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Author Topic: Typical brewers salary?  (Read 7562 times)

Offline nateo

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Re: Typical brewers salary?
« Reply #30 on: June 01, 2012, 01:02:05 pm »
OTOH I have known some pro brewers who made terrible beer and didn't know jack about brewing. And some of the best beer I have ever tasted has been homebrew.

One of my latest pet peeves (I have so many) is new breweries starting up that make a big deal about being "artisans" and making "small batch" beer and all the other buzzwords people love these days, only to make beer that is worse than the high-end offerings from established microbreweries (Avery, Great Divide, Boulevard, etc.).

It's fine to think you could "do it better" than the pros, but only if you actually can.
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Offline beersk

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Re: Typical brewers salary?
« Reply #31 on: June 01, 2012, 02:29:13 pm »
Quote
Kind of like a great chef working for a chain restaurant.

Well, now you are implying that the homebrewer is a better brewer that the probrewer who owns the establishment.
That may be true also.  Just because one is a pro doesn't make them better than everyone else.  I realize you may have been tongue in cheek with that statement, but I wanted to rebut anyway.

Yeah, well, try getting a job at a brewery with that attitude.  ;) Also, commercial brewing is a lot different than homebrewing. Most homebrewers would not know there way very well around a commercial brewery. It's a big learning curve. Even if they have the best recipe in the world there is no guarantee it will turn out without the supervision of the folks who know how to make the equipment work.

OTOH I have known some pro brewers who made terrible beer and didn't know jack about brewing. And some of the best beer I have ever tasted has been homebrew.
I definitely agree with you, was just playing devil's advocate, I guess.
Jesse

Offline majorvices

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Typical brewers salary?
« Reply #32 on: June 02, 2012, 09:16:40 am »
Fwiw I always appreciate devils advocate.

Offline kylekohlmorgen

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Re: Typical brewers salary?
« Reply #33 on: June 05, 2012, 07:55:14 am »
One of my latest pet peeves (I have so many) is new breweries starting up that make a big deal about being "artisans" and making "small batch" beer and all the other buzzwords people love these days, only to make beer that is worse than the high-end offerings from established microbreweries (Avery, Great Divide, Boulevard, etc.).

It's fine to think you could "do it better" than the pros, but only if you actually can.

+1 - especially in the wild/sour/funky beer market. Bigger craft breweries spend a lot of time, money, and effort to make these wonderful beers. Don't just pitch some orval dregs into a belgian blonde that didnt turn out and slap a $20 price tag on it.
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Offline DrewG

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Re: Typical brewers salary?
« Reply #34 on: June 05, 2012, 08:19:00 am »
Or an infected porter, although they who shall remain unnamed did own that that was the case.
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Offline nateo

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Re: Typical brewers salary?
« Reply #35 on: June 05, 2012, 08:27:34 am »
Or an infected porter, although they who shall remain unnamed did own that that was the case.

A bar I won't name was charging a premium for an infected batch of a beer I won't name. Is it likely it was the bar's fault it was infected, or was it the keg?
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Offline DrewG

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Re: Typical brewers salary?
« Reply #36 on: June 05, 2012, 08:37:24 am »
This was at a brewpub, and I talked to the brewer. Beer was infected in the fermentor.
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Offline kylekohlmorgen

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Re: Typical brewers salary?
« Reply #37 on: June 05, 2012, 12:51:08 pm »
I'm all about "happy accidents" - some great beers have come from these. But, if an accident turns into a beer worth selling, you should market it as such.

Extra time, effort, money, etc. was not invested to warrant a price increase. If anything - a price reduction would be in order.
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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Typical brewers salary?
« Reply #38 on: June 05, 2012, 12:56:09 pm »
I'm all about "happy accidents" - some great beers have come from these. But, if an accident turns into a beer worth selling, you should market it as such.

Extra time, effort, money, etc. was not invested to warrant a price increase. If anything - a price reduction would be in order.

Price has very little to do with time, effort or money invested. That sets the minimum price below which it is not possible to sell the product but actual selling price is based on what the market will bare. hence a pair of nike sneakers selling for 200$ when it costs .20$ to manufacture. If the brewer thinks the happy accident makes for an exceptional beer, and there is a limited supply, there is a chance the market will bare a higher price. Even if there is not a limited supply, if the brewer (or the marketer) believes they can get people to pay a premium they should charge a premium.
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Offline DrewG

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Re: Typical brewers salary?
« Reply #39 on: June 05, 2012, 01:03:52 pm »
I don't remember what they charged for it (doesn't really make a difference either way to me). I thought it was cool that they were up front about it, basically "Hey we screwed the pooch on this, but it tastes pretty good anyway", which it did. The brewer got stuck tending bar for an hour, and since it was slow I got to shoot the s*** with him for a while. Nice guy.
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