices may spend several years learning the craft from a masterbrewer. They usually begin by sanitizing brewing vessels, preparing ingredients for the masterbrewer, and doing some administrative work, all the while taking notes and observing brewing techniques. Breweries looking for trained craftbrewers often post job openings at brewing schools or advertise on industry-related Web sites and in trade magazines or local papers. There are many beer festivals and homebrewing contests where breweries—particularly new breweries—seek out the brewers of winning beers and offer them work.