Volunteering in Austin breweries.

Just to clarify, you'd like to volunteer for one straight week and that's it?

 

When I was unemployed, I sent some emails around asking if I could help out as an unpaid laborer until I got another job. Never got a response back...I was just looking to learn a little from working at one.

Oh well.

 

I've volunteered at Jester King before but the way they operate you wouldn't be able to volunteer for a week straight. Jeff responded to me very fast, send him a message. If you want info about my personal experience feel free to shoot me a message.

 

The amount of people who are interested in working at breweries is a sign of the strength of our industry. We get volunteer requests every day (some people actually offer to pay us for the experience). But, we don't take on volunteers for two main reasons:

Firstly, it's a huge liability. Breweries can be a dangerous work environment. We've got great insurance, but it only covers employees.

Secondly, we would rather hire and pay long-term employees than constantly cycle through free labor. We've very particular about how we do things - even with how we clean the floors - and training takes a lot of time and effort.

But, we at least try and reply to all the requests we get. The interest really is appreciated.

 

I doubt it is snobbiness or being secretive just more work than it is worth. You see it as providing free labor but they see it as more work for them.

I see this playing out as you following them around while they work. They would have to explain everything they are doing. Not easy a bit mentally exhausting and would take longer to perform the task. Now they are behind schedule training someone who will never handle the controls. There is nothing in it for them but a pain in the ass.

God forbid you fall and get hurt or dump a few hundred pounds of spent grain on yourself. You are not an employee and probably would not be covered by their insurance. Enter the lawsuit.

I have trained people before. It is not fun. I don't blame them at all for dismissing this proposal.

 

I need to type faster.

 

I don't speak for all breweries here, but having volunteers help out around the brewery can present some risks and challenges that not everyone is willing to take on. First, there is a legal component to having people working in your facility without compensation. Secondly, insurance covers employees, but generally not unpaid volunteers. It's frighteningly easy for someone who is untrained to mistake a steam or hot water valve for something less dangerous. Add to that about 1,000 other workplace hazards and you can see why an owner would be hesitant to let someone who isn't cover by the brewery's insurance to work in their facility.

Honestly, it isn't snobbery and no one is concerned about protecting trade secrets, it is just prudence. A few years ago when the industry was much smaller and there weren't as many regulatory eyes on us, it was much easier to find volunteer positions. But nowadays we have the attention of OSHA and the Department of Labor (and a laundry list of other bureaucracies) to contend with.

EDIT: Looks like I need to type faster, too.

 

Probably easier to volunteer in a smaller brewery that only has 2 or 3 people working full time. I know some breweries pay volunteers with growlers and things like that. Probably a good way to get in is to volunteer helping with tours first like charging folks or something of sorts but even then thats no guarantee. Seems like you just have to suck up to them and give them your time and money, not just your time.

Looks like Austin has a bunch of breweries opening up soon that might need or want the help in the near future that aren't afraid of volunteers. The liability part is prudence but I am sure most of these owners got an opportunity to intern/volunteer somewhere before they decided to venture on their own. At that point its just hypocrisy to not offer someone the same opportunities that they were offered.

 

My experience with volunteering's been with really small breweries as well. Peticolas is where I've gone the most and up until recently, the whole thing was a one man operation. Another piece of advice: make friends with people who have previously volunteered, having someone vouch for you will help a ton. Oh and take the TABC server certification, having that isn't a requirement but some breweries like seeing that even if you are just pouring beer.

 

If you're serving beer, it most definitely IS a requirement.

 

Right, that was poorly worded - I know it's required for pouring, just meant it in the context that it's something a brewery would find as a positive.

 

Michael Peticolas, the owner of Peticolas made my friend sign a waiver to work there a week. But then again, he is a lawyer so you know he is definitely covering his ass.

 

For full disclosure though, all volunteers sign a waiver and I imagine that's standard practice at any brewery.

 

I don't think many brewers forget the humble homebrewer, at least not the ones I've met. I think it has more to do with WANTING the position more than others, volunteer or not. There are a lot of people out there who think it would be fun or the cool thing to do, which creates a lot of competition even for volunteers. You said you've sent a bunch of emails but have you called or showed up in person to follow up on those? If you haven't I'm sure someone else has and that's who will get the gig.

I hope that didn't sound too negative but it's more of reality. My source is the experiences of the last 4 years of my life.

 

Like I said earlier up top: seems like you have to suck up to them and stroke their ego (tell them how amazing they are and their beer) then spend a bunch of money and time on their tours until they notice who you are. After that you are "in". Rather unfortunate I think. But like always, its not what you know but who you know.