If you've always loved beer and you have a real passion for each step that goes into the process of making great beer, you may be interested in becoming a brewmaster. What cooler job could there be? Part scientist, part chef, the brewmaster ensures the quality of the beer, whether through handling each process alone or directing the people who take on those tasks.

Job Description

Brewmasters manage every aspect of beer production, from the selection of ingredients to the bottling of the final product.

In large-scale breweries, brewmasters take charge of a team of people who handle each step of the process.

In smaller breweries, brewmasters are likely to take a hands-on approach by choosing ingredients, developing recipes, preparing the wort, adding the hops, and fermenting the beer. Brewmasters at small breweries often take on additional administrative tasks, such as bookkeeping and ordering. Quality assurance is the biggest task of the brewmaster, who must make sure that the beer is just right each and every time. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it. Luckily, quality assurance involves tasting the beer, too.

Training

Many different paths may lead to becoming a brewmaster, from a traditional degree in biochemistry from a university to a self-taught approach. Murray Hunter, brewmaster at Gulf Islands Brewery in Vancouver, Canada, started out as a home brewer and spent several years working at his craft before launching his brewery with a partner.

Many schools now offer certificate programs in brewing, and there are also professional courses in brewing both in the United States and abroad. The Brewers Association website maintains a comprehensive list of brewing courses for those interested in pursuing an education in brewing.

It's important to note that obtaining a certification in brewing does not automatically enable you to become a brewmaster. Oftentimes, certified brewers go on to work in breweries from the ground up, or begin in apprentice positions. However, a certificate in brewing can help brewers to demonstrate their commitment to brewing, along with a foundational knowledge that may put them ahead of other applicants.

Salary

Salaries for brewmasters are wide ranging and depend largely on the size and location of the brewery. In the United States, the national average salary of a brewmaster is between $30,000 and $50,000 per year. However, at very small breweries, pay for brewmasters may top out at $25,000, and at the large corporate breweries, brewmasters may make over $100,000 each year, according to Chron.

Does the thought of all that hard work make you thirsty? In the next chapter, we'll be talking about beer tasting. We're going to show you how to figure out what kind of beer you like best so that you can go out and find more of it.