Christmas is a-coming and the shops are full of stocking fillers with a gin theme.

Paleobotanists at Stanford University in the States reckon to have discovered evidence of early brewing some 13,000 years ago by examining starch residues in mortars uncovered near Mount Carmel in Israel.

The Purchase and Sales Manager is a very senior role at a brewery or distillery. They are primarily responsible for dealing with suppliers and customers including raw material suppliers, packaging suppliers, machinery suppliers, and retail customers. Their position is critically important at a brewery or distillery because they help the facility obtain the high quality […]

Having a career in the brewing industry can be very rewarding and exciting! One of the most common ways that people enter the industry is via a graduate traineeship. If you are specifically interested in becoming a brewer, a brewing graduate traineeship is the perfect entry point. A brewing graduate trainee must have already completed […]

The technical support team leader plays a crucial role in ensuring the technical aspects of the distillery are working correctly. They report directly to the Technical Area Leader and work closely with a wide range of distillery staff. The technical support team leader must ensure that the technical strategy of the distillery is closely followed. […]

A maintenance manager oversees the installation, repair, and upkeep of infrastructure within a brewery or distillery. The infrastructure they work on usually includes mechanical systems, machines, and buildings. It is an interesting and varied role that requires strong mechanical and technical knowledge, leadership skills, planning skills, and attention to detail. A maintenance manager must have […]

A wine buyer helps clients find and purchase high-quality wines that match their specific requirements. Wine buyers typically work for wine wholesalers, private collectors, restaurants, and shops. To become a wine buyer, you must have a vast knowledge of wine and understand current wine industry trends. Wine buyers must have excellent communication skills, strong sales […]

A specifications technologist helps a beverage maker by providing advice relating to scientific, technical and legislative issues. Their key responsibility is to help their employer understand current food safety laws and packaging requirements. For breweries, wineries, and distilleries that includes ensuring products are safe for consumption and correctly labeled to meet legal requirements. Correct labelling […]

The number of craft gin distilleries in the United Kingdom has greatly increased in recent years. Between 2010 and 2016, the craft distilleries in Britain has doubled, rising from 116 to 233. Forty-nine new craft gin distillers have opened in Britain in the last year alone! This substantial growth has been driven by demand for […]

A sensory manager will provide the technical expertise necessary for a company to develop a sensory program that evaluates its products. This program must accurately determine how people perceive the company’s products and marketing campaigns. Their sensory analysis testing will be key in improving existing products and developing new products. The sensory manager will also […]

The craft beer industry continues to grow at a rapid rate.  In the  past 8-years, the United States craft beer industry has posted double-digit growth and now represents 12% of the total beer market in terms of volume. In the United Kingdom, there are now more than 1,300 craft breweries — more per capita than […]

The packaging team leader is responsible for ensuring a brewery’s products are packed correctly and made ready for distribution. They manage a team of staff involved in various packaging and warehousing processes, including bottling, canning, boxing, kegging and palletising. The packaging team leader has an important role in the production team, working closely with the […]

The brewing production manager is responsible for the planning and coordination of the entire brewing process. To perform this role they must manage staff, schedule beer production runs, ensure adequate raw materials are available, and make sure that the brewery’s equipment is working correctly. They will also oversee production, supervise beer packaging, maintain a safe […]

A drinks industry microbiologist has a highly technical role which is very important for the production of high-quality wine, beer or spirits. They are trained to use a variety of scientific and analytical techniques to monitor and study microbes including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. A microbiologist will spend most of their time in a laboratory […]

A liquid manager is responsible for ensuring liquids in a food production facility are appropriately sourced, stored, and assessed for quality. They will implement value-adding standards to improve the facility’s capacity for using liquids. Their primary responsibility is to ensure the facility has the appropriate high-quality liquids required for the production process. The liquid manager […]

The brewing industry is growing fast. There are now over 1700 breweries in the UK; an increase in 8% over the last year. This means that the demand for breweries of sufficiently qualified staff keeps on rising. Microbreweries in particular are crying out for sufficiently experienced and qualified brewers. This doesn’t necessary mean brewers with […]

The quality specialist (brewing) will work to ensure that the beer produced in a brewery is of exceptional quality. They will work with the primary goals of improving brewery operations, improving product quality, improving customer satisfaction levels and reducing costs. The quality specialist will also help ensure that food safety standards are maintained and that […]

A food law advisor helps companies remain compliant with any applicable regulatory requirements relating to food production. They provide companies with technical details outlining their responsibilities when creating food products and help them ensure that food production processes are meeting necessary standards. A food law advisor must be very familiar with current UK, EU and […]

The international cider industry has grown at an incredible rate over the past few years. In the United States, cider sales grew by 90% in 2012, 89% in 2013, 71% in 2014 and 11% in 2015! These extraordinary sales figures have come about because of greater consumer awareness of cider, new cider manufacturers entering the […]

The national sales/account manager is one of the most senior sales roles at a distillery. Their primary responsibility is to increase sales for the distillery and develop customer relationships. The types of customers they will frequently liaise with include wholesale liquor distributors, retail stores and pub operators. They must take responsibility for the design and […]