Brewery Worker

Introduction

Brewery workers are involved in all stages of beer making. They do a variety of jobs under the direction of the brewer. In large automated breweries, workers monitor and control the machinery. In smaller breweries, there are often more manual tasks.

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Work Activities

Brewery workers are involved in all stages of beer making. They follow instructions from the brewer, who is in charge of the whole operation.

Brewery workers prepare and process raw materials. They check hygiene and cleanliness, monitor process conditions at various stages, and check samples for impurities and quality.

Large breweries are highly automated and controlled with computers. Brewery workers operate the computers to control the machinery that does the work. Many large breweries bottle or can their own products.

In smaller breweries, some processes are still done by hand.

Breweries are often warm, noisy and wet places to work. There is a strong yeasty smell.

Some brewery workers spend a lot of time outdoors in all weather conditions, taking deliveries of raw materials or loading lorries.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

You will need a practical approach and good hand skills. You should have basic numerical skills and be able to follow written and spoken instructions. You should be safety conscious.

There will be a lot of lifting and carrying. You should not suffer from skin disorders or allergies.

If you work in a highly automated brewery, you may need a basic understanding of computer control.

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Pay and Opportunities

Pay rates for brewery workers vary depending on the company, the job they do and their level of responsibility.

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Brewery workers earn in the range of £220 - £250 a week, rising to £320 - £380. Higher earners can make around £490 a week.

Brewery workers usually work a 39-hour week, which may include shift work and work at weekends.

Most brewery workers work for the one of the large well-known Scottish breweries. However in June 2007 a tourist-oriented "Real Ale Trail" was launched in connection with VisitScotland, and a growing number of small traditional breweries take part.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Skills and abilities gained in handling food are useful. Practical work using your hands is an advantage, for example, in manufacturing industries.

• 14% of people in occupations such as brewery worker work part-time.
• 7% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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