Head Brewer Jobs
Head Brewer jobs are open across craft breweries, regional brewing companies, brewpubs, and taproom operations, from production brewer to senior head brewer and director of brewing, with specializations in recipe development, quality assurance, and barrel-aging programs. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find Head Brewer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 12+ Head Brewer jobs
Join The Brew Crew – Crafting Quality with Intention!
With roots dating back to 1874, Cold Spring Brewing is a leader in contract beverage production, serving customers nationwide from our state-of-the-art facilities in the Southeast, Southwest, and Midwest. As one of the most diverse and flexible beverage manufacturers in the country, we produce everything from teas and energy drinks to malt-based beverages.
Our Opportunity: Technical Brewer Lead
Status: Full Time Day Shift
Hours: 12-hour shift - 5a-5p
Schedule: 2-2-3 rotating shifts (work 15 days a month!)
Compensation: $21.00 - $22.50 per hour depending on experience
Summary
The Lead Brewer plays an extremely important role in customer satisfaction and the overall continued success of Cold Spring Brewing Company. The position assists in leadership involving brewhouse operations at Cold Spring Brewing Company.
What You Will Be Doing
- Assist brewhouse manager in leading the batching and brewing process for Cold Spring Brewing Company. Process includes, but is not limited to; weighing, mixing and processing ingredients, quantity, and timing.
- Ensures sampling of product for testing and quality verification is documented and filed appropriately.
- Directs the staging of beer, including, but not limited to monitoring critical temperature requirements of the process.
- Run Proliet and Brewmax software
- Delegate Team Members while setting priorities and focusing on the task at hand.
- Monitor product appropriately throughout process until released to filtration for final processing.
- Ensure production and brewhouse operations meet guidelines, schedule and timelines.
- Assist in training and development of brewhouse employees.
- Partner with departments as necessary, to ensure communication meets all relevant partners, including, but not limited to; quality control, batching and distribution centers.
- Understand and comply with federal, state, and local regulations that affect operations, such as hazardous waste disposal, OSHA Right-to-Know, etc.
- Maintain and execute health and safety guidelines, policies and procedures at all times. Including, but not limited to company expectations, state and federal laws.
- Other duties as deemed necessary by management.
What You Need to Bring
Minimum Qualifications:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- 2-3 years relevant experience
- Ability to read and interpret formulas and procedures
- Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records
Preferred Qualifications:
- 2-3 years’ experience in a high-speed production environment
- Experience with SAP or other inventory management systems
- Experience with GMP and/or HACCP regulations
- Forklift certification
Job Setting
This role is based in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Employees will experience varying physical demands throughout the day, including standing for extended periods, walking on occasionally slippery floors, and handling equipment or materials.
Due to the nature of the facility, temperatures may fluctuate based on outside weather conditions including heat and cold.
The work environment can be loud, and hearing protection (ear plugs) is required. Additionally, to ensure safety and hygiene, employees must wear hairnets and refrain from wearing jewelry while on the production floor.
Alcohol is an ingredient in products we produce. We are unable to guarantee specific positions, work schedules or work environments that do not include working around alcohol.
Physical Requirements
- Lift and/or move up to 100 pounds occasionally
- Lift and/or move up to 50 pounds frequently
- This position is required to operate a sit-down forklift.
- Will work around noise, dust, variable temperatures and use of production chemicals
- Works in a production and warehouse environment, including forklifts, equipment, and damp floors
- May be required to work and direct in confined spaces and work with high pressure steam
- Regular standing on hard surfaces.
- Vision required: distance, close, color, peripheral and depth perception
- Frequently required to stand, talk or hear, use hands to finger, feel and reach with hands and arms.
- Occasionally required to sit, walk, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch and crawl.
- Occasionally exposed to working on elevated platforms, with fumes or airborne particles and/or toxic/caustic chemicals.
- Frequently exposed to working near mechanical parts and exposed to vibration.
What’s In It For You?
At Cold Spring Brewing, we believe in supporting the well-being of our team members both inside and outside the workplace. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:
- Health Insurance: Competitive medical, HSA and FSA plans, dental, and vision coverage options for you and your family. Coverage begins the 1st of the month following 60 days.
- Paid Time Off: Paid Time off and paid holidays to ensure work-life balance.
