This occupation is found in breweries with large scale national or international production through to small micro breweries, all of which produce beer.
Beer is an alcoholic beverage that is differentiated from other alcoholic beverages i.e. cider, wines and spirits on the basis of differences in the approach to production and the use of different ingredients. Beer is a fermented beverage rather than distilled and uses cereals rather than fruit as a source of fermentable sugar. Beer in the UK is produced to the lowest strength within the alcoholic beverage sector. All beers are typically made from a common set of ingredients and are produced by a brewer.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to make beer either at specific stages of the brewing process (raw material handling, brewhouse, yeast and fermentation, beer finishing and maturation, packaging, product stability and retail trade quality) or in its entirety from raw material handling to product stability and retail trade quality. Whilst well established, the brewer occupation is a diverse role which may vary considerably across the sector. As well as beer production, a brewer may also have a role in design and development of new brands and will need to react to information related to the quality and consistency of beer at various stages of production and once in final package. The brewer may also have input to the selection, design and operation of equipment and technology implemented within the brewery and which is required for processing of ingredients as well as beer production. Finally, a brewer may be required to take part in public facing activities such as product launches or beer tasting sessions.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with other members of a team or they may work alone. In smaller breweries it is more likely that a brewer will be required to work with more autonomy across the entire brewing process. For larger breweries it is more likely that a brewer will be responsible for specific parts of the brewing process, working alongside or even leading a small team of production operators. In larger breweries, brewers are more likely to report to a senior brewer or director and may also be required to interact with other members of the business. For instance, to work with engineers or report on production metrics, help market existing brands or even to develop new ones.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for meeting production demands for either their stage of the brewing process or the entire brewing process, ensuring that all legislative and regulatory requirements are also achieved.
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