Frequently Asked Questions

1. What positions will the Craftbrewers Apprenticeship program prepare me for?

Brewpub

Head Brewer, Assistant Brewer, Bottling Line Supervisor

Microbrewery

Head Brewer, Assistant Brewer

Brewery Equipment

Sales Representative, Installation and Training Representative

Malt And Hop Suppliers

Sales Representative

Microbrewed Beer Distributors

Sales Representative

Craft Brewing Entrepreneurs

Owner/Operators Brewpubs, Owner/Operator Microbreweries

2. What pay scale can I expect to earn when I enter the field?

A more recent survey published in the Brewers Association in 2012 reported the following statistics regarding pay..

Brewpub
                                           Average pay per barrel
1-500                                               $116
501-1000                                          $59
> 1000                                              $32

Production Brewery
                                          Average pay per barrel
1-1000                                             $143
1001-7500                                        $21
7501-50,000                                      $4
>50,000                                            $1

3. What type of placement services do you provide for graduates?

  • American Brewers Guild prepare students through lecture and discussions on “How to Find” a brewer’s Position.
  • During the course discussion of resumes, students will learn the purpose of a resume, how to prepare a resume, and how to use the resume in securing brewer positions.
  • The Guild participates in several brewing trade shows and conferences each year, at which graduates resumes will be distributed.
  • American Brewers Guild serves as a clearinghouse of requests for brewers. Students are notified of positions as they become available.
  • Graduates of the Guild’s diploma courses will also have access, via passwords, to the Guild’s “Brewing Positions” jobs listing page on the World-Wide Web.

4. Who will be teaching the courses?

5. How many students are in each class?

The course is limited to 24 students.

6. What brewery site will I be assigned to? When will I know where I will be working?

Your brewery placement will be determined by Guild instructors and staff. You will be consulted as to your goals, objectives and personal preferences. The final decision on placement will be made early in the program.

7. Do apprentices get paid during the five week “hands-on experience” portion?

No. We pay the brewer-mentor for their time and assistance and also cover insurance issues.

8. What opportunities are there for performing the apprenticeship in my area?

Apprenticeship in the student’s locality is possible. However, there is no guarantee that we will be able to get you an apprenticeship there. If you want to perform your apprenticeship in your area, we suggest that you include information on brewpubs, microbreweries, and head brewers in your area with your application.

9. What are the working hours during the apprenticeship portion of the course?

Four-five days per week you will follow the brewing schedule set by your brewer/mentor. These hours are extremely flexible and will depend on the needs of the brewery. Many brewpubs brew from 6 AM to 2 PM on brewing days. Please assume 8-10 hours a day spent in the brewery for 3-4 days per week.

10. What is the demand for American Brewers Guild graduates?

We are currently placing the majority of our graduates. Of course the more mobile the candidate the better the opportunities.

11. Do I receive a diploma or a degree after graduating? What is it worth?

You will receive a diploma, not a degree. The diploma is recognized as a symbol of a well-trained brewer in the industry. The American Brewers Guild is a well-recognized training institution, and is widely respected within the brewing industry. Graduates of Guild programs are working as brewers throughout the craft brewing industry.