Volunteering in Austin breweries.

I can't speak for the people you've met. Maybe 10% of industry people may act like that but I feel an overwhelming amount are very humble and genuine.

Edit: and as for the spending a lot of money thing. I think it is more so people like to see someone who is familiar and shows interest in their product.

 

I may be exagerating a bit but then again I havent met a brewery owner in texas (ive been to 13 texas breweries) that doesnt think he/she is making the best beer in the world. It comes with the territory. So it definitely doesnt hurt to talk to these guys accordingly and tell them how much you do enjoy their product.

 

I don't know if Jester King is openly accepting volunteers but send Jeff a BM. He's never ignored one of my messages and he's always very friendly, professional and cordial about it. If he happens to be full of volunteers don't be surprised. I've missed out on volunteer opportunities because there has been such a huge demand.

 

At my last count Austin has about 13 breweries/brewpubs at the moment. I am surprised that only one of those 13 responded to MrLupulos in this post.

If you dont hear back from any ATX breweries, start emailing breweries in San Antonio, New Braunfuls, or Fredericksburg or even in DFW or Houston. I am sure breweries in those cities will be a lot more hospitable and will be more than willing to give you a shot.

Seems like Austin has really been invaded by the West Coast type of mentality.

 

At my last count it was 13 breweries and half a dozen brewpubs, but that's by the by.

Austin Beerworks and MattCinatl both summed up the situation well. I'm not sure what else there is to say.

 

I think there is plenty left to say. Not all owners/brewers or breweries for that matter think alike. I am sure that there are still breweries out there that accept the occasional volunteer. Not all breweries follow the same business model.

MrLupulos is trying to find a place to volunteer his time for a week. I find it doubtful and dificult to believe that all 19 (per your count) breweries/brewpubs in the Austin area shun volunteers. It might be a slight pain to train, but if I had a brewery I would welcome the free labor. After all, I'm sure if you treat volunteers right, thats the best way of marketing. That is how I wound up going to Peticolas, after my buddy volunteered for a week and told me how awesome it was.

 

Not all breweries have the same philosophy regarding volunteers, that's true, and as a matter of fact I spent July 5th volunteering four or five hours of my time at an Austin brewery in return for some excellent beer, so perhaps I was a little too hasty and too broad in my previous post. Some will and some won't. The tenor of the conversation here though seems to be that it's harder to get on the list than some might think, which has been my own experience. The best thing to do is just keep showing your face at open days, and showing up and showing up, and talking to people, and showing up some more. Eventually you'll be the last kid sitting outside the temple gate, just like Kwai Chang Caine, and you'll be admitted. Probably.

Not necessarily an option for MrLupulos perhaps, but I hope he finds a way in somehow and I wish him all the best.

 

Judging by Ranger Creek's facebook, seems like they're always up for having people volunteer. May be last minute type posts though

 

I love the sense of entitlement to march into a production facility and be taught how the whole thing operates, without any concern for the legal, health, or financial implications of that request.

 

I'm gonna have to disagree with you 100% on your comment. It is not a sense of entitlement at all. I think its curiosity and a yearning for learning. Every homebrewer dreams of havin their own brewery, only a few achieve this dream. However, nobody is born taught. There are plenty of industries that require UNPAID internships in order to br able to work in those industries.

Volunteering in a brewery is a symbiotic relationship. Small breweries dont make that much money, so they use volunteers to gaim free labor and the volunteer gets to learn so its a win-win for both. Signing a waiver takes away all liabilities from the brewery. There arent many health issues to worry about besides maybe pulling your back with a 100 lb sack of grains. And again I see no financial burden from gettin free labor. And really, if you shadow someone properly, no effieciency is lost in the process of teaching so not sure where the financial burden you mention comes from.

 

Actually gotta disagree with this. While accidents are rare, when it boils down to it, a brewery is a manufacturing facility and all that equipment/chemicals can be dangerous (chemical exposure, electricity, being careful with your limbs). Michael Peticolas is very serious about safety first when volunteering at his brewery and he stresses this when you volunteer for the first time. Most accidents have happened at larger macros, and actually, I do recall explosions happening somewhat recently too- Franconia and another at Redhook.

 

I know what you mean. But accidents can happen anywhere. My company has more accidents happen in the offices (engineers, business people) than they do in the manufacturing side. Safety is very important, but if anything new people are more careful than more experienced people, mostly cuz experienced people get too confident in the process. Safety is important anywhere, but as you know, the so called dangers arent enough to stop Peticolas (or others) from having volunteers. Like you said, safety first.

 

Or maybe they just don't care for your assumption that you have to be a suck-up to accepted to volunteer.

This is the second thread you've shit on Austin breweries for not fulfilling your sense of entitlement.

 

I lived in Austin from 2005-09 and I have seen the city that Iearned to love go to shit because of all the new transplants. I dont hate on Austin, I still go visit once a month. Just very easy to see the change/shift in the values of the city by not living there. Read the article in the Statesman. Truth is Austin thinks its becoming Portland but in reality its completely moving away from what made it a special city.

I dont have the need to suck up to Austin just because its Austin. Truth of the matter the city has changed and its hard to deny that.

 

What the hell are you talking about, man? This ain't the KVUE article discussion forum regarding a atory about urban development.

 

Here's a good article detailing the legal problems with implementing free labor: http://www.bizactions.com/n.cfm/page/e120/key/234235308G1556J3617228P0P2047T2/ . Potential legal fees are a financial burden. It is just a case of risk vs. reward.

There are hundreds of potential health issues. I've worked some dangerous jobs, but brewing has been the most hazardous, even with proper risk management.

Accidents aren't rare at all. Reporting of accidents, now that's a different story.

 

Hilarious.

No one is asking you to. It's pretty asinine to even suggest that sucking up is going to get you some sort of consideration that just being friendly and talking with folks won't.

 

i think the best way to approach this is by visiting brewery tours often / become a familiar face (engage in Q&A's) - introduce yourself and your love for homebrewing (just shooting the shit, building a relationship around the love of craft beer, give out some home brew...basically...be yourself)

sure, breweries are a business and volunteering poses a great liability before them..however....

we tend to forget there's a human element behind that business, making it work.

if you wanna volunteer at a brewery...make it happen.

blah...im just running my mouth. LOL.