A Career in Manufacturing?

How about a career in beer!

BY ERIC BECK

WHEN YOU HEAR the word manufacturing, I bet a brewery doesn’t come to mind. BUT manufacturing is at the heart of every brewery, keeping the place running and crafting the beers we all enjoy.

Today, there are nearly 6,000 craft breweries in the U.S., and another 3,000 brewpubs. Located in Milton, Del., Dogfish Head is one of the largest craft breweries in the country. In addition to our tasting room, R&D brewery and distillery, we’ll brew, package, and ship around 4 million cases of beer per year. We couldn’t do that without our roughly 110 manufacturing—or as we say, “brewing”—co-workers that are on the ground, inside the facility every day.

My team is probably tired of me saying this, but it’s true, what makes Dogfish special is our co-workers. We have a team of thoughtful, passionate, and curious individuals that genuinely care about each other and the community we serve. Milton is our home, and our neighbors are our customers (and many are actually co-workers). When hiring, we strategically seek folks that will contribute to our evolving culture.

Working at a brewery is a rare combination of art and science on an industrial scale. We’re turning seasonal crops of barley, hops, fruit and more into a variety of delicious beers. But to do so, we must first understand the science behind the ingredients and how they interact with one another. Only then can we devise unique recipes and processes to achieve desired flavor profiles.

Dogfish makes beer in roughly 200-barrel (or ~2,000-case) increments. Our equipment is large, and it runs fast, with a high degree of automation. This is where electrical and machinist skills become a necessity. Our can line runs at a speed of 300 cans per minute and our bottle line runs more than twice as fast. When things break, and they do, we must diagnose the issue quickly to get back up and running.

Our motto is, “Together we are HEAVY,” meaning together we can accomplish more than we can individually, and our brewing co-workers are the epitome of that. Our co-workers across the brewery are resourceful and curious, and they aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, jumping in to help wherever needed. In fact, they yearn for opportunities to step outside their worlds, garner new skills, and learn about new facets of the business. It’s that curiosity and desire to learn that not only draws people to this industry but enables them to grow their careers within it … that and of course, free beer!

Another intriguing aspect of manufacturing is, like any sports team, it takes an army of support to ensure success. Aside from those physically making the beer, we have co-workers in safety, quality, planning and engineering, as well as hospitality at our Tasting Room in Milton, our Chesapeake & Maine and Brewings & Eats restaurants in Rehoboth, the Dogfish Inn in Lewes, and our taproom in Miami.

At Dogfish, we have a long history of co-workers moving through various parts of our business. As part of The Boston Beer Company family, we have the advantage of offering growth opportunities across the country working with any of our amazing beverage brands—Samuel Adams, Truly, Angry Orchard, Twisted Tea, Coney Island Brewery, and Angel City Brewery). For example, I’ve been with Boston Beer for 13 years. During that time, I’ve held five different jobs in four different locations.

Manufacturing can be a lot of things, opening doors you may not have imagined, and that’s the beauty of it—you’re always learning. You are exposed to many different areas of a business, discover what you enjoy and what you don’t, and then possess the skills and flexibility to steer your career in whatever direction you desire.

Shameless plug … we’re always looking new co-workers! To view open roles, visit www.bostonbeer.com.

Eric Beck is the director of operations at Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, part of The Boston Beer Company.