Brewery worker

brewer
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Manufacturing and production
Produce

Career outlook for brewery worker

Average UK salary

£24,960

Currently employed in Scotland

11,100

"LMI for All" supplies our salary and employment status information. "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures. Due to COVID-19 the jobs market is constantly changing. Some of the information may not reflect the current situation.

What's it like?

You would make beer for people to enjoy in pubs and restaurants or buy in shops.

Some large breweries make huge quantities of beer. Small microbreweries make limited quantities of specialist and craft beers, often experimenting with different flavours and methods of brewing.

Depending on where you work you could concentrate on certain parts of the brewing process or work on all the stages.

You would:

  • Get equipment ready for brewing
  • Prepare, weigh and mix ingredients
  • Keep records of ingredients
  • Monitor the temperature and quality of the beer as it brews
  • Wash and clean brewing containers and the work area
  • Sterilise equipment

When the brewing process is complete you would fill the clean kegs, casks, bottles or cans and label them correctly.

You might load the beer on to lorries for distribution. At some smaller breweries you may also deliver to local customers.

Large breweries use computerised machinery and so increasingly only certain work, like weighing and measuring, is done by hand.

You would often be supervised by a technical brewer who would be responsible for the entire brewing process.

You’d need to have a reliable and responsible approach to hygiene, and health and safety issues.

Working conditions

Hours

You would usually work 40 hours a week on a shift rota, which could include weekends and nights.

Environment

Conditions are likely to be noisy and humid, with strong smells particularly in the brewing area. The warehouse or canning plant is likely to be much cooler. You would normally be expected to wear protective clothing like overalls and safety boots. You would also work in the loading area in all weathers.

UK employment status

Full-time

77%

Part-time

20%

Self employed

3%

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  • Cooperating
  • Observation
  • Attention to detail
  • Concentrating
  • Managing resources

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Qualifications

Though there are no set qualifications to enter this job a selection of qualifications at SCQF level 4-6 are helpful.

Useful subjects

  • Maths
  • English
  • Sciences
  • Practical technologies and engineering subjects
  • Health
  • Food technologies

You will also need

Entrants to the industry are usually expected to continue their education and training and pass one or more of the professional examinations set by the Institute of Brewing & Distilling (IBD). 

Helpful to have

 Qualifications that demonstrate hygiene, health and safety knowledge and practical skills such as Skills for Work Food & Drink (SVQ level 2/3) or Modern Apprenticeship in Food and Drink  Operations (SVQ level 2/3).