- Retirement Savings: 401(k) with company match to help you plan for the future beginning 1st of the month following 6 months
- Bonuses: Monthly performance-based bonuses
- Employee Assistance Program: Support services for personal, work, and life challenges.
- Life and Disability Insurance: Life insurance, AD&D insurance, and short- and long-term disability coverage.
- Free Uniforms
- Referral Bonuses
At Cold Spring Brewing, you’ll be part of a company that values innovation, quality, and teamwork. We’re committed to providing you with the resources and support to grow your career, all while fostering a culture of safety, sustainability, and employee empowerment.
If you're ready to make your mark in an industry-leading company and take your career to the next level, join the Brew Crew today!
2-2-3
Join The Brew Crew – Crafting Quality with Intention!
With roots dating back to 1874, Cold Spring Brewing is a leader in contract beverage production, serving customers nationwide from our state-of-the-art facilities in the Southeast, Southwest, and Midwest. As one of the most diverse and flexible beverage manufacturers in the country, we produce everything from teas and energy drinks to malt-based beverages.
Our Opportunity: Technical Brewer Lead
Status: Full Time Day Shift
Hours: 12-hour shift - 5a-5p
Schedule: 2-2-3 rotating shifts (work 15 days a month!)
Compensation: $21.00 - $22.50 per hour depending on experience
Summary
The Lead Brewer plays an extremely important role in customer satisfaction and the overall continued success of Cold Spring Brewing Company. The position assists in leadership involving brewhouse operations at Cold Spring Brewing Company.
What You Will Be Doing
- Assist brewhouse manager in leading the batching and brewing process for Cold Spring Brewing Company. Process includes, but is not limited to; weighing, mixing and processing ingredients, quantity, and timing.
- Ensures sampling of product for testing and quality verification is documented and filed appropriately.
- Directs the staging of beer, including, but not limited to monitoring critical temperature requirements of the process.
- Run Proliet and Brewmax software
- Delegate Team Members while setting priorities and focusing on the task at hand.
- Monitor product appropriately throughout process until released to filtration for final processing.
- Ensure production and brewhouse operations meet guidelines, schedule and timelines.
- Assist in training and development of brewhouse employees.
- Partner with departments as necessary, to ensure communication meets all relevant partners, including, but not limited to; quality control, batching and distribution centers.
- Understand and comply with federal, state, and local regulations that affect operations, such as hazardous waste disposal, OSHA Right-to-Know, etc.
- Maintain and execute health and safety guidelines, policies and procedures at all times. Including, but not limited to company expectations, state and federal laws.
- Other duties as deemed necessary by management.
What You Need to Bring
Minimum Qualifications:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- 2-3 years relevant experience
- Ability to read and interpret formulas and procedures
- Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records
Preferred Qualifications:
- 2-3 years’ experience in a high-speed production environment
- Experience with SAP or other inventory management systems
- Experience with GMP and/or HACCP regulations
- Forklift certification
Job Setting
This role is based in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Employees will experience varying physical demands throughout the day, including standing for extended periods, walking on occasionally slippery floors, and handling equipment or materials.
Due to the nature of the facility, temperatures may fluctuate based on outside weather conditions including heat and cold.
The work environment can be loud, and hearing protection (ear plugs) is required. Additionally, to ensure safety and hygiene, employees must wear hairnets and refrain from wearing jewelry while on the production floor.
Alcohol is an ingredient in products we produce. We are unable to guarantee specific positions, work schedules or work environments that do not include working around alcohol.
Physical Requirements
- Lift and/or move up to 100 pounds occasionally
- Lift and/or move up to 50 pounds frequently
- This position is required to operate a sit-down forklift.
- Will work around noise, dust, variable temperatures and use of production chemicals
- Works in a production and warehouse environment, including forklifts, equipment, and damp floors
- May be required to work and direct in confined spaces and work with high pressure steam
- Regular standing on hard surfaces.
- Vision required: distance, close, color, peripheral and depth perception
- Frequently required to stand, talk or hear, use hands to finger, feel and reach with hands and arms.
- Occasionally required to sit, walk, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch and crawl.
- Occasionally exposed to working on elevated platforms, with fumes or airborne particles and/or toxic/caustic chemicals.
- Frequently exposed to working near mechanical parts and exposed to vibration.
What’s In It For You?
