Thoughts on volunteering at a local brewery?

Don’t see any flaws here.
Good plan.

 

I've watched a lot of people retire,some had their head wrapped around it right,some suffered a bit.
Sounds like you are on your game and need to be active and challenged mentally and physically.
The get free,experienced labor and you get out of the apartment and around people.total win win situation.
Best of luck

 

Nothing wrong with your approach. Another idea- perhaps there are other retirees who share the same passion and problem as you. Could you start a home brewing group which would share the cost renting a small space and home brewing equipment to allow members access to brewing time or teaching home brewing to others?

 

Not to be a downer on the idea, because it’s a good one if handled right, but a couple considerations came to mind that you might want to be sensitive to.

1. Does this nanobrewery want/need your help? If the owner (or whatever organization runs it) is OK with this idea and can find ways to put you to productive use, then it could be a win-win. Otherwise it’s possible that you would just be “in the way.”

2. How would employees of the brewery feel about, in some ways, “competing” with free labor? Could your presence build up resentment? Could there be a perception, founded or not, that having a volunteer on staff is holding down wages and/or taking work away from someone who needs the income?

Again, if you can work out these sorts of issues I think it’s a great idea—just don’t be blind to possible unintended side effects of such an arrangement.

 

You can head this problem off by getting paid appropriately and using the money to pay for preemptive attack billboards targeting your new coworkers. Win-win.

 

In the US that would be illegal. For profit businesses can't use unpaid labor. That may not be an issue in France. But it could cause problems for the brewery so keep a low profile about it and it sounds like a good gig for you

 

In the recent past a friend of mine would 'volunteer' at a local craft brewery for those days when a mobile canning service would come to package the beer. That brewery would offer either to pay him money or compensate him with a case(s) of beer. He would select to be 'paid' in beer.

Cheers!

 

Isn’t the retirement age in France like 30? Get back to work!

 

I thought of all people who homebrew and actively post on this site that you'd chime in with the suggestion to brew smaller batches, which is usually compatible for homebrewers in a small living arrangement.

So I will. OP, consider brewing small batches. They give off that same glorious aroma that you're missing.

 

I tried to brew a few 1 gallon batches about 6 years ago. FAILED MISERABLY, BUT the smell of boiling wort is fuckin 'intoxicating '

 

Why not try and get a taproom job to get your foot in then slowly get to know said brewery, owners, etc. After a while, once you know them and the place, let them know your experience, background and expertise then maybe you end slowly getting new tasks that get you into the brewhouse more and more

 

Yes, doing it for pay, no matter how minimal, would regularize your position, give you an official schedule, and put you on the same footing with the other workers, which is a good thing. Unless everybody else is "volunteering" too, you'd just be bouncing around the place and it might get uncomfortable (what is he doing? why is he doing it? is he taking my job? does he only take the easy/fun jobs? etc.).

 

What can I say? Sometimes the 'light bulb' doesn't turn on.

@Greymane , Papa Goose has a great suggestion and here is an article that perhaps will provide some motivation:

https://www.morebeer.com/articles/Small_Batch_Brewing

Cheers!

 

If it’s mostly about the aroma, put some malt and hops in a pot of water on the stove at a lower simmer, and your little apartment will smell like a brewery in no time. My wife would kill me if I did that, but your mileage may vary.

 

Love it. Would do the same if I had time right now.

 

Well thought out. I would not want to displace workers nor scheduling hours of said workers. I would hope to just be "additive" and hopefully at times when the wort is cooling...

 

I've helped on a few canning lines (mostly as the grunt labor) and gotten paid in a dozen or so beers and a pour or two while I was there. 10/10 would recommend.

 

Your plan has met the objectives of plenty of breweries need for labor that also doesn't require pay nor health insurance. Many of them are no longer in business. It scratches an itch. It's fun, and you will also get beer to take home in the meantime.
Go for it.