Career outlook for
Figures and forecasts for roles at the same level, which require similar skills and qualifications.
Average UK salary
£22,360
Currently employed in Scotland
14,300
Five year job forecast
-4.43%
"LMI for All" supplies our salary and employment status information. "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures.
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
Environment
UK employment status
Full-time
77%
Part-time
20%
Self employed
3%
Create a qualification route
We’ve found some examples of the qualifications that could help you get this job.
Discover my routeTop skills
Here are some of the skills needed for this job. Sign in to see how your skills match up.
- Managing resources
- Concentrating
- Attention to detail
- Cooperating
- Observation
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Foundation Apprenticeships
Choosing a Foundation Apprenticeship as one of your subjects in S5 and S6 can help you get a head start with this type of job.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification (the same level as a Higher) plus valuable work placement experience and skills you can't learn in a classroom.
Interested? Find out what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
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).
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