At Cold Spring Brewing, we believe in supporting the well-being of our team members both inside and outside the workplace. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:
- Health Insurance: Competitive medical, HSA and FSA plans, dental, and vision coverage options for you and your family. Coverage begins the 1st of the month following 60 days.
- Paid Time Off: Paid Time off and paid holidays to ensure work-life balance.
- Retirement Savings: 401(k) with company match to help you plan for the future beginning 1st of the month following 6 months
- Bonuses: Monthly performance-based bonuses
- Employee Assistance Program: Support services for personal, work, and life challenges.
- Life and Disability Insurance: Life insurance, AD&D insurance, and short- and long-term disability coverage.
- Free Uniforms
- Referral Bonuses
At Cold Spring Brewing, you’ll be part of a company that values innovation, quality, and teamwork. We’re committed to providing you with the resources and support to grow your career, all while fostering a culture of safety, sustainability, and employee empowerment.
If you're ready to make your mark in an industry-leading company and take your career to the next level, join the Brew Crew today!
2-2-3
See All 12 Head Brewer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Head Brewer JobsHead Brewer Job Market
Who's Hiring
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in head brewer jobs.
- Three or more years of professional brewing experience in a production environment
- Demonstrated ability to develop and scale original recipes across multiple styles
- Proficiency with brewing software and batch management systems such as OrchestratedBEER or similar platforms
- Experience managing cellar operations, yeast health, and fermentation quality control
- Knowledge of food safety regulations, sanitation standards, and TTB compliance requirements
- Cicerone certification or equivalent formal brewing credential preferred by most employers
Tips for Your Head Brewer Job Search
Quantify your batch volume on your resume
Head brewer listings almost always ask about production scale. List the barrel capacity you managed, annual output, and how many SKUs you oversaw. Numbers give hiring managers an instant read on whether your experience matches their operation size.
Highlight your yeast management and QA protocols
Employers differentiate candidates by how deep their process knowledge goes. Call out your yeast propagation methods, sensory evaluation experience, and any lab or QC work you've done. Generic brewing credentials won't stand out the way documented process ownership does.
Get your Cicerone or BJCP certification before applying
Many head brewer postings list a Cicerone Certified Beer Server, Certified Cicerone, or BJCP judge credential as preferred. Earning one before you apply signals formal knowledge and sets you apart from candidates who rely on experience alone.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists head brewer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Research each brewery's current tap list before interviewing
Interviewers for head brewer roles expect you to know their lineup cold. Study their core beers, seasonal releases, and any awards they've won. Referencing a specific beer you respect in your answers shows genuine interest and sets the tone early.
Negotiate equipment and capital budget authority
Head brewer offers often come with vague scope around who controls equipment purchases and recipe sign-off. Ask directly which decisions you own versus which require owner approval. Clarifying this before you accept prevents friction once you're on the floor.
Head Brewer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most head brewers?
The most active employers for head brewers right now are Starbucks, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, and Cigaret Shopper, and the most openings are in Maine, Wisconsin, and North Carolina, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Availability shifts quickly as new taprooms open and production facilities expand, so checking current listings regularly gives you the most accurate picture.
How do you become a head brewer?
Start as a production brewer or cellarman to build hands-on fermentation and packaging experience, then move into a lead brewer role where you can own recipes and manage a small team. Earning a formal credential like a Cicerone certification or completing a brewing science program strengthens your candidacy. Consistency in quality output and demonstrated ability to run a full production cycle from grain to glass are what most employers evaluate when promoting or hiring a head brewer.
Can you get hired as a head brewer with limited experience?
Getting hired as a head brewer with limited professional experience is difficult but possible at smaller taprooms or startup breweries that prioritize passion and homebrewing depth over a long commercial resume. Building a documented portfolio of original recipes, completing a formal brewing science or fermentation course, and volunteering at a local brewery to log production hours all help close the experience gap before you apply to full head brewer roles.
What does the head brewer interview process look like?
Most head brewer interview processes include an initial phone or video screen focused on your brewing background and production experience, followed by an in-person visit to the brewery floor where you may walk through equipment and discuss your approach to fermentation and quality control. Some employers ask you to bring recipe documentation or conduct a sensory evaluation of their beers. Final rounds often involve a conversation with the ownership or operations team about budget ownership and long-term brewing vision.
Where can I find and apply to head brewer jobs?
You can find and apply to head brewer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Find roles that match your experience and production background, then apply directly to each listing from the job page.
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Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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