With microbrew’s taking the world by storm, there are many people who are considering following the path to becoming a brewmaster. However, what exactly do you need to do to become one? Actually, there is quite a bit that goes into preparing for this career. Here are some tips to follow that can help you on your way.
Honest Introspection
Being a brewmaster is not an easy job. It is more of a labor of love. There are other jobs that pay much better, however, there are not as many jobs that you will thoroughly love, and that counts for a lot. You will need to decide why you are pursuing this career. If it is because craft brewing is quite trendy right now, you probably won’t last. However, if you are sincerely interested in the process of brewing small-batch beers, this very well could be the job for you.
Volunteering
A simple and effective way to learn a bit more about the brewing industry without going all-in first is to volunteer at your local brewhouse. There are often menial tasks that need to be performed and small breweries usually need all the help they can get. Keep in mind, though, that they are also usually family-owned and can be more difficult than most other jobs to get into. This is why volunteering is so important, it shows initiative and desire.
Formal Education
Believe it or not, you may want to get a college education before applying directly to a brewhouse. Chemistry is a highly recommended degree to get or even microbiology. The reason for this is because you will need to know all bout volume and weight conversions, acid and base levels, pH titrations, as well as alcohol conversion rates. Luckily, the ability to finance your education to become a brewer is just as easy as any other degree with a student loan from a private lender. The best thing about private student loans is that they are much more flexible than government-backed loans. You’ll be living your dream in no time after graduation.
Do Your Homework…by Drinking
Probably the most enjoyable part of becoming a brewer is learning all about the various styles of beer. This can only be done by drinking it. Of course, you don’t want to get sloshed while taking notes on all of the different flavors and notes, so you’ll have to control yourself but drinking while on the job doesn’t sound like too bad of a deal.
Try Brewing at Home
One way to experiment with different beer recipes is to practice brewing beer at your own house. If you have actual experience brewing, even on such a small scale, breweries are much more likely to hire you. It also gives you the experience as to what works and what doesn’t work in relation to flavor and note combinations. You may even be able to bring your recipes with you to your new job. This will give you an edge over other applicants to the position.
