Help an aspiring Brewmaster

[gomerjf]

Howdy everybody,
I'm a student who has recently gotten very interested in brewing. I'm wondering if anybody knows of any schools that offer Brewmaster training? Internet searches have not found much. Any help is appreciated.
-John

[MARK123]

Depends on what you consider "brewmaster training". But for a price any one of us could teach you!!!

[Stodbrew]

There's the American Brewer's Guild in Vermont, Siebel Institute in Chicago and UC Davis has their Masterbrewer's Program.

[brewmonkey]

If you do attend one of the above be prepared to spend a good sum of money for the program. If you do choose to attend one, take the full course and not the 2 week introduction(if Siebel still offers it).

Of course you can do it the old fashioned way and teach yourself. I did not attend one of those schools and had never homebrewed before I got my first job (yes, I had never brewed before). I worked in a small pub and worked my way from a P/T keg washer to the head brewer.

[Stodbrew]

Indeed, those schools are going to be very expensive. I agree with Brewmonkey when he says you should learn as much as you can on your own by homebrewing. That way it will give you an idea of the process. Then maybe you can try and get a job with a local brewery doing some grunt work as a kind of foot in the door.

[gomerjf]

Thanks for the advice, fellas. I've been talking to a brewmaster in-town (anyone ever been to Upstream Brewery in Omaha?) and now the plan is to finish my undergraduate studies then get hired on as an assistant. Then, if experience demands and money allows, a bremaster's program at one of the places you mentioned. Thanks again.
-John